However, Anderson today tweeted: “Sorry to announce Liverpool has not been shortlisted for C4 relocation or Hub. A huge thank you everyone who supported the bid.
“Sad to be told a big problem was Liverpool not being connected transport wise. Exactly why not getting HS2 link is wrong and shortsighted.”
The latter point alludes to the fact that High-Speed 2, which is due to open in phases between 2026 and 2033, will link London with Leeds and Manchester (which are both shortlisted for the Channel 4 HQ and hub) but NOT with Liverpool.
Prolific North has contacted Channel 4 to try and get a response to Anderson’s comments, but received no reply.
After the shortlist was announced by Channel 4 in May, the next step was presentations and Q&As by each of the cities before a final decision in October.
Channel 4 announced its ‘4 All the UK’ plan in March 2018 – a strategy for the broadcaster to serve the whole of the UK. It was described as the biggest change to the structure of the organisation in its 35-year history.
The broadcaster is moving to a ‘multi-site operating model’, establishing a new national HQ and two new smaller creative hubs in the Nations & Regions in 2019.
When this strategy is fully implemented, 300 Channel 4 jobs will be based in the Nations and Regions and the intention is to grow this even further over time.