John Swinney to visit set of Channel 4 drama filmed in Scotland

The First Minister will visit the set of a new Channel 4 drama, with £2m pledged for the screen sector in an upcoming budget.

John Swinney and Culture Secretary Angus Robertson are due to visit the set of Summerwater, which is being filmed in Scotland and benefited from Scottish Government funding.

Summerwater, based on the novel by Sarah Moss, was described as an “existential thriller” set in a “rain-drenched holiday park in Scotland” by screenwriter John Donnelly.

The novel, which has been adapted for a six-part series, was described as “witty, dark exploration of modern British life” by Ollie Madden, director of Film4 and head of Channel 4 drama.

The series received £700,000 through the Broadcast Content Fund from Screen Scotland – which is supported by Scottish Government funding.

The First Minister and Robertson will embark on a tour of the set, talk to crew members and meet with trainees on the production.

Speaking before the visit, Swinney said: “Scotland boasts an incredibly innovative and creative film and television sector that continues to go from strength to strength.

“The creative industries are a vital asset to Scotland’s economy and we want to continue to support the sector to unlock its full potential.

“In our upcoming budget, our dedicated public body Screen Scotland will receive an additional £2m to attract further investment in the screen sector.

“This is only part of a wider additional £34m uplift that will enable our culture sector to flourish, through a budget that brings us halfway to reaching our commitment of investing at least £100 million more annually in the sector by 2028/29″.