Birmingham on final shortlist for new Channel 4 headquarters

Birmingham is on the final shortlist to be the location of Channel 4's new national headquarters.

Coventry, Stoke-on-Trent and Nottingham, which were all initially part of the bid, failed to be selected.

The broadcaster plans to move 300 staff and hundreds of millions of pounds of TV programming out of London.

It will be the biggest structural shake-up in the 35-year history of the channel.

Channel 4 is moving 300 staff out of London in major structural shake-up. Credit: PA

Greater Manchester and Leeds have also made the final shortlist to either be the National HQ or one of two "creative hubs".

Bristol, Cardiff and Glasgow are also in the running to be creative hubs.

The locations for the new headquarters and the two creative hubs will be announced in the autumn.

Birmingham faces competition from Leeds and Greater Manchester. Credit: PA

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, tweeted to say he was "disappointed" Coventry was not selected, but called on the region to "get behind Birmingham".

George Duggins, Leader of Coventry City Council, said he was "naturally disappointed" the city was out of running.

However, he said the "next best choice" would be to "select a location in the vicinity" - and backed Birmingham's bid.

The Deputy Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council says the city failed to reach the final stages due to a lack of sufficient "creative infrastructure".