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Evening Standard Business Awards: It’s fantastic our film and TV makers are being recognised, says Kirsty Wark

Colourful career: Kirsty Wark has built up a production company. She will host the Standard's Business Awards in June: Getty Images
Colourful career: Kirsty Wark has built up a production company. She will host the Standard's Business Awards in June: Getty Images

BBC presenter Kirsty Wark today spoke of her relief that London’s film, TV and music makers have finally won recognition in the Government’s industrial strategy.

The Newsnight journalist, the host of this year’s Evening Standard Business Awards, has built up a successful television production business herself.

She said it was “fantastic” the creative industry was one of the key sectors in the post-Brexit economy to get special attention in Downing Street’s recent industrial strategy.

“If you’re building cars in Sunderland everyone knows about it, but so few people realise the incredible things that are going on behind these doors in and around Soho and Noho.

“Thousands of amazing people are working there day in, day out, making amazing Hollywood movies, the world’s best special effects. But I feel the creative industry really hides its light under a bushel.

“I’m hoping now we’re finally in the industrial strategy that’ll change, and encourage more big Hollywood movies to come and be made here.”

Wark’s documentary The Menopause And Me aired on BBC1 last week. She said the reaction “has been incredible”, and added that one viewer had contacted her to say she had gone out and started hormone replacement therapy the day after seeing the programme.

The Scot, who has a flat in central London, said she found the capital “exhilarating” but was concerned about new housing developments going up with little or no green space around them.

“As I come into town on the DLR from City Airport I’m often horrified by what seems to be lots and lots of high-rises with no trees or gardens and greenery. You have to have green spaces: they’re the lungs of a city.” She praised London’s booming restaurant and cafe scene, saying: “It’s becoming like New York where every time you go out you notice a new place. People here just have the drive to get up, start their businesses hope they catch on even if they have to kill themselves working to do it.”

However, she said she had “never understood why” Londoners have never made more of the Thames. “It’s such a fantastic river,” she said. “Why don’t you see more boats crossing, more pontoons, more restaurants and leisure on the river shores?”

The Evening Standard Business Awards, in association with HSBC, will be held at the Banqueting House, Whitehall, on June 29.