Barbie movie contributed more than £80m to UK economy and created nearly 700 jobs, says Warner Bros
The Barbie movie contributed more than £80m to the UK economy and created nearly 700 jobs, according to the studio behind the box office smash.
Greta Gerwig’s film, starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, was largely shot at Leavesden studios in Hertfordshire.
Warner Bros said the movie generated more than £95m as itprovided written evidence to MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee as part of the inquiry into British film and high-end TV.
Barbie’s stars at the film premiere in London. Pic: AP
Outlining the benefits of Barbie to the UK economy, Warner Bros said: “During its production in the UK, it contributed over £80m in direct spend to the local economy, created 685 jobs, involved over 6,000 extras, supported 754 local businesses, paid over £40m in local wages.
“It has also generated over £95m in box office revenues in the UK alone. As such the benefit of attracting such productions are that they are net positive for the UK.”
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Barbie premiere: Stars on the pink carpet
Other movies filmed at Leavesden include the Harry Potter franchise, The Batman and Aquaman.
The 200-acre site was also used to film Wonka, inspired by Roald Dahl’s Charlie & The Chocolate Factory and starring Timothée Chalamet.
Barbie is the biggest film of 2023 so far and has out-earning 2022’s biggest hit Top Gun: Maverick.
It has surpassed the final Harry Potter movie to become the top-grossing Warner Bros film of all time at the worldwide box office.
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The MPs’ committee has written to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt ahead of the autumn statement in a call for targeted tax support and changes to regulations impacting the British film industry.
The inquiry has received 130 pieces of written evidence from across the sector, including film studios such as Paramount and Amazon, as well as industry bodies including the British Film Institute.
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Evidence from the UK Screen Alliance says the UK is at risk of losing its position as a world leader in visual effects and said targeted tax relief is needed.
The written evidence says: “There is considerable unrealised potential which is being held back by unintended consequences of the structure of the tax reliefs which rather than attracting VFX work to the UK, very often drives it away.”
The committee has now called for targeted tax support to ensure more visual effects work takes place across the whole of the UK.
The FA has launched an investigation into allegations that suspended Premier League referee David Coote discussed giving a yellow card ahead of a match.
Mr Coote booked Leeds player Ezgjan Alioski during a match against West Brom in October 2019.
The Sun claims that the day before, he discussed carding the player with a Leeds fan he had met online, then after the game messaged him saying: “I hope you backed as discussed.”
Mr Coote insists nothing improper took place.
He said in a statement: “I strongly refute these false and defamatory allegations.
“Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life they have never affected my decision-making on the field.
“I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability.”
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The previous comments Coote made about Liverpool
An investigation has now been opened to get to the bottom of the claims surrounding the already-suspended referee.
Previously, a video emerged showing Mr Coote snorting a white powder.
That came after another video showed Mr Coote in a foul-mouthed rant about Liverpool FC and their then-boss Jurgen Klopp.
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After the most recent allegations, a spokesperson for Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) told Sky Sports News: “The facts need to be established in light of these very serious allegations.
“We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of our Integrity Code of Conduct, which is signed by all match officials on an annual basis.
“PGMOL Board is committed to taking the appropriate action should any breach of that Code be proven.
“David Coote remains suspended and subject to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL, separate to the investigation into this matter which will be carried out independently by The FA.”
It added: “We will be making no further comment at this stage.”
Davina McCall has said she is feeling “stronger and stronger” every day after having brain tumour surgery.
In an update posted to Instagram, the TV presenter emphasised the importance of sleep during her recovery after having a benign brain tumour, known as a colloid cyst, removed.
Sporting a bruised left eye, McCall said she is being “brilliantly” looked after by her boyfriend, hairdresser Michael Douglas, and stepmum Gabby and is “just trying to sleep a lot” and “get better”.
Earlier this week, the star said she was suffering with short-term memory problems, due to the operation. But on Wednesday, she said that her memory is now “improving”.
“My short-term memory is really improving a lot every day,” she said, adding: “It has been an example to me of how much sleep helps me recover from everything.
Pic: Instagram/Davina McCall
“If I feel a bit confused or I’m struggling to concentrate, I just got to sleep, and I wake up just completely renewed and refreshed.
“I know that my brain needs lots of sleep.”
The 57-year-old ended the update by thanking fans for their “ongoing support”.
‘Out of the woods’
Speaking during a livestream on Tuesday, McCall’s partner Douglas said the star is “definitely out of the woods” during her recovery.
McCall with her partner Michael Douglas and her daughter Holly Robertson. Pic: PA
“She’s quite tired at the moment. She sleeps really well at night and goes to bed at 10pm and has a nap in the morning, and sleeps for two or three hours in the afternoon,” he said.
He added that the presenter is off work until mid-January and has “a lot of time to relax and recuperate”.
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Douglas told fans: “It’s been a very, very emotional and quite an incredible experience. We’re definitely out of the woods.”
McCall rose to fame presenting on MTV in the mid-1990s, and later on Channel 4’s Streetmate, before becoming a household name as the host of Big Brother from 2000 to 2010.
She has lived with Douglas since 2022, and together they present a weekly lifestyle podcast called Making The Cut.
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