It was the Christmas Day hit for the nation, the triumphant return of Wallace and Gromit to the small screen in their first feature-length movie for 16 years with Vengeance Most Fowl. But there was one key ingredient in the film, according to West of England metro mayor Dan Norris.
It wasn’t the scenes of the low-speed narrow boat chase finale or the terrifying march of the evil robot gnomes that vexed the metro mayor, but the new Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl movie was missing something – a ‘Made in Bristol’ credit at the end of the film.
The Labour metro mayor has been championing the region’s TV and film industry since he was elected in 2021, and has called on the BBC and programme-makers to add a ‘Made in Bristol’ line to the end credits of other successful global hits like the David Attenborough nature documentaries that are produced in the city.
The latest Wallace & Gromit epic took as long as four years to make, and was produced at Aardman Animations studios on Spike Island and at Aztec West – something which should be recognised, said Mr Norris.
“Seeing ‘Made in Bristol’ on screen always made me proud, we need that again,” he said.
“I want to celebrate the talent and creativity of our amazing region and make sure our area is on the map. From Wallace & Gromit to David Attenborough’s documentaries, Bristol’s role in these beloved works should be celebrated. Let’s ensure future generations know where these national treasures come from,” he added.
Mr Norris has previously called on the BBC to reinstate the words ‘Made in Bristol’, which they dropped in 2016, and added that content filmed and produced by companies across Bristol and the wider West of England region is properly acknowledged in all programmes’ credits.