Supporting Gaelic dramas.
Gaelic language broadcasting is to receive an additional £1.8 million to help build on the success of BBC Alba’s crime thriller An t-Eilean.
The increase is contained in the Scottish Government’s 2025/26 Budget and raises total funding for MG ALBA (the Gaelic Media Service) to £14.8 million in the upcoming financial year.
Independent research has found that Gaelic media generates £1.34 for every £1 invested and supports 340 jobs across Scotland, including 160 jobs in the islands.
Deputy First Minister and Gaelic Secretary Kate Forbes announced the new funding on a World Gaelic Week visit to BBC studios in Glasgow, where she met Meredith Brook, who plays the character Sìne Maclean in An t-Eilean (The Island).
The drama has attracted a record number of viewers since the first episode aired on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on 14 January and has already been sold to broadcasters in other European countries.
Ms Forbes said:
“An t-Eilean’s success demonstrates how supporting a thriving Gaelic broadcasting sector can bring international interest to Scotland.
“The programme marks a new era of Gaelic TV which could draw tourists into Scotland to support jobs and economic opportunities in the country’s island communities.
“This extra funding will enable Gaelic broadcasters to build on existing high-quality content and attract new audiences.
“To grow Gaelic, we are taking forward the Scottish Languages Bill to strengthen provision of Gaelic education and investing a total of £35.7 million in initiatives to promote the language in 2025-26.”
Meredith Brook said:
“The making of An t-Eilean has set an exciting precedent for the future of Gaelic drama on BBC ALBA, telling engaging stories in the Gaelic language with a universal reach.
“As one of the Gaelic actors in this series, I’m proud to have played such a pivotal role in sharing the language I’m so proud of with the world.”
