HRH Prince of Wales steps into the TARDIS on the Doctor Who set
The Prince of Wales Celebrates Wales’s Creative Spirit, and the Next Generation of Creatives During Visit to Bad Wolf Studios
His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, recently visited Bad Wolf Studios Wales in Cardiff as part of his ongoing commitment to supporting the creative industries. During the engagement, Prince William spoke with some of the trainees who have been nurtured through Bad Wolf’s Screen Alliance Wales training initiative and who have subsequently gone on to build their TV careers in South Wales, they are also recipients of The Prince William BAFTA Bursary programme.
During the visit, Bad Wolf CEO Jane Tranter gave The Prince a tour around the set of the forthcoming BBC/BritBox series ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ and gave him the opportunity to step foot inside the TARDIS on the Doctor Who set. Allison Dowzell, Managing Director of Screen Alliance Wales (SAW) also introduced His Royal Highness to SAW trainees who have all gained their first experience of working in television through paid traineeships.
His Royal Highness also met schoolchildren from St Albans R.C. Primary School in Tremorfa, Cardiff, in the Screen Alliance Wales classroom during a puppetry workshop held by SAW Education and Training Executive Sarah O’Keefe. The puppets were used to represent characters’ daemons in the BBC series His Dark Materials and the class was one of many workshops that SAW holds to give young people in Wales first-hand experience of the many different roles in the TV industry. Screen Alliance Wales has arranged 3,772 studio visits including classroom lessons since its inception and created 149 paid traineeships on Welsh TV productions including Industry, Doctor Who and The Other Bennet Sister.
Jane Tranter said: “It was a complete joy to show Prince William around Bad Wolf. We are so incredibly proud of the outreach work being done by Allison Dowzell and the team at Screen Alliance Wales, and for Prince William to help highlight the work being done at the studios means a great deal. He was introduced to trainees from a wide range of departments, and it was fantastic to see him take such an interest in the new generation of TV creatives. We are so proud that many of the SAW trainees have gone on to be awarded Prince William BAFTA bursaries, and His Royal Highness was fascinated to hear how each of the trainees was using their bursary to further their careers.”
During a visit to Bad Wolf Studios in Cardiff, the Prince of Wales praised the United Kingdom’s exceptional television industry, describing its creative talent as admired across the globe. His Royal Highness toured the Doctor Who set, including a look inside the iconic TARDIS, in a visit captured on video and later featured at the BAFTA Cymru Awards in Newport. The Prince was also guided through the production set of the forthcoming BBC drama The Other Bennet Sisterby Jane Tranter, Chief Executive of the Cardiff-based studio.
Bad Wolf Studios stands as a creative powerhouse redefining the landscape of modern television. Founded in Cardiff, Wales, the studio was born from a passionate vision to tell bold, ambitious stories that resonate globally while nurturing local talent and celebrating the art of storytelling. Its mission is to produce world-class drama that pushes boundaries, inspires imagination, and connects audiences through deeply human narratives. Rooted in collaboration and innovation, Bad Wolf has built a reputation for excellence, producing internationally acclaimed series such as His Dark Materials, Industry, and A Discovery of Witches. With each project, the studio showcases the strength of British creativity on the global stage, blending cinematic quality with emotional depth. Bad Wolf’s success lies not only in its award-winning productions but also in its unwavering commitment to cultivating a thriving creative community in Wales and beyond—proving that great stories can emerge from anywhere and inspire everywhere.
A Proud Message to BAFTA Cymru
Before the BAFTA Cymru Awards ceremony in Newport, Prince William recorded a video message to honour Welsh talent and celebrate the strength of the UK’s creative industries. He thanked BAFTA, Screen Alliance Wales, and Ffilm Cymru Wales for their dedication to creating a more inclusive and accessible industry — one where geography, background, or circumstance never stand in the way of creativity. The visit reflected The Prince of Wales’s deep admiration for Wales’s artistic vitality and his continued dedication to nurturing young talent. By engaging with studio professionals, educators, and schoolchildren alike, His Royal Highness underscored his belief that creativity is a force that can inspire confidence, build community, and shape opportunity. As The Prince remarked during his visit,
“Our World-renowned talent pipeline that makes our screen industries thrive,” while also stressing that “talent alone isn’t enough if opportunity is lacking. Well done to all those involved, and best of luck to tonight’s nominees!
I am hugely proud of BAFTA’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that young talent from all walks of life are given every possible opportunity to build and develop successful careers in the film, games and television industries.”
Wales is not merely a backdrop for great stories — it is where new stories begin.”
BAFTA
BAFTA’s mission as a charity is to champion the creative and cultural importance of the screen arts across film, games and television. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round programme of talent initiatives and learning events that include masterclasses, lectures, scholarships, bursaries and mentoring schemes in the UK and North America, BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new screen talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. BAFTA is a registered charity (no. 216726).
BAFTA Cymru
Extends BAFTA’s charitable mission across the UK in support of Wales’ creative communities by highlighting the breadth and success of the production industry in Wales, identifying and supporting the next generation of talent, and bringing the very best work in Welsh film, games and television to public attention globally. The highlight of BAFTA’s events calendar in Wales is the annual BAFTA Cymru Awards, showcasing work that truly reflects the best of the country across film and television, making a difference to those producing creative work as well as those watching it.
