BBC Studios lands first production commission in China
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Rebecca Hawkes
| 04 July 2019

A new factual series about tea for China Mobile’s digital content subsidiary Migu will mark BBC Studios’ first fully-funded production commission in China.


One Cup, A Thousand Stories will tell the story of tea and its impact on China and other civilisations around the world. It will journey across the varied landscapes of China to explore its many teas, the people who have built a life around it and the culture it has created.

It will reveal how tea has profoundly influenced Chinese lifestyles and rituals, including food and concepts of medicine and health and how tea sits at the heart of Chinese traditions, attitudes, friendships and family ties, bringing different generations together and even the nation.

“I am delighted that we have secured our first production commission in China and will be making this fascinating and ambitious factual series for Migu. It’s incredibly exciting to be sharing our story-telling and production craft with new audiences and with content that has been specifically developed for this market,” said Lisa Opie, managing director for BBC Studios Productions.

Bin Wang, CEO of Migu Video said: “BBC Studios Productions makes some of the best factual programmes in the world and we are thrilled that they are producing this landmark series for us. It is a great opportunity to draw on their production skills and knowledge, covering a subject that is so important to us”.

BBC Studios has co-produced wildlife documentaries such as Dynasties and Blue Planet II with Chinese broadcasters, and its factual department has recently increased its presence in China to explore its partnership options. This fully funded commission is the result of this activity, it said.

The 6 x 50 minutes series has been developed and will be produced by BBC Studios’ in Scotland and will be distributed internationally by BBC Studios.