The two-day show welcomes 300+ leading brands and introduces a hub dedicated to the creator economy

MPTS returns to The Grand Hall, Olympia London on 13–14 May with its most expansive programme to date.

The show is celebrating its tenth year of bringing together the media, production and technology communities, with the 2026 edition welcoming 300+ leading brands, alongside a two-day agenda spanning multiple stages and theatres, all free to attend.

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From keynote interviews and behind-the-scenes production masterclasses to cutting-edge broadcast technology, AI, post-production, audio and the growing creator economy, the full programme offers unrivalled insight into the breadth of modern media.

What’s New at MPTS in 2026?

This year’s show introduces a Creator Hub exploring the opportunities in the growing digital and creator economy, hosting leading digital platforms and studios, influencers and insights on those who have successfully pivoted into digital content.

Also, the London debut of Post Production World Europe brings world-class post-production training to the UK for the first time.

Meanwhile, the SMPTE Media Technology Conference Europe expands its presence on the showfloor; a new live podcast studio brings leading voices from across media and entertainment to the floor; and fresh networking spaces, including the MPTS pub garden, sponsored by Warner Bros. Studios Leasvesden, and SensoryCalm Space by Eventwell, give attendees more ways to connect, engage and learn.

Keynote Theatre: Behind the Scenes of Modern Media

At the heart of MPTS, the Keynote Theatre brings together some of the industry’s most influential voices for sessions that go behind-the-scenes of the productions and decisions shaping modern media.

Designed to inspire and spark discussion, it offers practical insights, experience and perspective from leaders guiding the next generation of media professionals.

Among the highlights is Corriedale: Inside ITV’s Ultimate Soap Collision (13 May), a deep dive into the logistical, creative and safety planning behind ITV’s landmark crossover between Emmerdale and Coronation Street.

The session will feature actors, writers and production leaders, including Emma Atkins, Gareth Pierce, Owen Lloyd-Fox and Iain MacLeod and will be chaired by TV critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan.

Also on the Keynote stage, broadcaster, columnist and cultural commentator Grace Dent joins Scott Bryan for a candid fireside conversation (13 May, 12:30–13:15) exploring her journey from sharp-tongued critic to one of the UK’s most recognisable television personalities, covering personal brand, authenticity and what it takes to remain relevant in a fast-moving broadcast environment.

Production Theatre: The Realities of Film and TV Today

Finding the Next Big Format (14 May) explores what today’s viewers are truly looking for, which genres are gaining momentum and what it takes to build a format with longevity and international potential, with commissioners, producers and format creators discussing how successful ideas are developed, tested and financed in today’s market. 

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Uncovering the Truth: The UK Documentary Boom (14 May) goes behind the scenes with leading documentary filmmakers Peter Beard (Story Films), Kira Phillips and Charlie Russell (Curious Films), exploring what’s driving the resurgence of documentary storytelling and what it takes to create work that cuts through, challenges perspectives and resonates worldwide.

Broadcast Technology Theatre: The Tools Driving Next-Generation Broadcast

The Broadcast Technology Theatre showcases the tools, infrastructure and innovations driving next-generation broadcast operations. It opens on 13 May with The Next 12 Months: Future-Proofing Broadcast in an Era of Acceleration, a forward-looking state of the nation discussion examining how companies are staying ahead of the curve, with candid insights into planning frameworks, budgeting priorities and the critical trends every media technology leader should have on their radar.

The session features CTOs and technology leaders from Sky, Channel 4 News, ITV, The Farm and Hearst Networks EMEA, chaired by Max Miller of Broadcast Tech.

On 14 May, Game Changers: The Tech Revolution Powering Modern Sports Production explores how broadcasters and production teams are experimenting with new camera systems, robotics and AI-driven tools to bring fans closer to the action than ever before, with speakers from Two Circles, SailGP and Sunset + Vine.

Post Production Theatre: Workflows, VFX and the Craft of Finishing

The Post Production Theatre explores evolving workflows, technologies and the impact of AI on editing, VFX and collaborative pipelines. It opens with: State of the Nation: The Future of UK VFX (14 May), which offers a realistic assessment of the challenges facing the sector and the innovations ensuring the UK remains the world’s premier destination for visual storytelling through 2030, featuring studio leaders from Union Visual Effects, BlueBolt, Phantom Media Group and The Yard Finishing.

Inside the Manosphere: A Creative Review (13 May) sees the team at Fifty Fifty Post Production go behind the scenes of Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere, covering the creative and technical decisions that underpin powerful documentary storytelling, from grade and sound design to online and final delivery.

AI Media Zone: Practical Intelligence for Creative Practice

The AI Media Zone examines how artificial intelligence is transforming every stage of the content lifecycle, from ideation and production to post and distribution. In How to Talk to AI (And How Not To) (13 May), journalist and author Jamie Bartlett explores the art of prompting, showing why learning to talk to AI isn’t just a technical trick but a new creative skill that could define how stories are developed, produced and shared in the years ahead.

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Audio Theatre: Sound at the Centre of the Story

The Audio Theatre opens with a keynote conversation with Academy Award, BAFTA and Emmy-winning supervising sound editor Nina Hartstone (13 May), chaired by Ben Nemes of SpaceCrate. Hartstone reflects on her career journey and her commitment to supporting the next generation of talent through greater diversity and representation in the industry.

State of the Nation: The Unsung Hero of Production (13 May) brings together leading audio engineers, sound designers and post-production specialists to explore why investing in audio is critical to production success and how innovations such as immersive formats, remote workflows and AI-assisted clean-up are reshaping the landscape.

Creator Hub: The Creator Economy Meets the Industry

Also new for 2026, the Creator Hub brings together high-level discussions on how creators are building audiences, monetising content and collaborating with brands in today’s digital landscape, with conversations spanning social platforms, digital storytelling and the opportunities emerging across new formats.

What Makes a Content Creator? (13 May) features adventurer and world-record holder Ash Dykes and wildlife filmmaker Cam Whitnall sharing their personal journeys into the creator economy, from building an audience around authentic storytelling to navigating the pressures of social platforms.

From Traitor to TV Star: In Conversation with Harry Clark (13 May) sees the Traitors Series 2 winner and newly announced BBC One documentary presenter reflect on fame, reality television and what the future holds for one of the show’s breakout stars.

SMPTE Media Technology Conference Europe

Cloud, IP and Next-Gen Production Architectures (13 May) features Peter Brightwell of BBC R&D and Willem Vermost of the European Broadcasting Union exploring interoperability challenges and collaborative work to enable scalable, vendor-agnostic production environments across facilities and cloud.

“Reaching our tenth anniversary is a real milestone, and the programme we’ve built for 2026 reflects just how much the show has grown,” said Charlotte Wheeler, director of MPTS. “Across all the stages and theatres, we’re covering the full breadth of modern media, bringing together the people, ideas and conversations that matter most to everyone working in this industry.”

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