Starring: Iwan Rheon, Milo Gibson, Stefanie Martini
Production Company: Head Gear Films
Kent Locations Used: Victoria Gardens & Stone Bay, Thanet
Hurricane is the story of Squadron 303, a group of courageous Polish soldiers who fought with British troops in the skies to defend England in WWII. The story is told through the eyes of Polish flying ace Jan Zumbach (Iwan Rheon), whose hope it is, that Britain can defeat the Nazis and free his own country.
Starring Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones, Our Girl) as Jan Zumbach, Milo Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge, Gangster Land) as John Kent and Stefanie Martini (Prime Suspect, Endeavour) as Phyllis Lambert.
Victoria Gardens was used in one of the scenes scene with a bus where Josef Frantisek (Krystof Hádek) meets Jan Zumbach (Iwan Rheon) and Ziggy (Matt Malecki). Victoria Gardens, Broadstairs is situated in Thanet which is home to some of the most beautiful Georgian, Victorian and Regency buildings. Broadstairs has a is a sandy beach with sea-carved chalk cliffs with the scenery being used in the film when a character parachutes onto the beach from a war plane.
There was also a beach scene at Stone Bay, Broadstairs, where Jan Zumbach (Iwan Rheon) is seen walking off a beach (this follows him stealing a plane in France to fly to England).
Broadstairs is situated in Thanet which is home to many beautiful Georgian, Victorian and Regency buildings. The area is a popular location for a variety of films and TV series including Liar (2017), The Lady in the Van (2015), The Calling (2009, Mr Selfridge Series 4 (2016).
The film is due to be released in the UK on 7th September 2018.
Starring: Olivia Cooke, Suranne Jones, Martin Clunes
Production Company: Mammoth Screen
Kent Locations Used: Deal, Dover, Sevenoaks and Medway
This new ITV series is an adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s classic Victorian novel Vanity Fair. Set in the time of the Napoleonic wars, it follows the life of a beautiful and determined woman named Becky Sharp (Olivia Cooke) as she attempts to claw her way out of poverty and climb straight to the top of 19th century English Society.
Starring Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One, Bates Motel) as the antihero Becky Sharp, Suranne Jones (Doctor Foster, Scott and Bailey) as Miss Pinkerton, Martin Clunes (Doc Martin, Men Behaving Badly) as Sir Pitt Crawley, Michael Palin (Monty Python, Remember Me) as Thackeray, Tom Bateman (Snatched, Into The Dark) as Captain Rawdon Crawley.
A cottage on Chevening House Estate was used for filming and featured as Rawdons’ (Tom Bateman) Cottage. This location is situated at the foot of the North Downs in Sevenoaks with extensive parkland surrounding it. It is set aside for official Government business.
A scene on the promenade, featuring soldiers and horses was filmed outside the Royal Hotel in Deal. The town is situated on the South Coast of Kent and has a longstanding naval history as one of the major Cinque Ports and many period features remain.
Squerryes Court in Sevenoaks was also used for filming Miss Pinkertons’ (Suranne Jones) school interiors. This location is a beautiful 17th century manor house which has been in the residence of the Warde family since 1731. It is surrounded with 20 acres of attractive and historic gardens which includes a lake and 18th century dovecote. Previous films that have used this location are The Hollow Crown: Henry V (2012) and The Boat that Rocked (2009).
The Historic Chatham Dockyard was also used. Production filmed various London street scenes outside the Ropery, as well as Anchor Wharf for an embarkation to France and the interior of Commissioners House. The Historic Chatham Dockyard built many ships for the Royal Navy over the last 400 years, including HMS Victory, and it is the home of the Royal Rope Makers, having produced ropes since 1618. It is a popular filming location which offers many period locations, authentic cobbled streets and three historic warships. The Dockyard has previously been featured in films such as Suffragette (2015) and Mr Turner (2014).
Vanity Fair begins on 2nd September 2018 at 9pm on ITV, with episode two airing the next day, on Monday (3rd September 2018). It will then continue for 5 Sunday nights at 9pm.
Writer: Brock Norman Brock, Martin Stellman Director: Idris Elba Starring: Amel Ameen, Akin Gazi, Mark Rhino Smith, Fraser James, Naomi Ackie Production Company: BFI Film Fund, BFI, Wrap Films, Studio Canal Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham
Yardie is the film adaptation of Victor Headley’s novel of the same name. When a young boy witnesses the murder of his brother in Jamaica in 1973, a powerful don offers the boy a home and new life. Ten years later when he moves to London,his past catches up with him.
Several scenes, including high-paced car chases set in London, were actually filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham doubling up for East London in the 1970s. The Dockyard also features as the wider area where Rico’s (Stephen Graham ) club is located and D.( Aml Ameen ) is chased through the streets and over the roofs at night by Rico’s men. Thanks to its old Victorian and Georgian buildings the Dockyard is a popular filming site for crime dramas set in London such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Mr Holmes (2015).
Starring: Ewan McGregor Jim Cummings Hayley Atwell Chris O’Dowd Brad Garrett Toby Jones Nick Mohammed Peter Capaldi Sophie Okonedo.
Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures.
Kent Locations Used: Port of Dover Cruise Terminal One (Dover Marine Station), Shakespeare beach.
In this feature by Disney Studios, AA Milne’s Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor), is a working man with a wife and family, who is helped by his childhood friends, Pooh (Jim Cummings) and Co. to rediscover the joy of living. Over a period of four weeks, production transformed the entire historic Grade II Listed Dover Marine Station, an old Victorian railway station at the Dover Cruise Terminal into a London railway station, including running trains. A short film for the end credits was also shot on Shakespeare Beach in Dover.
Starring Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge, Trainspotting) as Christopher Robin, Jim Cummings (Princess and the Frog, Shrek) as the voices of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Hayley Atwell (Captain America, Cinderella) as Robin’s wife Evelyn Brad Garrett as Eeyore, Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Mist) as Owl, Nick Mohammed (The Martian, Bridget Jones’s Baby) voices Piglet, Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who, World War Z) as Rabbit and Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda, Dirty Pretty Things) as Kanga.
The Railway Station at Dover Western Docks was first opened in January 1915, to receive wounded soldiers during WWI via the newly built Dover Harbour in 1909 and dispatched them to hospitals across the UK with best possible speed. The Unknown Warrior was returned to Britain here before being laid to rest in Westminster Abbey. From 1919, the station served the civilian population wishing to take the Express Boat Train to the Continent, though during WWII, it once again served the military. After its closure in 1994, it has served as Dover Cruise Terminal 1 which opened in 1996.
Production for Christopher Robin in Dover started in September 2017 and the listed and fully intact station building of Cruise Terminal 1, was transformed back into a railway station, complete with trains, shops and almost 400 local extras providing the background of a busy London terminal for a few days. Cruise passengers were diverted to Terminal 2, which gave production unusual, sole use of a large station set.
Port of Dover PR & Media Relations Officer, Justine Wingate said: “Dover Marine Station here at the Port of Dover, is a unique and versatile location. Not just because it is a beautiful example of a Victorian railway station but it is situated in a large secure area with little public access and plenty of space for unit bases and equipment.
The team from Disney spotted its potential as a featured location straight away and did an outstanding job in bringing it to life for Christopher Robin.”
Kent Film Officer, Gabrielle Lindemann said: “Once the location was secured, the biggest challenge was to accommodate the sometimes additional two to three hundred crew and cast. Local businesses stepped up to provide additional unit support and Kent accommodation providers across the whole of East Kent hosted our visitors.
Christopher Robin presented Kent Film Office with a great opportunity to show the sector that the county can successfully host and manage large scale productions.”
Dover houses Europe’s busiest ferry port, connecting the UK with the European mainland. Dover Castle towers above the town, signalling Dover’s strategic importance in the defence of the country and the White Cliffs are one of the most recognised landmarks in Britain. Some other feature films shot around Dover are ‘King Lear’, ‘Avengers’, ‘Into the Woods’, and ‘The Ones Below’.
The film will be released in the UK on 17th August 2018.
Starring: Bobby Norris, Megan McKenna, Louie Spence, Sandi Bogle, Gleb Savchenko, Lorraine Chase, Ashley McKenzie and Charlotte Dawson.
Production Company: Goowoo Media
Kent Locations Used: Romney Marsh and Faversham
The TV series previously known as The Farm is making a comeback for Channel 5 as Celebs on the Farm! This ‘city types go country’ reality show is presented by Stephen Bailey. It features eight celebrities who must live and work on a farm, whilst farmer Chris Jeffery shows them the ropes.
The celebrities take on various challenges such as handling cows, sheep and alpacas, cleaning out stables and general farm maintenance. Whoever impresses farmer Chris the most each day will then be awarded a ‘Best in Show’ rosette. However, after four days he’ll begin to send home the person who hasn’t come up to scratch.
The production filmed in Kent when the celebrities visited the alpacas for an afternoon in Haguelands Village on the Romney Marsh and Badlesmere Dairy Farm in Faversham for the day of milking cows.
Celebs on the Farm airs on Monday 20th August 2018 on 5Star and will run Monday to Friday for two weeks at 10pm. It will also be available to watch on My5.
Production Company: Shoebox Films, Lorton Entertainment
Kent Locations Used: Dartford, Gravesham
The film The Escape follows the story of a young woman (Gemma Arterton) at a crossroads in her life, as she struggles to chase her dreams alongside her responsibilities as a mother and a wife. She decides on a change and heads off to Paris to find herself.
Director, writer, Dominic Savage, has previously worked on BBC films Born Equal and Freefall. Gemma Arterton has starred in high-profile films such as Hansel & Gretel: Witch-Hunters and Clash of the Titans. Dominic Cooper has been credited in Captain America: The First Avenger and Mamma Mia! .
Scenes were filmed in and around the Gravesend area, including Northfleet Nursery which was used as Tara’s son’s day centre. Imperial Business Park also features, as Tara’s local place for shopping.
Production also filmed in and around Dartford, at a property in Caspian Way which features as the family’s home. Crayland Primary School features as Tara’s daughter’s school and the park off of Broomfield Road is visited by the whole family at the weekend. As well as filming at a nearby kids’ playground in Swanscombe, and Ebbsfleet International Station, where Tara (Gemma Arterton) watches the trains on one occasion and later leaves for Paris.
The Escape was released in the UK on Friday 3rd August 2018.
Starring: Alan Yentob, Rose Wylie, and Tacita Dean
Production Company: BBC Studios
Kent Locations Used: Faversham and Romney Marsh
BBC’s series Imagine returns this weekend with presenter and executive producer Alan Yentob. Imagine is an arts series which was first broadcast in 2003. The latest series contains three episodes. Each episode is based on a different topic, and two episodes were filmed in Kent.
Rose Wylie: This is Blooming
This first episode of the series, produced by Lindsey Hanlon, tells the story of artist Rose Wylie, now at the prime of her profession at the age of 83. Her unlikely subjects are drawn from the world around her – from footballers and popular movies, to memories of her childhood during the London Blitz, to the stuff of everyday life. Alan Yentobmeets Rose Wylie and delves into her colourful world to discover how her memories and experiences have helped shape the artist that she is today.
The second episode, produced by Katy Homan, focuses on the life of internationally renowned British artist Tacita Dean, who is exhibited in three of London’s leading galleries, and is celebrated for her works on analogue film. Alan Yentobjoins Tacita Dean in various locations throughout the episode to discuss her poetic and thought-provoking work, and the medium which inspires her – film.
Season 8 visits family members reunited on previous Long Lost Family series to see what happened after the initial reunion.
There will be three episodes catching up with Cathie Cutler Evans, John Ayton, and Maureen Charlton (episode 1); Marion Williams and James McDonnell, Ray Jones, and Laura Aker (episode 2); Deborah Ozturk, Mary Davies, and Vicki Haskell (episode 3).
Presented by Davinia McCall and Nicky Campbell the series visited Ramsgate for an update as well as recording presenter links with Davina McCall in and around Tonbridge and in Royal Tunbridge Wells throughout the series.
Ramsgate is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Georgian terraced housing, Marina, Port and Promenade. Often doubling for London streets. It has previously featured in TV productions such as The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016) and Hancock and Joan (2008).
Director: Tom Weston Starring: Alex Polizzi Production Company: Twofour (Channel 5) Kent Locations Used: Folkestone
Alex Polizzi comes to Folkestone in her quest to improve some of Britain’s hotels and B+B’s.
The long running series is presented by hotelier Alex Polizzi (Restaurant Rescue), and in this episode, Polizzi visits Westward Ho! hotel and its owner in Folkestone to offer her sound business advice.
Welcome to Curiosity (2018) follows four interconnected stories as a group of people in the small town of Curiosity find themselves linked to a notorious serial killer. It was the world’s first film to raise its entire production budget through crowdfunding.
Various scenes were shot on the streets of Gravesend and Rochester. Fort Borstal also features, doubling as an abandoned warehouse where the criminals return after their heist and Fordy (Richard Blackwood) tries to double-cross them.
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent on the south bank of the Thames. Gravesend’s pier is the oldest remaining cast-iron pier in the world, and the town also boasts an unspoilt promenade, high street and two shopping centres. Previous productions to have filmed here include The Escape (2018), The Interceptor (2015) and The Long Memory (1953).
Rochester City has the feel of a medieval market town, with cathedral, castle ruin and unspoilt high street by the River Medway. Built in 1895, Fort Borstal was designed to hold the high ground southwest of Rochester. Used as an anti-aircraft battery in WWII, then later a pig farm and Young Offenders Institute storage space, the site has now been sold and converted into living accommodation. Previous productions to have filmed in Rochester include Jekyll and Hyde (2015), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Last Orders (2002).
Welcome to Curiosity (2018) was released on Friday 8th June 2018 and is available to purchase on Amazon Prime.
