Author: Kent Film Office

Next of Kin (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Actress Archie Panjabi and actor Jack Davenport embrace against a grey background

Next of Kin: Archie Panjabi as Mona Shirani and Jack Davenport as Guy Harcourt © ITV / Mammoth Screen

Writers:  Natasha Narayan, Paul Rutman

Directors:  Justin Chadwick, Jamie Childs

Starring:  Archie Panjabi, Jack Davenport

Production Company:  Mammoth Screen

Kent Locations Used:  Oakdene Cafe, London Road, Wrotham

ITV’s new drama series Next Of Kin follows whip-smart GP Mona Shirani who lives in London with political lobbyist husband Guy Harcourt. Family life is shattered when Mona’s brother is brutally murdered whilst working for a medical charity abroad. In the wake of the murder, Mona’s family comes under suspicion and is drawn deep into a tangle of betrayal and conspiracy as they try to protect their loved ones and careers.

The six-part series was written and created by husband and wife team Paul Rutman (Indian Summers, Vera) and Natasha Narayan. Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee, Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife, The Fall), and renowned actor, Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Caribbean, Smash), star in Mammoth Screen’s fast-paced family thriller, Next Of Kin.

Oakdene Cafe, London Road in Wrotham Kent  features in Episode 4 where filming took place in June 2017.  Wrotham is a village on the Pilgrims’ Way in Kent, at the foot of the North Downs. It is one mile north of Borough Green and approximately five miles east Sevenoaks, a historic market town which has attracted several large productions in 2017 including Judwaa 2 (2017) and The Big Family Cooking Showdown (2017).

Kent is increasingly popular with ITV drama productions and hosting popular series such as Liar (2017) filmed partly in Deal and Walpole Bay and Mr Selfridge (2016) partly filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

ITV’s new drama series Next Of Kin starts on Monday 8th January at 9pm and the episode featuring Kent will be screened on 29 January 2018.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Hard Sun (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Promotional image showing Renko (AGYNESS DEYN) and Hicks (JIM STURGESS) against a London skyline

Agyness Deyn as Renko and Jim Sturgess as Hicks in BBC drama Hard Sun © BBC/Euston Films


Writer: Neil Cross

Director: Brian Kirk, Nick Rowland, Richard Senior

Starring: Agyness Deyn, Jim Sturgess

Production Company: Euston Films

Kent Locations Used: Thanet – Ramsgate Tunnel

Hard Sun is a new BBC One drama TV series set in a pre-apocalyptic criminal world which follows the story of two detectives attempting to retain law and order amongst the civilian population five days before the world is about to end.

Detective Robert Hicks (Jim Sturgess) is very corrupt and  must learn to work with honest copper, Detective Elaine Renko (Agyness Deyn) to save as many civilians as possible from the fast-approaching apocalypse.

Writer Neil Cross is well known for his ground breaking work on drama series Luther and the recent horror flick, Mama, both globally acclaimed. Director Brian Kirk has experience of directing several high profile series, including Game of Thrones and Luther. Nick Rowland is a relatively new director on the scene whose credits include BBC’s Cuffs and Ripper Street. Richard Senior who debuted as a director in 2011, is known for his work on a Doctor Who episode and two episodes for Poldark.

The stars of the show are  Agyness Deyn (Clash of the Titans, Hail, Caesar!),a supermodel turned actress and Jim Sturgess (Geostorm, The Other Boleyn Girl 2008) who gave up a music career in 2006 to become an actor.

In one Episode during the series Detective Hicks is thrown out of a van in a tunnel. For this tricky stunt work, the production visited Kent to use the Ramsgate Harbour Approach Tunnel.

The Ramsgate Harbour Approach Tunnel has been credited in The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016).

Hard Sun is set to begin on BBC One on 6th January 2018 at 9.35pm. There will be six hour-long episodes.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

 

Black Mirror: Season 4 – Metalhead (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Poster for Black Mirror MetalHead episode in black and white showing stylised image of main character running across the horizon. metal Head written in white

Black Mirror MetalHead © Netflix

Writer: Charlie Brooker

Director: David Slade

Starring: Maxine Peake, Jake Davies, Clint Dyer

Production Company: Zeppotron

Kent Locations Used: Harrietsham, Maidstone


Black Mirror is a Netflix drama series that focuses on unsettling visions of reality and tends to be satirical with its social commentary and dystopian storylines, each episode featuring a unique story.

The Series, now in its fourth season, was created and written by Charlie Brooker (10 O’ Clock Live) and has a number of high profile directors, such as Jodie Foster (Money Monster), each directing their own episode. Segments of Episode 5 MetalHead, directed by David Slade (Hannibal), were filmed at a private property in Harrietsham village near Maidstone in April 2017.

The episode, filmed entirely in black and white, stars Maxine Peake (The Theory of Everything) and follows a woman whose companions are mauled by a mysterious dog at a warehouse. MetalHead is a chase story set against the empty post‑apocalyptic landscape of the Scottish moors.

Fairbourne Reservoir East in Maidstone features as the empty house Bella (Maxine Peake) seeks refuge in towards the end of the episode.

The Maidstone area has been seen on screen in productions such as Eastenders (2007-2022) which filmed in Wormshill and Harrietsham and Children In Need: The Rickshaw Challenge (2015).

Black Mirror: Season 4 will be released on 29 December 2017 on streaming service Netflix. All six episodes will be available on the day, each of which will once again be a self-contained film.

Image of Maxine Peake sat in a remote rural location on the phone with a look of panic on her face

Maxine Peake in Black Mirror S4 MetalHead © Jonathan Prime Netflix

View the MetalHead trailer here:

MetalHead Official Trailer (0:45)

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

 

The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office

 

Actors Clémence Poésy and Stephen Dillane look on at camera in police building

The Tunnel: Vengeance – © Sky Atlantic

Writer: Emilia Di Girolamo

Directors: Anders Engstrom and Giles Bannier

Starring: Clémence Poésy and Stephen Dillane

Production company: Kudos

Kent locations used: The Production was based in the County and locations are across East Kent and France

The Tunnel: Vengeance returns for its final and third series this December. The six-part crime-thriller is set against the backdrop of a refugee crisis in Europe, which leads British detective Karl (Stephen Dillane) to partner with Elise (Clémence Poésy) from the French National Gendarmerie. Together they investigate crimes such as the setting alight of a fishing vessel transporting refugees across the Channel. The series examines themes of terrorism, refugees and the rise of far-right political groups.

In March 2017, the production team, which was based in Sandwich, filmed across East Kent, with locations including Reculver, Botany Bay, Ramsgate Royal Harbour and the Port of Dover.

East Kent is home to spectacular coastal landscapes and historic towns, and boasts excellent transport links to London and western Europe. East Kent has been used for filming by productions such as Liar (2017) and Humans: Series 2 (2016).

Don’t miss the return of The Tunnel: Vengeance, with all the episodes available on Thursday 14 December on Sky Atlantic at 9pm.

 Watch the series teaser here:

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

David Jason’s Secret Service (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
David Jason appears in a vintage car in front of a historic espionage building. David Jason's Secret Service, epiisode one- 5th December, Episode two- 12th December, Episode three- 19th December, 9pm on More 4 is written in white on top.

David Jason’s Secret Service – © More 4

Director: James Tovell

Starring: David Jason

Production Company: October Films

Kent locations Used: Folkestone

Sir David Jason presents this three-part documentary series which reveals the secret places, people and stories from Britain’s 20th Century spy history. Episode One explores the inception of the British Secret Service in 1909 by Sir Mansfield Cumming. In 1914, when the First World War broke out in Europe, this group of spies were crucial in securing Allied victories and Folkestone became the frontline for British spy organisations.

In June 2017, the production team filmed at various locations in Folkestone, including the clifftop promenade, The Leas.

The Leas boasts sea views to France and Folkestone itself is renowned for its Creative Quarter with many galleries, shops, relaxing bars and restaurants. Tourists can visit the Kent Battle of Britain Museum which pays homage to the aircrews that defended Britain during the Second World War or visit Folkestone Harbour to explore Kent’s maritime history.

The town has been used previously for filming by productions such as Who Should We Let In? Ian Hislop on the First Great Immigration Row (2017), not to mention the seaside episode for Darling Buds of May, starring Mr Jason himself (1991-1993).

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

 

The Channel: The World’s Busiest Waterway (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Image of large container ship and tugboat with the words 'The Channel: The World's Busiest Water' superimposed.

The Channel – © Channel 4

Production company: Blast! Films

Kent locations used: Ramsgate Royal Harbour and Channel Tunnel

The Channel: The World’s Busiest Waterway is an access-all-areas programme exploring the everyday workings of the Dover Strait. I addition to exploring the ocean there is also footage from inside the Channel Tunnel, including interviews with those who are responsible for maintaining the system that allows 17 million people to travel across the English Channel every year.

In June 2017, in addition to filming at Eurotunnel, the production team filmed with one of the commercial fleets based at Ramsgate Royal Harbour.

Ramsgate is accredited as the home to England’s only Royal Harbour, developed in 1976. The scenic and charming marina resides 35 miles from the western French coast. Ramsgate has been used for filming by productions such as The Apprentice (2015).

The Channel Tunnel is the rail tunnel connecting Folkestone in Kent to Calais in France in just 35 minutes. The Channel Tunnel has been used for filming by productions such as The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016).

The series starts on Wednesday 29th of November 2017 at 9PM on Channel Four and the fisherman’s episode will be the third instalment of The Channel: The World’s Busiest Waterway, which airs on 13th December 2017 at the same time.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

 

Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Frank Skinner and Joan Bakewell standing in lavender field looking up

Landscape Artist of the Year – Joan Bakewell & Frank Skinner – © Sky UK Limited.

Director: Southan Morris

Starring: Joan Bakewell and Frank Skinner

Production Company: Storyvault Films

Kent Locations Used: Castle Farm

Sky Art’s annual TV competition, which inspired British TV personality and host of the show Frank Skinner to attend art school, is returning to our screens.  The successful winner of Landscape Artist of the Year 2017 will receive a £10,000 commission for a British Institution’s permanent art collection and £500 of art materials from Cass Art.

The show visits a series of stunning locations around the UK and for the semi-finals, the competition filmed at Castle Farm Lavender, located in Shoreham, Sevenoaks. The remaining contestants battle it out to paint the stunning setting of Castle Farm which is within the largest lavender field in the UK. Visitors to the farm were invited to come along and support the artists when the episode was being filmed. Castle Farm has also previously featured in the psychological thriller Road Games (2016).

This episode of Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year airs on Wednesday 29th November at 8pm on Sky Arts.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

 

Grand Designs RIBA House of the Year (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
image of white curved building nestled between trees and bushes

Ness Point © Nick Guttridge

Production Company: Talkback Thames  Fremantle Media

Kent Locations Used: Ness Point, Granville Rd, St Margaret’s Bay

Grand Designs is known for featuring awe inspiring domestic architecture, from ultra-modern builds to stylish period renovations. The House of the Year Award special will feature seven properties across the four episodes.  The show will be presented by Kevin McCloud and the final Episode on 28th November will announce the 2017 winner of the Royal Institute of British Architects House Of The Year Award.

image of white house interior with window overlooking the sea

Ness Point © Nick Guttridge

Episode 3 features Ness Point in St Margaret’s -at- Cliffe in East Kent.

St Margaret’s Bay is a small beach bay close to the famous white chalk cliffs. It is said this beach is where the sun first rises in the UK every morning. The area was once home to Noel Coward, Peter Ustinov and Ian Fleming. Other well-known programs and movies have been filmed here such as Missing (2009) and Poirot – The Clocks (2009)

The series started on Channel 4 on Tuesday 7th of November at 9pm. The Kent episode airs on 14th November.

 

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Coast v Country (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
two presenters standing outside beach hut looking towards camera

Coast v Country © Freeform Productions

Production Company: Freeform Productions

Kent Locations used: Hythe Seabrook, Folkestone, Dover, St Margarets at Cliffe, Deal, Reinden Woods, Pedlinge, Elham,  Chillenden , Canterbury, Densole, Great Chart, Ashford, Sittingbourne.

Coast v Country is a brand new property format for Channel 4, which showcases the most striking properties for sale in some of Kent’s most beautiful coast & countryside locations. The series is presented by property experts Sara Damergi, Kerr Drummond and property developers Kirsty Duffy and David Bull.

Dover is the site of the famous white cliffs of Dover and has been used in films such as Sherlock Holmes, a game of shadows (2011) and those magnificent men and their flying machines (1965)

Another well-known location, Canterbury Cathedral, is the oldest and most renowned cathedral in England; currently a world heritage site it has been previously used to film Last Orders (2002) and a Canterbury Tale (1944)

The new series of Coast v Country starts on Monday 30th October at 4pm on Channel 4.

Episodes which feature Kent are due to air on 2nd, 22nd and 24th November 2017.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

 

Harry Potter: A History of Magic (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
J.K. Rowling sitting at a table, looking at the camera, with a pile of books in front of her,

Harry Potter: A History of Magic – Picture Shows: JK Rowling – (C) BBC – Photographer: Tom Hayward

Starring: J.K. Rowling

Kent Locations Used: Holly Hill Woodlands, Tonbridge & Malling

BBC documentary Harry Potter: A History of Magic, explores and celebrates the magical history of the Harry Potter universe. An exhibition on the subject opens in October at the British Library, and the documentary attempts to capture the experience for television by featuring artifacts, texts, memorabilia and artwork from the displays.

Warwick Davis sitting on chair reading book with a fireplace and bookcase behind him.

Programme Name: Harry Potter: A History of Magic – Picture Shows: Warwick Davis – (C) BBC – Photographer: Johann Perry

Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, will feature in the documentary and talk about items that she has donated to the exhibition and their importance in the Harry Potter universe

The production visited Holly Hill Woodlands in Tonbridge & Malling, featuring two local wand makers. Other productions filmed in the area include: Cape Wrath (2007) and Doctor Who: The Dominators (1968).

Harry Potter: A History of Magic airs on Saturday 28th October at 9pm on BBC Two.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.