Black Mirror: Season 6 – Beyond the Sea (2023)

An image of a VCR tape. The plastic cover on the tape is smashed in the shape of a smiley face.

Black Mirror Season 6 © Netflix

Creator: Charlie Brooker
Starring: Aaron Paul, Josh Hartnett, Kate Mara
Production Company:
Zeppotron, Channel 4 Television, Babieka
Kent Locations Used:
Home Farm, Chilham Mill Estate, Dungeness, Perry Wood

Black Mirror (2011-2023) is a Netflix anthology series set in a dystopian future, with each episode focusing on unique individuals grappling with the effects of technology.

Created by Charlie Brooker (Dead Set, Death to 2020), the series originally aired on Channel 4 before moving over to Netflix for the third season. Episode 3 of the new series, titled Beyond the Sea, stars Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, Need for Speed) as Cliff Stanfield, Josh Hartnett (Lucky Number Slevin, The Faculty) as David Ross and Kate Mara (Fantastic Four, The Martian) as Lana Stanfield.

Set in an alternative 1969, Beyond the Sea follows two astronauts, Cliff and David, who are deep in outer space on a six year-long mission. Thanks to technology, the two can transfer their consciousness into highly realistic replicas of themselves back on Earth. When a tragedy occurs, their lives onboard and off the ship are thrown into turmoil.

Various locations in Kent feature throughout the episode. Cliff’s family home was shot at Home Farm in Swale, the river where Cliff and his son Henry (Daniel Bell) go fishing was filmed at Chilham Mill Estate, and the woodland where Lana takes David was Perry Wood in Selling. Dungeness also features as the road which Lana travels along to get into town, and where she later sits in her car waiting for Cliff to return from the ship.

Situated in Swale, Home Farm is a colonial style weatherboarded villa, with veranda’s overlooking the countryside. Inside, rooms are decorated in a vintage chic style with reclaimed wood floors and chateau doors. The property is particularly popular for photoshoots but has also featured in The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2017), Juliet, Naked (2018) and The Current War (2019).

Perry Wood is an ancient woodland lying between Selling and Chilham parishes. It is designated as a Local Wildlife Site and offers stunning panoramic views of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Chilham Mill Estate is located in the idyllic village of Chilham, which offers a multitude of features including a stunning private castle, two pubs, a traditional beamed village hall and a Norman built church which is believed to be the final resting place of Thomas Becket. The village has previously been featured in Emma (2009), Chickens (2011), and A Canterbury Tale (1944).

A unique expanse of SSSI shingle beach, the Dungeness Estate also features ramshackle huts, old and ultra-modern residences, two lighthouses, boat moorings, two pubs and artist galleries. It’s one of Kent’s most popular filming locations, having recently featured in Back to Life (2019-2021), Brave New World (2020) and Una (2017).

Season 6 of Black Mirror will be released on Netflix on Thursday 15th June 2023.

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


Love Again (2023)

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan stand on a playground. Behind them is a green metallic fence, with a line of trees behind. Chopra Jonas wears a grey, blue and red plaid shirt. Heughan wears a black denim jacket. The two are in a romantic embrace.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan in Love Again (2023) © Liam Daniel / Sony Pictures

Director: Jim Strouse
Starring: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sam Heughan, Russell Tovey, Céline Dion
Production Company: Screen Gems, 2.0 Entertainment, Thunder Road Pictures
Kent Locations Used: Home Farm

Love Again (2023) is a remake of the successful 2016 German-language rom-com SMS Fuer Dich, based on the book written by Sofie Cramer. It tells the story of a young woman who is heartbroken by the death of her fiancé and sends text messages to his old number which, unbeknownst to her, has been reassigned. The messages are received by a single guy across town, and he is so moved by her messages that the two form a connection.

The film is directed by Jim Strouse (People Places Things, The Incredible Jessica James) and stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas (The Matrix  Resurrections, The White Tiger) as Mira, Sam Heughan (Outlander, The Spy Who Dumped Me) as Rob, Russell Tovey (Flesh and Blood (2020), The Good Liar) as Billy Brooks, and singer Céline Dion, who also composed new music for the film.

Production visited Kent to film at Home Farm in Swale, which doubles for Mira’s parent’s home, where she stays after the unexpected death of her fiancé.

Home Farm is a colonial style American homestead, with veranda’s overlooking the countryside bordered by woods. It is particularly popular for photoshoots, but has also been featured in The Current War (2019), Juliet, Naked (2018) and The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2017).

Love Again (2023) was released in UK Cinemas on Friday 12th May 2023 and is available to stream on Amazon.

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


Dreamland (2023)

Freema Agyeman as Trish and Lily Allen as Mel stand in a theme park in front of a brightly coloured ride. Agyeman wears a blue halter-neck top, gold necklace and gold hoop earrings. She has long braided hair pulled back into a ponytail with an orange scrunchie. Allen wears a pink t-shirt, gold necklace and small gold hoop earrings. She looks over at Agyeman, disgruntled.

Freema Agyeman and Lily Allen in Dreamland (2023) © Sky

Director: Ellie Heydon
Starring:
Lily Allen, Freema Agyeman, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Gabby Best, Frances Barber, Kiell Smith-Bynoe
Production Company:
Merman
Kent Locations Used:
Margate, Dreamland Margate, Margate Winter Gardens, Westbrook Bay

Set in the seaside town of Margate, Dreamland (2023) follows Trish, who is expecting her third child and is desperate for a baby girl. Supported by younger sisters Clare and Leila, her mum and legend Nan, the family’s world is thrown upside down upon the return of sister Mel.

Based on Sharon Horgan’s (This Way Up (2021), Catastrophe (2019)) BAFTA-winning short film, the six-part series is directed by Ellie Heydon (Harlots (2017), The Colour of Spring) and stars Lily Allen as Mel, Freema Agyeman (Little Dorrit (2008), Doctor Who) as Trish, Aimee-Ffion Edwards (Peaky Blinders, Detectorists) as Leila, Gabby Best (Morgana Robinson’s Summer (2017), The Marijana Method) as Clare, Frances Barber (Mapp and Lucia (2014), Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022)) as their mother, and Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts, Stath Lets Flats) as Trish’s husband Spence.

The series is set in Margate, and production made use of many locations in the seaside town. Margate Main Sands and Tidal Pool feature in Episodes 1 & 2 and the King’s Steps feature in Episode 3. Margate Harbour Arm features in Episodes 2 & 3 in a dramatic scene between Mel and Spence. The exterior of Trish’s dream fixer-upper home was filmed on Dalby Road. Various other roads feature in the series, including Marine Terrace, Marine Drive, Ethelbert Road, Palm Bay Avenue, Northdown Road and Princess Margaret Avenue. Westbrook Bay features in Episode 1, and Margate Lido appears in both Episode 4 & 5.

Dalby Café in Margate appears in Episode 2, where Trish and Spence discuss buying a house together. The Old Kent Market features in Episode 3, Margate Winter Gardens in Episode 4, Cinque Ports Restaurant in Episode 5, and Sands Hotel in Episode 6.

In Episode 2, Mel and Trish take Trish’s children for a day out to Dreamland. The children ride on the Chairoplane, Helter Skelter, Dodgems and skate at the Roller Disco. The Hall of Mirrors is the site of a confrontation between Mel and Spence, and the Dreamland car park is where Leila crashes her car and meets London hipster Dom (Hugh Coles).

Margate is a seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, amusement park, period housing and ultra-modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. It is a very popular filming location, having been the setting for Sam Mendes’ ninth film Empire of Light (2023), as well as many others.

Considered to be the oldest-surviving amusement park in Great Britain, Dreamland dates back to the early 1860s and was revamped in 2017. The park has a Roller Room, vintage arcades, a fully restored Grade II listed Art Deco ballroom and beautiful rides dating from 1920 to the present day. Recent productions to have filmed at the park include Series 4 of Killing Eve (2018-2022), Series 2 of Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022) and Two Weeks to Live (2020).

The Margate Winter Gardens date all the way back to 1911, and the building itself is a fine example of Edwardian architecture. The building is currently closed to the public.

Dreamland (2023) launched on Sky Atlantic and NOWTV on Thursday 6th April 2023.

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


Jerk – Series 3 (2023)

Oliver Maltman as Jack Doyle, James Norton as himself, Sharon Rooney as Ruth and Tim Renkow as Tim stand in a line in a brick building. Behind them are bales of hay and a pile of wooden crates. Maltman wears baggy blue jeans, a red flannel shirt, blue jacket, navy blue gilet, navy blue beret and brown boots. Norton wears baggy grey trousers, brown shoes, a red fez and a loose-fitting yellow and green patterned shirt. Rooney wears blue skinny jeans, a blue hoody, grey coat and white trainers. Renkow is dressed as working-class person from the Victorian era in light brown corduroys, dark brown vest over white shirt, red neck scarf, brown cap and boots and is leaning on his walker.

Oliver Maltman, James Norton, Sharon Rooney and Tim Renkow in Series 3 of Jerk (2023) © BBC/Roughcut TV/Adam Lawrence

Director: Tom McKay
Starring:
Tim Renkow, Lorraine Bracco, Sharon Rooney, Rob J Madin
Production Company:
Primal Media, Roughcut TV
Kent Locations Used:
The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Jerk (2019-2023) is a BBC Three comedy series about Tim who has cerebral palsy. People often misjudge Tim due to his disability, but inside he is still a jerk.

Directed by Tom Mckay (Drunk History: UK, Bloods), the series stars Tim Renkow (Death to 2021, Bobby & Harriet Get Married) as Tim, Lorraine Branco (The Sopranos, Goodfellas) as Tim’s mum, Sharon Rooney (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022), My Mad Fat Diary) as his care worker Ruth, and comedian Rob J Madin as his friend Idris.

Series 3 sees Tim take on a myriad of jobs, including the lead role in a movie, a drug mule, and a job advising the government on disabilities. Love could also be in the air, as Tim finds himself falling for a disability activist with an agenda.

Production visited The Historic Dockyard Chatham for Series 3 Episode 1, which doubled as Grain Island Studios, where Tim is cast as an extra in a controversial film about a disabled musician, played by the able-bodied James Norton. Areas featured include The Ropery Alley, Anchor Wharf, The Tennis Courts and The Tarred Yarn Store.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a 17th Century dockyard which spans over 80 acres, containing over 100 buildings dating from the Georgian and Victorian periods. It is the most popular filming location in Kent, having played host to a variety of productions. Most recently, Operation Mincemeat (2022), Living (2022) and Enola Holmes 2 (2022).

Series 3 of Jerk began airing on BBC Three on Tuesday 14th March 2023 and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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


Liaison (2023)

Close-up image of Vincent Cassel as Gabriel Delage and Eva Green as Alison Rowdy against a blue background, bordered by the London skyline. Written on the left-hand side of the image is ‘Liaison. Stop at nothing to save everything’.

Vincent Cassel and Eva Green in Liaison (2023) © Apple TV+

Creator: Virginie Brac
Starring:
Vincent Cassel, Eva Green, Peter Mullan, Gérard Lanvin
Production Company:
Apple Studios, Léonis Productions, Ringside Studios
Kent Locations Used:
Port of Ramsgate, Ramsgate Royal Harbour, Samphire Hoe, Abbot’s Cliff

Liaison (2023) is a British-French thriller series following two spies, and former lovers, who are forced to reunite to fight against international cyber-attacks which threaten the United Kingdom.

The series was created by Virginie Brac (Cheyenne & Lola, Insoupçonnable) and stars Vincent Cassel (Black Swan, La Haine) as Gabriel Delage, Eva Green (Casino Royale, Penny Dreadful) as Alison Rowdy, Peter Mullan (The Fixer (2008), On a Clear Day (2005)) as Richard Banks and Gérard Lanvin (Mesrine Part 2: Public Enemy Number 1, The Prize of Peril) as Alain Dumas.

Production visited several locations in Kent whilst shooting the series, including the Port of Ramsgate, Ramsgate Royal Harbour, Royal Harbour Brasserie, Port of Dover and Samphire Hoe in Dover. Sadly a sequence filmed at Abbot’s Cliff in Dover ended up on the cutting room floor.

Ramsgate has the only Royal Harbour in the country, decreed so by King George IV in 1821 due to his fondness of the friendly locals he met there. Often used as a double for London, Ramsgate is a popular filming location with beautiful Victorian terraced housing, marina, port and promenade. Previous productions that have filmed in Ramsgate include Juliet, Naked (2018), the Netflix crime-drama series Top Boy (2019-2022), and BBC psychological thriller Baptiste (2019).

The Port of Ramsgate is set on 32 acres of dedicated port land and is often used as a ‘stand-in’ for film and TV as the Port of Dover. Other productions that have filmed here include the SKY crime-drama series The Tunnel (2013) and, more recently, the Acorn TV crime-drama series Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022).

The Port of Dover is the busiest passenger port in Europe, including freight terminal, two cruise terminals, yachting marina, harbour wall, lighthouses and seafront promenade. Other productions to film there include After Love (2021), The Rook (2019) and Next of Kin (2018).

Created by the spoils of the Channel Tunnel, Samphire Hoe is a new piece of England, an award-winning country park known for its wildlife, biodiversity, and stunning views of the White Cliffs of Dover. Series 2 and 3 of the SKY crime-drama series The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016) and The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017) feature scenes filmed at Samphire Hoe.

Part of the White Cliffs of Dover, Abbot’s Cliff is a beautiful location with breath-taking views of the English Channel. Perhaps the most striking part of the cliff, however, is the Sound Mirror, a large block of concrete originally built in 1928 to provide early warning of enemy planes approaching Britain. Previous productions who have made use of this unique location include Back to Life (2019-2021), King of Thieves (2018) and King Lear (2018).

Liaison (2023) was released on AppleTV+ on Friday 24th February 2023.

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


Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023)

Idris Elba as Luther stands on a snowy mountaintop against a sunset sky. He wears a pale blue shirt, red tie, navy trousers and a grey trench coat.

Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023) © BBC Films

Director: Jamie Payne
Writer: Neil Cross
Starring:
Idris Elba, Andy Serkis, Cynthia Erivo, Dermot Crowley
Production Company:
BBC Films, BBC Studios, Chernin Entertainment
Kent Locations Used:
Port of Dover Ferry Terminal, White Cliffs of Dover

Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023) is a feature film of  of the popular BBC TV series of the same name. Taunted by the psychopath he could never catch and stuck inside a prison cell, disgraced detective John Luther decides to break out and finish the job once and for all.

Directed by Jamie Payne (Outlander, Primeval), and written by series creator Neil Cross (The Fixer (2008), Hard Sun (2018)), the film stars Idris Elba (Yardie (2018), In the Long Run (2019)) as John Luther, Andy Serkis (Burke and Hare (2010), The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022)) as David Robey, Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Widows) as Odette Raine and Dermot Crowley (The Death of Stalin, The Foreigner) as DSU Martin Shenk.

Production visited Kent to film scenes at the Port of Dover ferry terminal where Luther follows the psychopath Robey to Norway, as well as the White Cliffs of Dover – although this scene didn’t make the final cut.

The Port of Dover is the busiest passenger port in Europe, and includes a freight terminal, two cruise terminals, yachting marina, harbour wall, lighthouses and a seafront promenade. The Port has featured in many productions, including After Love (2021), Series 1 of The Rook (2019) and Next of Kin (2018).

The White Cliffs of Dover are an iconic landmark, affording spectacular views across the Channel and of Dover Castle. Other productions to have filmed there include Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows (2011), Missing (2009-2010) and On a Clear Day (2005).

Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023) will be released in select UK cinemas on Friday 24th February and will release on Netflix on Friday 10th March 2023.

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


The Gold (2023)

Looking from left to right we can see Hugh Bonneville as Brian Boyce, Charlotte Spencer as Nikki Jennings, Dominic Cooper as Edwyn Cooper and Jack Lowden as Kenneth Noye are superimposed onto four bars of gold, sat on top of a pile of gold bars.

Hugh Bonneville, Charlotte Spencer, Dominic Cooper and Jack Lowden in The Gold (2023) © BBC/Tannadice Pictures/Sally Mais

Director: Aneil Karia, Lawrence Gough
Writer:
Neil Forsyth
Starring:
Jack Lowden, Hugh Bonneville, Emun Elliott, Charlotte Spencer, Stefanie Martini, Amanda Drew, Sean Gilder
Production Company:
ViacomCBS International Studios
Kent Locations Used:
West Kingsdown – Sevenoaks

Inspired by true events, BBC’s new series The Gold (2023) tells the story behind the Brink’s-Mat robbery – a crime that was once considered to be the largest theft in world history.

The six-part series was written by Neil Forsyth (Guilt, Eric, Ernie and Me) and is directed by Academy-Award winning Aneil Karia (The Long Goodbye, Top Boy (2019-2022)) and Lawrence Gough (Gatecrash, Endeavour). The series stars Jack Lowden (Dunkirk, Benediction) as Kenneth Noye, Hugh Bonneville (Muppets Most Wanted (2014), The Monuments Men (2014)) as DCI Brian Boyce, Emun Elliott (Strawberry Fields (2012), Prometheus) as Tony Brightwell, Charlotte Spencer (Sanditon, Cinderella) as DC Nikki Jennings, Stefanie Martini (The Last Kingdom, Prime Suspect 1973) as Marnie Palmer, Amanda Drew (Gangs of London (2020-2022), A Very British Scandal (2021)) as CS Cath McLean and Sean Gilder (The Fall, Our Girl) as DI Neville Carter.

Production filmed at a private house in West Kingsdown in Sevenoaks, which doubled as Kenneth Noye’s house.

West Kingsdown is a village in the Sevenoaks district, marked by its four churches, proximity to Brands Hatch racing circuit, and West Kingsdown Windmill – a Grade II listed smock mill built in the early 19th Century. Recent productions to have filmed in Sevenoaks include The Last Rite (2021), PRU (2022) and The Larkins (2021).

The Gold (2023) will begin airing on BBC One on Sunday 12th February 2023 and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

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


Empire of Light (2023)

Micheal Ward and Olivia Colman stand on the roof of a building, looking out to sea. The night sky in front of them is lit up by fireworks and an illuminated town is visible in the distance.

Micheal Ward and Olivia Colman in Empire of Light (2023) © 20th Century Studios

Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones
Production Company:
Neal Street Productions, Searchlight Pictures
Kent Locations Used:
Margate, Dreamland, Arlington House, Broadstairs, Cobtree Manor Park, Manston Airport, The East Kent Railway

Empire of Light (2023) is a dramatic love story centred around a beautiful old cinema on the South Coast of England in the early 1980s.

Written and directed by Academy Award-winning Sam Mendes (1917, Skyfall) and photographed by the legendary Roger Deakins (Blade Runner 2049, No Country for Old Men), Empire of Light stars Olivia Colman (The Favourite (2019), The Crown (2016-2023)) as Hilary and Micheal Ward (Top Boy (2019-2022), Blue Story) as Stephen, with Colin Firth (Operation Mincemeat (2022), The Mercy (2018)) and Toby Jones (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022), Christopher Robin (2018)) in supporting roles.

After seeing the art-deco Dreamland cinema, director Sam Mendes chose Margate as the film’s lead location, the Empire Cinema. A sound stage was erected next door to provide additional cinema interiors facing the beach. The amusement park and roller disco also make an appearance.

Filming took place across Margate from March to May of 2022. Margate Seafront, including the main sands, tidal pool, Nayland Rock Shelter, Marine Terrace and the promenade feature heavily throughout the film as the backdrop for the Empire Cinema.

The area around Fort Paragon, the old Lido, Ethelbert Terrace and Cliff Terrace appear as the streets around Hilary’s flat.

In the town centre, the old Mayor’s Parlour doubles as the interior of a doctor’s office, Arlington House as Stephen’s home and various shops and cafes feature, including Café Darcy as an old chemist, Sands Café, Marina Café and Wildes as themselves.

Image of a vintage cinema with a red velvet curtain covering the screen. On the left and right side of the screen are two red doors. Over the top of each door is a white marble statue of a woman.

Dreamland Cinema in Empire of Light © Searchlight Pictures

Margate Railway Station booking hall also features as itself and the vintage train carriage featured in the film’s closing was filmed on The East Kent Railway.

In Broadstairs, Lillyputt Mini Golf, the promenade and bandstand feature on a day out, and Cobtree Manor Park in Maidstone appears at the very end of the film.

In addition to these locations, additional sets, including Hilary’s and Stephen’s flat interiors and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital were built up in the old aircraft hangers at the former Manston Airport site.

Have a look at what the cast and crew thought of their stay in Margate…

There is also an Empire of Light Film Map you can download at bottom of the webpage.

Margate is a seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, amusement park, period housing and ultra-modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. It is one of the most popular filming locations in Kent, having recently featured in True Things (2022), Above the Clouds (2020) and King of Thieves (2018).

Considered to be the oldest surviving amusement park in Great Britain, Dreamland dates back to the early 1870s and was revamped in 2017. The Park has a Retro Roller Room, vintage arcades, a fully restored Grade II listed Art Deco Ballroom and beautiful rides dating from 1920 to the present day. Dreamland is an increasingly popular filming destination, having recently featured in the final series of Killing Eve (2018-2022), Series 2 of Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022) and Two Weeks to Live (2020).

View of Dreamland cinema taken from the beach. An imposing art-deco style building with the word ‘Empire’ written across it in yellow text. Behind it stands a grey brutalist apartment building.

Dreamland as the Empire Cinema © Searchlight Pictures

Arlington House is an 18-storey residential apartment block opposite Margate seafront. It was designed by architects Russell Diplock Associates in 1963 and is a great example of British Brutalist architecture. True Love (2012), Exodus (2007) and Last Resort (2000) feature Arlington House.

Laid out in 1892, the Victoria Gardens include charming features such as a rustic arbour and pergola. The Bandstand is a prominent feature within the gardens, as are the Clock Tower and an Anglo-Indian style shelter. Situated in the traditional seaside town of Broadstairs, the Gardens have also played host to Hurricane (2018).

Now closed to the public, Manston Airport is currently empty and awaiting redevelopment. It boasts a long runway, hangar, large modern warehouse as well as a disused tower and office space. The James Bond film Die Another Day (2002) features scenes shot at Manston Airport.

Cobtree Manor Park stands on the site of the old Maidstone Zoo (still with some buildings intact including Elephant House) and is part of the Cobtree Manor Estate. The park includes over 50 acres of parkland, a play area, café, bridleways for horse riding and a sculpture trail.

The East Kent Railway has a 2.5-mile railway line offering extensive views of the countryside, a 500-yard tunnel, level crossings, sidings and two country stations at Shepherdswell and Eythorne. They offer a variety of train interiors, from 1930s wood panelling, a 1960-1990 railway coach, to the present modern day intercity style coach, as well as a selection of small diesel locomotives. The East Kent Railway was used for a scene in Southcliffe (2013).

Empire of Light will be releasing in UK cinemas on Monday 9th January 2023.

If you would like to visit Empire of Light’s filming locations and take a trip around vintage Margate attractions, please visit Thanet District Council’s Empire of Light trail page.

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


Silent Witness – Series 26 (2023)

Rhiannon May as Cara, David Caves as Jack Hodgson, Emilia Fox as Nikki Alexander, Aki Omoshaybi as Gabriel and Alastair Michael as Velvy positioned above an image of the London City skyline, a train coming out of a tunnel and a blue tent.

Silent Witness Series 26 (2023) © BBC

Creator: Nigel McCrery
Starring:
Emilia Fox, David Caves, Aki Omoshaybi, Alastair Michael, Rhiannon May
Production Company:
BBC, A+E Networks, Cipango Productions Audiovisuelles
Kent Locations Used:
New Sheppey Crossing, Kingsferry Bridge, Leysdown-on-Sea, Minster-on-Sea, Shellness, Warden

Silent Witness (2023) is a long-running BBC crime drama focusing on a group of forensic pathology experts and their investigations.

Originally created by Nigel McCrery (New Tricks, Born and Bred), Series 26 sees the return of Emilia Fox (The Carer (2016), The Tunnel (2016)) as Dr Nikki Alexander and David Caves (Jackie, Widow’s Walk) as Jack Hodgson. Aki Omoshaybi (Queens of Mystery (2019-2021), The Riot Club) joins the cast as Dr Gabriel Folukoya as well as Alastair Michael (Snatch, Ridley Road) as Velvy Schur and Rhiannon May returning in a more regular role as Cara Connelly.

For Series 26, production visited Kent to shoot in a variety of locations on the Isle of Sheppey for the final two episodes of the series, doubling as the fictional Southbay Island. The Kingsferry Bridge features throughout Episodes 9 & 10 as the bridge to Southbay Island, The Rose and Crown Pub car park in Leysdown-on-Sea appears in both episodes doubling as a caravan park called Harbour Fields, and a private house on The Leas in Minster-on-Sea stars as the house of the murdered Carol Laing (Melissa Batchelor). Other locations featured include Leysdown beach, Shellness beach, Minster beach, a section of land underneath the New Sheppey Crossing, woodland in Warden Springs Caravan Park and Warden beach.

Leysdown is situated at the Eastern end of the Isle of Sheppey. With access to a sandy beach and a slew of arcades, it is one of the largest holiday parks in Kent. Previous productions to have filmed there include Kiss Me First (2018), End of the F***ing World (2017) and Strawberry Fields (2012).

Minster is a large village on the Isle of Sheppey which has a sand and shingle beach, shops and an abbey.

Shellness beach is an SSSI mostly sandy beach with groynes and WWII lookout in a very remote part of Sheppey. Great Expectations (2012) also filmed on the beach and in the nature reserve.

Warden is a small village on the north-eastern coast of the Isle of Sheppey. Immediately northwest of the village and continuing towards the west is Warden Point, a pinnacle of eroding land and muddy foreshore. The pillboxes there are very popular, particularly for music videos.

The New Sheppey Crossing is a bridge across the Swale Estuary that links the Isle of Sheppey to mainland towns Sittingbourne and Kemsley. It was opened in 2006 and provides an alternative highway to the neighbouring Kingsferry Bridge, which allows for the Kingsferry Bridge to be closed for filming, which was done for Too Close (2021).

Series 26 of Silent Witness will begin airing on BBC One from Monday 2nd January 2023.

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


Eastenders (2007-2023)

An aerial map of London with the River Thames running through it. On the top half of the image, written in white font is the word ‘EastEnders’ with the BBC logo underneath.

Eastenders © BBC

Creator: Julia Smith, Tony Holland
Starring: Phil Daniels, Matt Di Angelo, Kellie Shirley, June Brown, John Bardon, Luisa Bradshaw-White, Linda Henry, Danny Dyer, Tamzin Outhwaite, Harry Reid
Production Company: BBC
Kent Locations Used:
Dungeness, Stansted, The Ringlestone Inn – Harrietsham, St Giles Church – Womshill, Port of Ramsgate, Victoria Gardens – Broadstairs, Morelli’s – Broadstairs, Stone Bay, Port of Dover, The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Joss Bay, Margate, Dreamland

Eastenders (1985-2023) is a long-running BBC One soap about the lives of the residents of Albert Square, set in the fictional borough of Walford in East London.

The series was created by Julia Smith (Angels, The District Nurse) and Tony Holland (Eldorado, Snoken) and first aired in 1985. The soap has become a fan favourite and won a number of awards, including 10 BAFTA’s.

Though filmed mainly in a studio, the production team have ventured out to Kent multiple times over the years.

In an hour-long special broadcast in March 2007, production visited Dungeness, where viewers find that Kevin (Phil Daniels (Chicken Run, Quadrophenia)) is still alive following the revelation that he is not the father of Dean (Matt Di Angelo (Hustle, I Dream)) and Carly (Kellie Shirley (In the Long Run (2019), Biff & Chip)). A tragic accident provokes Kevin’s decision to return to Albert Square.

Eastenders behind the scenes - camera crew and actors on a country road with fields and fences behind them.

Behind the scenes at The Ringlestone Inn in 2007 © Kent Film Office

For the 2007 Easter Special, production visited the village of Stansted which appears as Dot’s (June Brown (Misunderstood, Sitting Target)) hometown. The Ringlestone Inn in Harrietsham features as the place where Dot and Jim (John Bardon (East Is East, Clockwise)) stay during their trip down memory lane to Dot’s old home. Also featured is St Giles Church in Wormshill, where Dot used to go to Sunday school, and where she discovers abandoned baby Tomas and decides to take him home with her.

In 2015, production visited Broadstairs and Ramsgate in an episode where Tina (Luisa Bradshaw-White (This Life, Holby City)), Shirley (Linda Henry (Beautiful Thing, Bad Girls)) and Mick (Danny Dyer (The Football Factory, Severance)) go on the hunt for their father Stan’s (Timothy West (The Day of the Jackal, EverAfter)) stolen ashes. Locations featured include the Port of Ramsgate, Victoria Gardens in Broadstairs, Morelli’s in Broadstairs, and Stone Bay where the Carter family scatter Stan’s ashes.

Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) walking bare foot in the sand. Camera crew behind him by the beach huts.

Behind the scenes in Ramsgate. Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) © BBC/Kieron McCarron

In 2018, Eastenders came back to Kent for the episode featuring the return of much-loved character Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite (Bull (2021), Cassandra’s Dream), who had departed from the show nearly 16 years prior. The Port of Dover features as itself in the episode, as do DFDS Ferries, who provided the ferry for the scene where Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid), pursued by Mel, escapes to France with a bag of stolen cash.

In 2022, production visited Kent twice. The Historic Dockyard Chatham features in the episode aired on Monday 5th September, doubling as 1979 London for flashback scenes of the Mitchell brothers. Areas filmed include Anchor Wharf, The Ropewalk and The Tarred Yarn Store.

Later in 2022, production returned to Kent for their 2022 Christmas Day Special and Boxing Day Special to film a dramatic car crash scene at Joss Bay involving Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) and Janine (Charlie Brooks). Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) manages to rescue them from the ocean, but he never returns.

Most recently, in 2023, the Eastenders crew visited Margate to film a final day out for terminally ill Lola (Danielle Harold) and her husband Jay (Jamie Borthwick). The couple visit Walpole Bay, Dreamland, Henry’s Gifts, Margate King’s Steps, Sands Café and the Lido before Jay is arrested and taken to Margate Police Station – the exterior of which is actually the Margate Museum in Market Place.

Dungeness is a unique expanse of SSSI shingle beach with ramshackle huts, old and ultra-modern residences, two lighthouses and a power station. This privately-owned estate is a popular filming location, having also featured in Doctor Who: The Claws of Axos (1971), Back to Life (2019-2021) and Brave New World (2020).

Stansted is a rural village in the Tonbridge and Malling district of Kent with schools, pubs, village halls and a recreation ground. The village has excellent transport links as it is near the M20.

The Ringlestone Inn in Harrietsham is a 16th century pub steeped in history, with beamed ceilings and a large garden. Harrietsham is a rural village situated six miles east of Maidstone, which has a number of historic buildings including The Old House and The Saxon Church of St John the Baptist. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) also filmed in Harrietsham.

St Giles Church is the sole church in the tiny village of Wormshill, in the Maidstone district. The Church appears to have been built by the Normans, and features in the Domesday Book (1086AD). Wormshill lies near the top of the North Downs, within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and contains a number of heritage-listed buildings.

The Port of Ramsgate offers 32 acres of dedicated Port land including 3 modern Ro-Ro bridges and Water and bunker facilities on all berths. The Port is a popular filming location, often doubling as the Port of Dover. Other productions to have filmed here include Not Going Out (2013), The Tunnel (2013) and Whitstable Pearl (2021).

Laid out in 1892, the Victoria Gardens in Broadstairs include charming features such as a rustic arbour and pergola. The Bandstand is a prominent feature within the gardens, as are the Clock Tower and an Anglo-Indian style shelter. Only Fools and Horses: The Jolly Boys’ Outing (1989), The Larkins (2021-2022) and True Things (2022) also feature Broadstairs.

The first Morelli’s ice cream parlour was opened in Broadstairs in 1932. Refurbished in the 1950’s, this parlour retains a magical, vintage feel with its soda fountain, juke box and pink leatherette booths. Other productions to have filmed here include Hancock and Joan (2008), Edge of Heaven (2014) and The Lady in the Van (2015).

Stone Bay is a 200-meter-long sandy bay, with chalk cliffs, rock pools, promenade and beach huts. This quiet bay is seldom discovered by visitors. Hurricane (2018) also filmed there.

As the busiest passenger port in Europe, The Port of Dover is a very sought-after filming location. Other productions to have filmed at the ferry terminal include Disney’s Christopher Robin (2018) and the Series 7 Christmas special of Trollied (2018).

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a 17th Century dockyard spanning over 80 acres, containing over 100 buildings dating from the Georgian and Victorian periods. It is Kent’s most popular filming location, having recently played host to A Spy Among Friends (2022), Enola Holmes 2 (2022) and Living (2022).

Joss Bay is a Blue Flag sandy bay, 200 meters long. Facilities include lifeguards, café, deckhairs, parasols and sun beds, and a Kiddies Corner with bouncy castles and trampolines. The Flood (2019), Sulphur and White (2020) and Dracula (2020) all feature scenes shot on Joss Bay.

Margate is a seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, amusement park, period housing and ultra-modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. It is a very popular filming location and was recently the setting for the Sky series Dreamland (2023) and Empire of Light (2023).

Considered to be the oldest-surviving amusement park in Great Britain, Dreamland dates back to the early 1860s and was revamped in 2017. The park has a Roller Room, vintage arcades, a fully restored Grade II listed Art Deco ballroom and beautiful rides dating from 1920 to the present day. The park has recently featured in Series 4 of Killing Eve (2018-2022), Series 2 of Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022) and Two Weeks to Live (2020).

Eastenders has been broadcast weekly on BBC One since 1985. Old episodes are available to stream via BBC iPlayer and UKTV Play.

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