Pandemonium (2020)

The Jessop family stand in front of the Towers at Reculver country park on their family holiday

Alison Steadman pictured centre
© BBC Studios / Andrew Hayes Watkins

Writer: Tom Basden
Director: Ella Jones
Starring: Alison Steadman
Production Company: BBC Studios
Kent Locations Used: Reculver Country Park; Walpole Bay

Pandemonium (2020) is a one-off TV drama in which the Jessops family, having had a terrible year due to the Pandemic, decided to take a holiday to boost morale, but it is October in Margate.

Produced by BBC Studios the show was written by Tom Basden (PlebsAfter Life), directed by  Ella Jones and stars Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey)

Production visited Reculver Country Park and Walpole Bay as the Jessop’s holiday destinations.

Reculver is a popular destination, comprising the atmospheric Reculver Towers and Roman Fort ruins and the surrounding country park and has previously featured in The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017-2020) and The Medusa Touch (1978).

Walpole Bay is 400 meters long with a sandy beach, promenade and tidal swimming pool. Facilities include a cafe, jet ski hire, parking, golf, tennis and indoor bowls. It features in the production where a car drives off the seawall onto the beach below and has also featured in Liar Series 1 & 2 (2017)

Pandemonium will air on Wednesday 30th December 2020 on BBC.

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


Liar – Series 1 & 2 (2017 – 2020)

Actors Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd standing in front of a building

Liar Series 2 (2020) starring Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd © Joss Barratt / ITV

Writer: Harry Williams and Jack Williams
Directors: James Strong, Samuel Donovan, Chris Sweeney
Starring: Joanne Froggatt, loan Gruffudd, Zoë Tapper, Richie Campbell
Production Company: Two Brother Pictures, Sundance TV
Kent Locations Used: Deal, Kingsdown and Hunting Lodge in Tonbridge & Malling

ITV’s psychological thriller, Liar (2017-2020), follows the relationship between teacher Laura Newell (Joanne Froggatt) and the father of one of her pupils, Andrew Ellis (Ioan Gruffudd). Their simple attraction leads to deceit and betrayal, which has wide reaching consequences for both families.

The drama was written by Harry Williams and Jack Williams (The MissingRellik) and directed by James Strong (Vanity Fair (2018), Broadchurch), Samuel Donovan (Humans (2016), Jamestown) and Chris Sweeney (Back to Life (2019-2021)).

The main protagonist, Laura Nielson, is played by Joanne Froggatt (Downton AbbeyDark Angel) with Andrew Earlham, her antagonist, played by Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic 4Titanic). Meanwhile Zoe Tapper (Mr Selfridge (2016)Grantchester) plays Laura’s sister, Katy, and Richie Campbell (Top Boy (2019-2022), Blue Story) as her brother in law, Liam.

Deal was used as the main setting for Laura Nielsen’s home on The Marina and also features many other locations, such as restaurants, hotels, the beach and Deal Pier Restaurant as the setting for Laura and Andrews fatal date. Filming began for Series One in November 2016. Additional filming for Series Two took place at Kingsdown as the setting for various beach scenes as well as the location of The Zetland Arms Pub and Katy and Liam’s home. A Hunting Lodge in Tonbridge & Malling was also filmed as a remote hideout. 

The coastal town of Deal has a long naval history and is one of the major cinque ports along the south coast. Deal is a winner of the Daily Telegraph’s High Street of the Year 2013 award. The Pier is a significant local landmark and public amenity offering excellent views of the town. It is internationally recognised as an angling venue and features a glass-walled café-bar on the pier-head.

Kingsdown, located just up the coast from the White Cliffs of Dover, has a secluded shingle beach, with plenty of benches suitable for picnics.

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 several recent hit TV productions such as Baptiste (2019)Next of Kin (2018) and The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017).

The Hunting Lodge at Tom Farm, situated in the district of Tonbridge & Malling, is a large working farm offering a huge array of shoot location opportunities. Home to a wide mix of farm animals, including sheep, cattle, pigs and horses, Tom Farm offers 1,000 acres of arable land, a butchers shop, country store and a breakers yard within its ownership. Recent productions to film in the district include feature film Making Noise Quietly (2019) and TV documentaries Horizon: My Amazing Brain – Richard’s War (2018) and Harry Potter: A History of Magic (2017).

Liar Series 1 first aired on Monday 11th September 2017 at 9pm on ITV. Series 2 followed on Monday 2nd March 2020 at 9pm on ITV.

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


Dracula (2020)

CLAES BANG as Dracula wearing a cape and looking into the camera in candle light . An old stone staircase can be seen behind him.

Dracula (CLAES BANG) © BBC/Hartswood Photographer: Robert Viglasky


Writer: Mark Gatis, Steven Moffat, Bram Stoker
Director: Paul McGuigan, Damon Thomas, Jonny Campbell
Starring: Claes Bang, Jonathan Aris, Mark Gatiss, Dolly Wells
Production Company: Hartswood Films, BBC, Netflix
Kent Locations Used: Joss Bay, Broadstairs

From the makers of Sherlock, Dracula (2020) is a brand new drama based on Bram Stoker’s novel, Set in Transylvania in 1897, this time the blood-sucking count will be plotting against Victorian London.

The cast of the 3 feature length episodes is led by Claes Bang starring as Dracula (The Square, The Girl in the Spiders Web), and is supported by Jonathan Aris (Sherlock, The End of the F*cking World), Mark Gatiss (The Favourite, Sherlock) and Dolly Wells (Bridget Jones’s Diary, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies).

Production filmed a sunrise sequence at Joss Bay, Broadstairs which was not used in the final edit.

Joss Bay is a popular sandy beach sheltered by steep chalk cliffs and backing onto the North Foreland Golf Course. Several film productions have visited the location including Coast and Country (2016).

The beach is reputedly named after an eighteenth-century smuggler Joss Snelling. Joss Bay is Kent’s best-known surfing beach and is home to the longest established surf school on this coast. The site offers an ideal set for many film productions.

The Dracula mini-series will air on BBC One on three consecutive days starting at 9pm on Wednesday 1st January 2020. 

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


Britain’s Christmas Story (2019)

Gareth Malone wearing a suit and the Archbishop of Canterbury smiling at the camera inside the cathedral.

Caption: Gareth Malone and the Archbishop of Canterbury ©BBC

Starring: Gareth Malone, Karen Gibson
Production Company: BBC
Kent Locations Used: Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury High Street and Dane John Gardens

This two-part series Britain’s Christmas Story (2019) presented by Gareth Malone and Karen Gibson uncovers some of the origins of our British Christmas traditions and reveals that in the past, our festive season and Christmas Carols were as much about dancing as singing.

Production filmed in Canterbury for part of the series at Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury High Street and Dane John Gardens.

Gareth Malone wearing a black suit being filmed by a film crew of three inside a cathedral. He is interviewing the Archbishop of Canterbury

Filming of Gareth Malone and the Archbishop of Canterbury for Britain’s Christmas Traditions ©BBC

Canterbury Cathedral is a world heritage site and is the oldest and most renowned cathedral in England. Dane John Gardens is a historic park, which dates to 1551. The gardens afford an excellent view of the city and have the city wall along their border.

Canterbury is a popular filming location and has previously been used as a location for filming for Britain’s Great Cathedrals with Tony Robinson (2018) and Coast v Country (2017).

The two-part series airs on BBC One on Sunday 15th December 2019 at 10:40am and on Sunday 22nd December at 09.05am.

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


Escape to the Perfect Town – Series 1 (2019)

Images of a row of colourful houses on a street with blue sky.

Series poster for Escape to the Perfect Town ©BBC

Starring: Jonnie Irwin
Production Company: Boundless Productions
Kent Locations Used: Sevenoaks Town Centre

Escape to the Perfect Town (2019-), commissioned by the BBC, is a brand-new daytime television programme which seeks to help prospective property buyers find their dream homes in Britain’s top market towns.

Presented by Jonnie Irwin, known for hosting similar property programmes Escape to the Country and A Place in the Sun, the show will follow the journey of individuals looking for a fresh start; whether it be to escape city life, set up their family home, relocate for work or perhaps, find more space and a better quality of life.

In this series, traditional market towns from all over the country will be explored, including Sevenoaks in western Kent, where filming took partly in the town centre.

The town centre of Sevenoaks is comprised of small, picturesque alleyways that are abundant with specialist and independent shops alongside popular high street and designer brands. It is also home to Nevill Ground, one of the oldest cricket grounds in the country. That said, the district in its entirety has the added advantage of being just a stone’s throw from London. An area nestled in the heart of the Kentish countryside; it is steeped in history with numerous attractions for visitors. Sevenoaks has been previously used as a filming location by production companies such as Four in a Bed (2018) and Antiques Road Show – Ightham Mote (2017).

Further filming for the series also took place in Tunbridge Wells, a popular filming location which has previously featured on Celebrity Antiques Road Show (2018).

The series aired on BBC One in October 2019.

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


DIY SOS: The Big Build 20th Anniversary Special (2019)

Image of four of the team featuring in the Big Build Anniversary Special, standing with mugs of tea in their hand and a big '20' balloon behind them.

DIY SOS: The Big Build 20th Anniversary Special ©BBC

Starring: Nick Knowles
Production Company:BBC Studios
Kent Locations: Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey

DIY SOS: The Big Build (1999-) is a popular BBC show where a team take on large scale renovation projects to help families in need of expansion. They tackle everything from extensions and conversions to full scale re-models.

Kent will feature in this special episode, as production re-visit the Ratcliffe family, whose home was demolished and then rebuilt, in Isle of Sheppey on the Isle of Sheppey back in 2017. See how they have developed their property by adding a farm school and opening their garden under the National Garden Scheme.

The Ratcliffe Family with host Nick Knowles in 2017, standing outside of the family's home on the gravel.

The Ratcliffe Family with host Nick Knowles in 2017 ©BBC

Isle of Sheppey is the largest town on the Isle of Sheppey. Sheppey which regularly wins the blue flag for its clean beaches and has many pubs, restaurants, shops and other leisure attractions. Productions that have previously visited this location include Four in a Bed (2018).

The 20th anniversary special of DIY SOS: The Big Build will air on Thursday 5th September 2019 on BBC One at 8pm.

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


Junk Rescue – Series 2 (2019)

Presenters Zoe Pocock (wearing a pink jumpsuit) and Danny Sebastian (wearing a patchwork waistcoat and jeans) in Junk Rescue pictured sitting down together on a wooden box and smiling at the camera.

Presenters Zoe Pocock and Danny Sebastian in Junk Rescue ©Muck N Brass

Starring: Zoe Pocock and Danny Sebastian
Production Company: Hello Halo
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

CBeebies Junk Rescue (2018-) is back! The series shows how the things we throw away can be turned into something useful, through combining traditional crafts and creative child-led makes.

The Kent episode Frayed Yarn, involves Danny, Zoe, and their Junkyard Helpers finding some frayed yarn in the junkyard. Zoe and the helpers then make something out of sewing leftovers.

The series stars presenters Zoe Pocock (Horrid Henry: The Movie) and Danny Sebastian (Bargain Hunt).

The Frayed Yarn episode was filmed in the Ropery at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

Set on the River Medway, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a popular film location. It offers Georgian and Victorian architecture, maritime environment, dry dock, cobbled streets, and industrial buildings. The Dockyard has previously featured in TV productions such as the Hetty Feather series (2015-2020).

Junk Rescue can be seen on CBeebies on Monday 27th May 2019 at 4.10pm and episodes will air daily till Friday 31st May 2019, ending with the Kent episode.

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


Victorian Sensations: Electric Dreams – Series 1 (2019)

Presenter Hannah Fry pictured in a black jumper smiling at the camera. Red theatre chairs are seen behind her with an electrical machine and spark.

Hannah Fry in Victorian Sensations ©BBC

Director: Andy Hall
Starring: Hannah Fry
Production Company: Academy 7 Productions
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Victorian Sensations (2019) is a brand-new three-part series, which explores the thrilling era of the 1890s, a period of rapid discovery and change.

In the first episode, ‘Electric Dreams’, mathematician Dr Hannah Fry (Size Matters, Horizon) investigates how science and technology transformed Britain during this time, giving rise to the modern world, as well as many present-day anxieties.

For the filming of this particular episode, production visited the Ropery Complex at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

The Historic Dockyard in Chatham is set over 80 acres and contains over 100 Georgian and Victorian buildings. It has previously been used as a film location for productions such as Call the Midwife (2012-2022) and The Crown (2016).

Victorian Sensations can be seen on BBC Four on Wednesday 22nd May 2019 at 9pm. The Kent episode, Electric Dreams, will be the first of the three episodes to air.

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


Summer of Rockets (2019)

Close up of actress from Summer of Rockets pictured inside a building, looking deep in thought off camera, wearing a blue coat and green scarf.

Summer of Rockets ©BBC Pictures

Writer: Stephen Poliakoff
Director: Stephen Poliakoff
Starring: Toby Woolf, Suanne Braun, Keeley Hawes, Linus Roache, Timothy Spall, Toby Stephens
Production Company: Little Island Productions
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyards, Chatham

Set in London during the height of the Cold War, Summer of Rockets (2019) is a drama based on true events amid with growing tensions across Europe. At the time, the UK tested its first hydrogen bomb, the Soviets launched their first ballistic missile, and the space race between America and the Soviet Union had begun.

Written and directed by multi-award winning writer Stephen Poliakoff (Dancing on the Edge, Close to the Enemy), the series stars Toby Woolf (The Last Post), Suanne Braun (No Signal, Starhyke), Keeley Hawes (Line of Duty, Bodyguard) Linus Roache (Non-Stop, Vikings), Timothy Spall (Finding Your Feet, Hatton Gardens), Toby Stephens (And Then There Were None, Lost in Space).

The streets outside the Ropery in The Historic Dockyard Chatham were used to film the 1950s civil defence exercise in the series and the upper floors of the Ropery itself featured as civil defence training rooms.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham, with its Victorian and Georgian architecture continues to be a popular filming location. Previous productions which featured this location have been The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), Our World War (2014) and Foyle’s War – A War of Nerves (2004).

Summer of Rockets can be seen on BBC Two on Wednesday 22nd May 2019 at 9pm. After this, episodes will then be shown every Wednesday for the next six weeks.

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


Back to Life Series 1 and 2 (2019 – 2021)

 

Daisy Haggard as Miri Matteson is sat on a bench on a pebbled beach with Adeel Akhtar as Billy. She has long hair blowing in the wind and is holding her phone and a sandwich. She is wearing a green anorak and black leggings. Adeel has black hair and a beard and wears a brown jacket and blue jeans.

Miri Matteson (Daisy Haggard), Billy (Adeel Akhtar) in Back to Life Series 2 (2021) in Hythe © SHOWTIME

Writer: Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon
Director: Christopher Sweeney
Starring: Daisy Haggard, Geraldine James, Jamie Michie, and Christine Bottomley
Production Company: BBC Studios
Kent locations used: Dungeness, Abbot’s Cliff in Dover, Folkstone Harbour Arm, Hythe, Lydd-on-Sea

BBC3 comedy drama Back to Life (2019-) follows Miranda ‘Miri’ Matteson (Daisy Haggard Breeders Series 2 (2021), Hilda) who has just been released from prison, having spent a decade behind bars. In Series One she is desperate to go straight and move on with her life.

In Series Two Miri starts a relationship with her neighbour Billy (Adeel Akhtar (Victoria and Abdul (2017)), but all is not plain sailing as a body is washed up on the beach and she becomes the prime suspect.

The series was directed by Christopher Sweeney (Parental Advisory: Disciplinary Measures, Women are from Mars), is written by Daisy Haggard and Laura Solon, and stars Daisy Haggard (Black Mirror, Outnumbered), Geraldine James (Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes), Jamie Michie (Game of Thrones, The Outlaw King) and Christine Bottomley (Hard Sun, The End of the F***ing World).

The series is set in in the small seaside town of Hythe, and filming for both series took place along the seafront, including various scenes at the beach promenade on West Parade, and a cycling sequence on the promenade at Princes Parade. In Series 2, Hythe High Street is pictured in various scenes, including Caroline (Geraldine James) and Oscar’s (Richard Durden) litter-picking crusade and when Lara’s father John (Adrian Edmondson) leads a procession of mourners through the town.

For Series One, production filmed in locations across Dungeness, including Dungeness Estate and the Britannia Pub InnLydd on Sea’s Lade Car Park also features in both series; in Series One it plays host to a Fish & Chips van, and in Series Two it became the driving school where Miri takes her practical test. Dungeness has played host to several recent TV productions including Brave New World (2020), The Third Day (2020) and Fantasy Homes by the Sea – Series 7 (2018).

Folkestone’s Harbour Arm features in several episodes of Series Two, with the lighthouse becoming the site of an untimely and mysterious death. The Folkestone & Hythe district of Kent has 26 miles of beaches and is a popular location for filming, recently appearing in Flesh and Blood (2020) and Queens of Mystery (2019).

Abbot’s Cliff in Dover features in both series as the site of a tragic death.

Series One aired on BBC 3 on Monday 15th April 2019 and is currently available on iplayer.

Series Two airs weekly on BBC One from Tuesday 31 August at 10.35pm and will be available on BBC iPlayer from the same date.

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