The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016)

Stephen Dillane and Clémence Poésy walking along a beach towards the camera away from a burning plane

The Tunnel Sabotage Stephen Dillane and Clémence Poésy © Sky Kudos CANAL+

Writer: Ben Richards

Starring: Stephen Dillane, Clémence Poésy, Angel Coulby, Emilia Fox, Clarke Peters, Paul Schneider, William Ash

Production Company: Kudos Film and Television, Shine France

Kent Locations Used: Euro Tunnel, Folkestone Harbour, Discovery Park, Folkestone, Deal and Deal Pier, Dover including the Port and Dover Castle, Westwood Industrial Estate Margate, Ramsgate, Botany Bay – Broadstairs, The Barn in Upstreet, St Martin’s Hospital, Knowlton Court and many more.

The Tunnel: Sabotage is the second series of Sky Atlantic’s critically acclaimed show, re-uniting unlikely Anglo-French detective duo Karl Roebuck (Stephen Dillane) and Elise Wasserman (Clémence Poésy) on another intense investigation.

While series one was a re-imagining of Scandinavian drama “The Bridge”, the new series is an original story by Ben Richards (Outcasts, Spooks) and kicks off with two seemingly isolated events: a plane crashing into the Channel, killing everyone on board and a French couple abducted from the Eurotunnel.

Elise Wasserman (Clémence Poésy), having been promoted to French Commander, is reunited with DCI Karl Roebuck (Dillane) to investigate the two cases. The cross border teams follow a shocking trail of devastation as the victims mount up and become embroiled in a terrifying, deadly game.

The gripping eight part thriller is a Sky Atlantic and Canal+ co-production, made by Kudos and Shine Films France. Joining The Tunnel’s acclaimed production team for the second series are director Mike Barker (Broadchurch, The Smoke) and producer Julian Stevens (Hustle, The Fall).

Stephen Dillane (King Arthur, Game of Thrones) and Clémence Poésy (127 Hours, In Bruges) return in the lead roles, supported by Angel Coulby (Merlin, The Jacket), and new to series two, Emilia Fox (Silent Witness, The Wrong Mans), Clarke Peters (Notting Hill, The Wire), Paul Schneider (Parks and Recreation, The Newsroom) and William Ash (Waterloo Road, Shameless).

The hit first series was largely filmed in Kent and the county welcomed The Tunnel: Sabotage production team once again to their base at Discovery Park in Sandwich. Filming took place in a number of East Kent locations between April and July 2015 including:

Canterbury: The Barn in Upstreet, St Martin’s Hospital, Knowlton Court

Dover: Discovery Park, Deal and Deal Pier, the town of Dover, Port of Dover, Inn and Hotel, Deal, Sandwich Marina, Dover Castle – Admiral’s lookout

Shepway: Euro Tunnel, the town of Folkestone, Folkestone Harbour

Thanet: set building in a warehouse on Westwood Industrial Estate in Margate, Botany Bay and the towns of Ramsgate and Margate

East Kent is ideally situated with great transport links both to London and Europe. The area boasts a wealth of locations including industrial as well as historic buildings and beautiful coastal landscapes. East Kent has previously featured on screen in many projects such as Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Edge of Heaven (2014), The Honourable Woman (2014), Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows (2011), Great Expectations (2011/2012), On A Clear Day (2005) and Die Another Day (2002).

Don’t miss the much anticipated return of The Tunnel: Sabotage which starts on Tuesday 12th April 2016 at 21:00 on Sky Atlantic. The whole series will also be available on Sky Box Sets from this date.

 

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


Thaandavam (2012)

Two actors dancing on Botany Bay beach

Thaandavam © UK Film Productions

Director: A.L. Vijay
Writer:
Mike Parish, A.L. Vijay
Starring:
Vikram, Jagapathi Babu, Anushka Shetty, Lakshmi Rai, Amy Jackson
Production Company:
UTV Motion Pictures
Kent Locations Used:
Botany Bay

Thaandavam (2012) is a Tamil film directed by A.L. Vijay (Thalaivaa, Deiva Thirumagal) and is a mix of action, thriller and sci-fi with traditional Indian song and dance. The film stars some big Bollywood names and is about a blind man who has a special ‘Echolocation’ power on a revenge mission. It is one of the first Indian films to have shot action scenes using Hollywood technology and techniques.

Two actors embraced. The male actor has him arms around the female and is kissing her cheek

Thaandavam © UK Film Productions

There is a star-studded cast including Vikram (Mahaan, Anniyan), winner of India’s National Film Awards, Jagapathi Babu (Radhe Shyam, Annaatthe), Anushka Shetty (Bahubali: The Beginning, Yennai Arindhaal), Lakshmi Rai (Mankatha, Akira) and English model, actress and former Miss Teen World, Amy Jackson (2.0, I) who has become a big name in Tolllywood.

The Thaandavam crew came to Botany Bay back in April 2012, and the stunning beach was used for a dance sequence with a sand artist.

Botany Bay is in Thanet and is a popular film location due to its blue flag beach almost 200m long with stunning chalk cliffs and rock pools. Productions that have previously filmed at the location include Series 1 of the Sky Atlantic comedy Hunderby (2012), BBC drama True Love (2012), and ITV’s The Fixer (2008).

Thaandavam was released in UK cinemas on Thursday 27th September 2012. It is now available to stream on Netflix.

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


Hunderby – Series 1 (2012)

Actors running towards the camera on botany bay beach, white cliffs behind

Hunderby © Sky Atlantic HD

Writer: Julia Davis, Barunka O’Shaughnessy
Starring: Alexandra Roach, Julia Davis, Alex Macqueen, Rufus Jones, Julian Barratt
Production Company:
Baby Cow Productions
Kent Locations Used:
Botany Bay

Set in the 19th Century, Hunderby (2012) is a dark comedy series following  shipwreck survivor Helene, who is washed ashore near a small English village where she meets and marries a widowed pastor. However, her new husband’s housekeeper is trying to drive a wedge between them, and it appears that Helene is hiding dark secrets.

Written by Barunka O’Shaughnessy (Motherland, Timewasters) and Julia Davis (Nighty Night, Love Actually) – who also plays Dorothy the housekeeper – the series stars Alexandra Roach (Anna Karenina, The Iron Lady) as Helene, Alex Macqueen (The Hide (2009), Peaky Blinders) as Edmund, Rufus Jones (W1A, Camping) as Dr. Foggerty and Julian Barratt (The Harry Hill Movie (2013), The Mighty Boosh) as the series Narrator.

Helene being rescued in the arms of a man from the shipwreck on a sandy beach

Helene being rescued from the shipwreck © Sky Atlantic HD

In early 2012, the cast and crew of Hunderby came to Botany Bay to make the most of the quiet stretches of sandy beach and picturesque white cliffs which served as the backdrop for the shipwreck scenes and where Edmund proposes marriage to Helene in the first episode.

Botany Bay is one of Kent’s most popular filming locations due to its sandy beach, rock pools, white cliffs and highly photographed white chalk stacks. Other productions to have filmed there include Thaandavam (2012), True Love (2012) and Series 2 of Humans (2016).

Series 1 of Hunderby (2012) premiered on Sky Atlantic on Monday 27th August 2012 and is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.

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


True Love (2012)

True Love cast L - R Adrian (DAVID MORRISEY), Nick (DAVID TENNANT), Holly (BILLIE PIPER), Paul (ASHLEY WALTERS), Sandra (JANE HORROCKS) standing in a row with the sky behind them

True Love cast L – R Adrian (DAVID MORRISEY), Nick (DAVID TENNANT), Holly (BILLIE PIPER), Paul (ASHLEY WALTERS), Sandra (JANE HORROCKS) © BBC and Working Title

Two lovers holding hands on the beach with the sea in the background

True Love L – R Stella (JAMIE WINSTONE) and Paul (ASHLEY WALTERS) © BBC and Working Title

Writer/director: Dominic Savage

Starring: David Tenant, Billie Piper, David Morrissey, Joanne Froggatt, Kaya Scodelario, Lacey Turner, Jane Horrocks, Ashley Walters, Jaime Winstone, Vicky McClure

Production company: Working Title Television, BBC

Kent Locations: Thanet – Margate – Beach, promenade, High Street, train station, various hotels and bars, Thanet District Council Offices, Turner Contemporary, Westgate-On-Sea, Cliftonville, Pegwell Bay, Botany Bay, and Broadstairs

True Love has many familiar faces including David Tenant (Doctor Who) Billie Piper (Secret Diary of a Call Girl), Jane Horrocks (Absolutely Fabulous), Vicky McClure (This is England), Lacey Turner (Eastenders), Ashley Walters (Inside Men), Jamie Winstone (Kidulthood), and David Morrissey (The Other Boleyn Girl).

The series explores love in the modern day and the many different dilemmas and situations along the way. Each story has links with the previous, either through connecting story lines or character connections and all have plenty of drama, heartbreak passion and some surprising outcomes.

The five stories that take place during the week-long serial include a married man whose life is turned upside down due to the reappearance of his first love, a school teacher who is drawn to a female pupil, a married woman who takes revenge on her cheating husband by starting an affair, a father unable to connect with his baby and a divorcee on a desperate search for new love.

David Morrissey as Adrian at Margate train station with the sign behind him

David Morrissey as Adrian at Margate train station © BBC and Working Title

In 2011, Kent welcomed the crew and stars of True Love. The production based it self in Margate, the director Savage’s home town, and used many Thanet locations including Margate Beach and promenade, Margate High Street, train station, various hotels and bars and even Thanet District Council Offices.  They also used the Turner Contemporary, as well as nearby Westgate-On-Sea, Cliftonville, Pegwell Bay, Botany Bay and Broadstairs.

Thanet has an astonishing 9 Blue Flag beaches and is a very popular filming location, due to its beautiful bustling seaside towns. It previously welcomed many TV and film productions, including Hancock and Joan (2008), Last Orders (2002) and a McDonald’s Happy Meal Commercial.

It is also home to the Turner Contemporary art gallery, adjacent to Margate harbour, which was built to contribute to the regeneration of the town and is fast becoming a highlight of the British visual arts scene. It also hosted the first public screening of the opening episode of True Love on 29th March 2012.

True Love will air every night on BBC One at 22.25pm from Sunday 17th – Thursday 21st June 2012.

 

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


Whistle and I’ll Come To You (2010)

John Hurt wearing a dressing gown with one arm holding the dirty wall behind. Looking slightly distressed,.

John Hurt stars as James Parkin in Whistle and I’ll Come To You © BBC/Laurie Sparham

Starring: John Hurt, Gemma Jones, Lesley Sharp
Kent Filming LocationsBotany Bay, Kingsgate Bay and the Sea Pavilion at Walpole Bay

BBC2 drama Whistle and I’ll Come To You is a modern adaptation of M R James’ Edwardian ghost story which stars John Hurt (Merlin, Hellboy) as James Parkin who after leaving his wife in a nursing home travels to their favourite destination, a quiet seaside town. On a deserted beach he has an encounter with an apparition which continues to haunt him for the rest of his stay.

The one off drama was written and adapted by Neil Cross and explores the themes of ageing, supernatural with a psychological element throughout.

The drama also stars Gemma Jones (Bridget Jones Diary, Sense and Sensibility) and Lesley Sharp (Scott & Bailey, The Full Monty). 

Kingsgate Bay is a small sandy bay surrounded by white chalk cliffs with it having some of the best sea caves in the country and has been used by Sulphur and White (2019) . Nearby Botany Bay which also has a white cliff backdrop is a popular filming location and has been used for productions such as True Love (2012) and Hunderby (2012).

Whistle and I’ll Come To You was shown on BBC TWO 24th December 2010 at 22:00. 

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

 


The Fixer (2008)

Jody Lee Latham, Peter Mullan, Andrew Buchan and Tamsin Outhwaite all in a row staring at the camera with a block of flats behind them

Jody Lee Latham, Peter Mullan, Andrew Buchan and

Tamsin Outhwaite cast of The Fixer © ITV1

Written by: Neil Cross

Directed by: Alrick Riley

Starring: Peter Mullen, Andrew Buchan, Jody Lee Latham ,Tamsin Outhwaite

Production Company: Kudos Film and Television

Kent Filming Locations: Botany Bay

From the award winning production company Kudos, who also brought you Hustle, Life on Mars and Spooks , comes a six part drama starring Tamsin Outhwaithe (Eastenders, Hotel Babylon), Peter Mullan (Children of Men, The Magdalene Sisters), Andrew Buchan (Cranford, Party Animals) and Jody Lee Latham (Ruby Blue, Shameless).

Retired police officer, Lenny Douglas (Peter Mullan), heads up a renegade group acting outside  the law to bring order to the spiralling criminal activity in the country. He hires John Mercer (Andrew Buchan), a former Special Forces member who has just been released from prison, to fix problems by carrying out assassinations. Rose (Tamsin Outhwaite), a disgraced ex police officer, and petty thief Calum  (Jody Lee Latham) help Mercer carry out his hits effectively, making them a deadly force to reckon with.

The production team visited Kent briefly in 2007 to shoot scenes at Botany Bay in Thanet.

Botany Bay is a beautiful sandy bay popular with tourists but it was once the home of notorious smugglers! In fact, Botany Bay is said to have been the location of the infamous Battle of Botany Bay, where Joss Snelling’s gang were caught red handed smuggling goods into the county. Botany Bay has previously welcomed projects such as the BBC drama True Love (2012).

The seclusion of the bay provided the perfect backdrop for a dark and sinister hit by The Fixer!

The first series aired on the 10th March on ITV and is now available to buy on DVD

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


Fox (1980)

Fox DVD cover. Backdrop of a London skyline during sunset. In the foreground is a close-up of Peter Vaughan as Billy Fox, wearing a grey suit and looking stern. Behind him are close-up images of two men who have been badly beaten up.

Fox (1980) DVD Cover © Thames Television

Director: Jim Goddard
Writer:
Trevor Preston
Starring:
Peter Vaughan, Bernard Hill, Derrick O’Connor, Larry Lamb, Ray Winstone
Production Company:
Euston Films, Thames Television
Kent Locations Used:
Margate, Herne Bay, Kingsgate Bay, Botany Bay

Fox (1980) was an ITV crime-drama series following the titular Fox family and their gangland feuds. In episodes 5 and 6, Kenny Fox (Ray Winstone) finds himself in Kent and becomes the victim of a slapdash kidnapping plot.

The series was directed by Jim Goddard (Shanghai Surprise, Kennedy) and written by Trevor Preston (Night Hair Child, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead). It stars Peter Vaughan (Straw Dogs, Brazil) as old Billy Fox, Bernard Hill (Exodus (2007), The Mill on the Floss (1997)) as Vin Fox, Derrick O’Connor (Daredevil, Lethal Weapon 2) as Ray Fox, Larry Lamb (Essex Boys (2000), Eastenders (2007-2023)) as Joey Fox and Ray Winstone (The Sweeney (2012), Great Expectations (2011)) as Kenny Fox.

Margate, Herne Bay, Kingsgate Bay and Botany Bay in Broadstairs feature in Episodes 5 and 6 of the series, as the seaside location where Kenny Fox finds himself victim of a kidnapping. Locations featured include Margate Main Sands, Margate Harbour Arm, The Parade  and Marine Drive in Margate. A private house on East Cliff Parade, which doubles for the squat where Kenny is held captive as well as Central Parade feature in Herne Bay.

Margate is a seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, Dreamland amusement park, period housing and ultra-modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. It is one of Kent’s most popular filming locations, having played host to Only Fools and Horses: The Jolly Boys’ Outing (1989), Last Resort (2000) and Last Orders (2002).

Herne Bay is a coastal resort which is home to the world’s first free-standing purpose built clock tower. Other productions to have filmed here include Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em (1973), Blue Jeans (1977) and Cockles! (1984).

Botany Bay is a sandy bay against a white cliff backdrop with steep, sandy track for vehicle access and small portable café. It is one of Kent’s most popular beaches for photoshoots but has also featured in many TV programmes and films, including Á nous les petites Anglaises (1976), The Fixer (2008) and True Love (2012). It connects to a similar cove, Kingsgate Bay at low tide.

Fox (1980) aired on ITV between Monday 10th March 1980 and Monday 2nd June 1980 and is currently available to purchase on DVD.

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


À nous les petites Anglaises (1976)

Movie Poster - cartoon character of woman wearing swimming costume. A Nous Les Petites Anglaises! written on top

Movie Poster © Les Films Galaxie

Director / Writer: Michel Lang
Starring: Rémi Laurent, Stéphane Hillel, Véronique Delbourg
Production Company: Les Films Galaxie
Kent Locations Used: Ramsgate, Kingsgate Bay, Botany Bay, Port of Dover

À nous les petites Anglaises (1976) is a French coming-of-age film set in England in the summer of 1959. Two French boys Alain (Rémi Laurent) and Jean-Pierre (Stéphane Hillel) who have failed their English exams are sent to the South of England, in the hope to improve their English. However, the boys find it is easier to flirt with the other French schoolgirls.

The film is directed by Michel Lang (Tous vedettes, On n’est pas des anges… elles non plus) and stars Rémi Laurent (La Cage aux Folles, Les Plouffe), Stéphane Hillel (Le nouveau protocole, Á chacun son enfer) and Véronique Delbourg.

The film was filmed mainly in Ramsgate, the arcades, the Foy Boat, Royal Harbour and the main sands feature throughout the film. King George VI park in Ramsgate is used for the scenes where the boys take their dates to the park. Botany Bay and Kingsgate Bay features as the beach where the students and their dates have parties and go swimming. The Port of Dover is the place of arrival at the start of the film when Alain and Jean-Pierre arrive in the UK.

Ramsgate is a historic coastal town with beautiful beaches, cliff top walks, the only British Royal Harbour as well as a port. The town has been used as a film location for projects including Restoring Britain’s Landmarks (2015), True Love (2012) and Contraband (1940).

Kingsgate is a sandy bay surrounded by chalk cliffs that connects at low tide through Whiteness cliff arch to the beautiful Botany Bay. The beaches have featured in many different productions such as Mr. Selfridge Series 4 (2016) Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites (2015) and Whistle and I’ll Come To You (2010).

The Port of Dover is one of the UK’s busiest Port, with cruise-liners, fright and cargo. This location has featured in Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011), Albert’s Memorial (2010) and Diamonds Are Forever (1971).

À nous les petites Anglaises (1976) was released on Wednesday 7th January 1976 and is now available to purchase on DVD.

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