This Way Up Series 2 (2021)

The image is an overhead view of Aisling Bea as Aine lying on an unmade bed. She is wearing a stripey purple, grey and yellow top, grey hairband and red and black pyjama bottoms. She is holding a phone and on the bed is a messy pile of paperwork, a laptop and other small items.

This Way Up Series 2 , Episode 1, Aine (Aisling Bea) © Channel 4 | Rekha Garton

Writer: Aisling Bea
Director: Alex Winckler
Starring: Aisling Bea, Sharon Horgan, Tobias Menzies
Production Company: Merman
Kent Locations Used: Tunbridge Wells

This Way Up (2021) is a TV comedy that follows Aine (Aisling Bea (Quiz, Living with Yourself)), as she recovers from a teeny little nervous breakdown. Sisters Aine and Shona (Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe, Women on the Verge)) share an unshakeable bond and Aisling Bea, who is the show’s creator, describes their relationship as “passionate, caring, often-angry, always-hilarious. In the darkest moments, when faced with overwhelming loneliness and sadness, the two sisters will always save each other and bring each other back into the light.” Series 2 follows Aine as she is starting to leave her time in rehab behind and live less cautiously, which may not be entirely wise.

Created by Aisling Bea, Series 2 was directed by Alex Winckler (My Mad Fat Diary, Traitors) and stars Aisling Bea as lead character Aine, with Sharon Horgan playing her older sister. Aine’s love interest, Richard, is played by Tobias Menzies (The Crown (2016-2022), The Terror).

During filming, production visited Tunbridge Wells where they filmed in a private house in Speldhurst for several days as the location of Shona’s house.

Tunbridge Wells is in West Kent and is officially known as Royal Tunbridge Wells due to King Edward VII commemorating the town owing to his mother Queen Victoria’s love for the area. It is home to a host of historic buildings, specialist shops and a busy town centre. Previous productions to have filmed there include Rupert, Rupert and Rupert (2019) and Catastrophe (2018).

Series 2 of This Way Up will air on Channel 4 from Wednesday 14th July 2021.

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. 


Catastrophe Series 4 (2019)

Sharon (Sharon Horgan) and Rob (Rob Delaney) cast from the series. The two are sitting on a rock by the side of the road, looking up to the sky.

Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney ©Channel 4

Writers: Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan
Director: Ben Taylor
Starring: Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Mark Bonnar, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Chris Noth
Production Company: Avalon Television
Kent Locations Used: Whitstable, Royal Tunbridge Wells

Catastrophe (2015-2019), Channel 4’s popular comedy series,  follows the lives of American Rob (Rob Delaney) and Sharon (Sharon Horgan) his Irish wife from Ireland who first met on a business trip to London. The latest series catches up with them four years after they first met as Rob tackles his alcoholism and we see its impact on their relationship. It also includes the fictional funeral of Mia (Carrie Fisher), Rob’s mother as actress Carrie Fisher who sadly passed away after the filming of Series 3.

Starring Sharon Horgan (Game Night, Moone Boy) as Sharon Morris, Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2, Action Team) as Rob Norris, Mark Bonnar (Shetland, Take Down) as Chris, and guest starring Julie Hesmondhalgh (Coronation Street, Broadchurch) and Chris Noth (Sex and the City, Tyrant).

Filming for Mia’s funeral took place at Beacon House in the seaside town of Whitstable, which doubled as a house in Boston. The house is situated above a natural promontory, called The Street, which stretches out to sea for about half a mile. Another location used in Whitstable was The Lobster Shack, which is located at the edge of the harbour with stunning sea views.  Whitstable is a popular filming location and previous productions include Wayfaring Stranger (2008), The Things I Haven’t Told You (2008), and Mr Turner (2014).

The Pantiles in Royal Tunbridge Wells also featured in the new series and doubled as Boston. This area with shops, bars and live music offers a great shopping experience. The buildings, some of which are over 400 years old, still have some original features, though the overall impression is of a Georgian terrace that plays host to events from farmers markets to live Jazz and Christmas fairs. Royal Tunbridge Wells is credited in films and TV series such as The Royals Season 4 (2018).

Catastrophe began airing on Channel 4 on Monday 7th January 2019 .

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


Morgana Robinson’s Summer (2017)

Morgana Robinson looking at camera whilst on beach with comedy shorts title in background

Morgana Robinson’s Summer (C) Sky Arts/Merman

Writer: Sharon Horgan

Director: M.J. Delaney

Starring: Morgana Robinson, Sheridan Smith, Frances Barber, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Gabby Best, Peter Singh and Edward Aczel

Production Company: Merman

Kent Locations Used: Margate

Part of Sky Art’s 2017 Comedy Short series, Morgana Robinson’s Summer is set on a hot day in Margate and centres around a heavily pregnant Trish. When friends and family gather for her baby shower, a secret is revealed which causes tempers to flare.

The comedy short filmed in various locations in Margate including Marine Terrace, Market Street and the Lifeboat pub.

Margate is a traditional seaside town boasting a sandy beach, harbour, amusement park Dreamland, period housing and modern art gallery the Turner Contemporary. Previous filming here includes The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016), Coast (2014), Last Orders (2002) and many more.

Morgana Robinson’s Summer airs on Sky Arts on Thursday 20th July 2017 at 9pm is available to view now on Sky Arts On Demand

 

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


Boomers (2014-2016)

The Boomers cast sitting on a bench - Joan (JUNE WHITFIELD), John (RUSS ABBOT), Maureen (STEPHANIE BEACHAM), Carol (PAULA WILCOX), Trevor (JAMES SMITH), Joyce (ALISON STEADMAN), Alan (PHILIP JACKSON) C BBCHattrickJack Barnes

Joan (June Whitfield), John (Russ Abbot), Maureen (Stephanie Beacham), Carol (Paula Wilcox), Trevor (James Smith), Joyce (Alison Steadman), Alan (Philip Jackson) © BBC/Hattrick/Jack Barnes

Writer: Richard Pinto
Starring: Russ Abbot, Stephanie Beacham, Philip Jackson, James Smith, Alison Steadman, Paula Wilcox
Production Company: Hat Trick Productions
Kent Locations Used: Herne Bay

Boomers (2014-2016) is a BBC One comedy series following the ups and downs of a group of newly retired couples living in a seaside town in England.

The six-part sitcom stars many familiar faces including Russ Abbot (Last of the Summer Wine, The Sarah Jane Adventures), Stephanie Beacham (Dynasty, The Colbys), Philip Jackson (Above the Clouds (2020), Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (1995)), James Smith (The Thick of It, The Iron Lady), Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey, Life Is Sweet) and Paula Wilcox (Upstart Crow, The Queen’s Nose). Both series 1 and 2 were written by Richard Pinto (The Kumars at No, 42, Citizen Khan).

After filming the pilot episode in Herne Bay in 2013, the Boomers production team once again visited Herne Bay in May 2014 to film exteriors which doubled as a fictitious Norfolk seaside town. Filming location­­s included the bandstand where they filmed an open day celebration with Morris dancers as well as Central Parade and Studd Hill.

Production returned to Herne Bay for Series 2.

Herne Bay is located on the Kent coast and boasts a delightful beach with a bandstand and seafront gardens as well as many shops and eateries, amusement arcades, and a windmill. Previous productions which have filmed in Herne Bay include Big Bad World (2013) and The Things I Haven’t Told You (2008).

Series 1 of Boomers aired on BBC One from Friday 15th August 2014.

Series 2 of Boomers aired on BBC One from Friday 25th March 2016.

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


Comedy Showcase: Chickens (2011)

Joe Thomas (George), Simon Bird (Cecil) and Johnny (Bert) standing next to each other in front of a blue background staring at feathers

Joe Thomas (George), Simon Bird (Cecil) and Johnny (Bert) © Channel 4

A quirky British comedy like no other, Chickens follows the antics of three young men who are left at home while other British men are fighting the Great War.

Production Company: Big Talk Productions

Kent Filming Locations: Chilham 

Written by and starring Simon Bird, Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners) & Jonny Sweet, Chickens tells the story of three young men who are at home in a sleepy English village while other British men are on foreign soil fighting the Great War.

Meet George, Cecil and Bert.  George is a conscientious objector. The army won’t have Cecil because of his flat feet.  Bert is a philandering scardicat, who’s on the run from the draft and insists on hanging around with them.

As far as the other villagers are concerned, they’re all the same : Chickens.

As the only twenty-something males in a world of women, children and the infirm, they have only each other for company.  Unsurprisingly they’re treated with contempt by the women in the village, but with every other man away they’re working hard to win over the ladies on the home front.

Behind the scenes of Chickens filming in Chilham- three actresses walking along the street in costume in front of a tutor style house

Behind the scenes of Chickens filming in Chilham © Kent Film Office

Behind the scenes of Chickens filming in Chilham- camera crew filming on a driveway next to the garden

Behind the scenes of Chickens filming in Chilham © Kent Film Office

Chickens is a sitcom about three young guys in a women’s world, not being useful, not being proper men, not contributing to their country – but trying to make the best of it, trying to be helpful, trying to enjoy themselves…and above all, trying not to be rubbish.

Some of the filming took place in Chilham which is a village in the Ashford borough of Kent and has a stunning fifteenth century square of black and white timbered buildings. Chilham has been the backdrop for many filming projects including  Emma (2009) and Miss Marple – The Moving Finger (2005).

Chickens was shown on Friday 2nd September 2011 on Channel 4 at 10.30pm.

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


Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965)

Dover beach huts on the pebbles, men and women are waiting outside

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines screenshot of Dover Beach © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Director: Ken Annakin
Writer: Jack Davies, Ken Annakin
Starring: Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Robert Morley, Jean-Pierre Cassel
Production Company: Twentieth Century-Fox Productions
Kent Locations Used: Dover Seafront, The White Cliffs of Dover

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) is a British comedy set in 1910 about a newspaper mogul who offers a large cash prize to the first pilot who can successfully fly over the English Channel. Aviation experts from around the world attend the race and some compete not only for the prize, but the affections of Lord Rawnsley’s daughter.

Directed by Ken Annakin (The Longest Day, The Pirate Movie) who also co-write alongside Jack Davies (Doctor at Sea, North Sea Hijack) the film stars Stuart Whitman (The Comancheros, Night of the Lepus), Sarah Miles (Ryan’s Daughter, Hope and Glory), James Fox (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sherlock Holmes), Robert Morley (The African Queen, Too Many Chefs) and Jean-Pierre Cassel (Murder on the Orient Express, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie).

Dover seafront was used for the scenes where the competitors have some seaside fun before the race. The White Cliffs of Dover also feature in the film where the contestants fly cross the Channel.

Long shot of dover cliffs and sea

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines screenshot of Dover © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Dover beach and sea, people paddling in the sea and sunbathing on deck chairs

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines screenshot of Dover beach © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Dover is a coastal town in East Kent home to The White Cliffs of Dover as well as Europe’s busiest passenger port. The area has been used for many filming projects such as Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), The Boats That Made Britain: A Time Team Special (2014) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008).

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) was released on Wednesday 16th June 1965 and is available to purchase on DVD.

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