British crime drama

Dark Heart Series 1 (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Actor Tom Riley from Dark Heart Series staring away from the camera in a suit and coat. City skyline in background.

Actor Tom Riley from Dark Heart Series ©ITV

Writer: Chris Lang
Director: Colin Teague
Starring: Miranda Raison, Anjli Mohindra, Tom Riley
Production Company: ITV Studios
Kent Locations Used: Shellness beach, Swale

ITV crime drama Dark Heart (2016-2018) will soon be hitting our screens, starring Tom Riley as DI Will Wagstaffe, who is haunted by his past after both his parents were murdered when he was just sixteen years old. Will and his team try to solve brutal crimes, whilst he also attempts to hold his own fractured life together.

Alongside Tom Riley (The Nevers (2021), Da Vinci’s Demons) are Miranda Raison (Spooks (2007), My Week with Marilyn) and Anjli Mohindra (The Lazarus Project, Bodyguard) and the series is written by Chris Lang (Unforgotten, Innocent) and directed by Colin Teague (Torchwood, Being Human).

Scenes were filmed at one of the beach chalets on Shellness Beach and included a drone shot of a car travelling along Shellness Road.

Shellness Beach has proved to be a popular filming location recently, with Netflix series End of the F***ing World (2017) and Channel 4’s Kiss Me First (2018) using the area as a filming location also.

Dark Heart can be seen on ITV on Wednesday 31st October 2018 at 9pm.

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

Next of Kin (2018)

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

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

Writers:  Natasha Narayan, Paul Rutman

Directors:  Justin Chadwick, Jamie Childs

Starring:  Archie Panjabi, Jack Davenport

Production Company:  Mammoth Screen

Kent Locations Used:  Oakdene Cafe, London Road, Wrotham

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Dempsey and Makepeace ‘Cry God for Harry’ (1985)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Dempsey (Michael Brandon) and Makepeace (Glynis Barber) facing each other inside Chilham Castle

Dempsey (Michael Brandon) and Makepeace (Glynis Barber) inside Chilham Castle © ITV

Directed by: William Brayne

Written by: Neil Rudyard

Starring: Michael Brandon, Glynis Barber, Ray Smith, Ralph Michael, Keith Bonnard Ralph Arliss, Seretta Wilson, John Terry

Production Company: Golden Eagle Films, London Weekend Television (LWT)

Kent Filming Locations: Chilham Castle, Chilham Square

Dempsey and Makepeace is a British crime drama focusing on the relationship between American Lt. James Dempsey (Michael Brandon) and British Detective Sgt. Harriet Makepeace (Glynis Barber). Dempsey was sent to England after his career ran into trouble in New York, and has been partnered up with Makepeace, under the watchful eye of Chief Superintendent Spikings (Ray Smith).

In episode 9 of Series 1, Makepeace receives the news that her father’s house has been burgled. By Royal Intervention, the detective duo is ordered to investigate and restore the missing collection of priceless Jade artefacts.

Dempsey and Makepeace driving through Chilham village in a white classic car.

Dempsey and Makepeace driving through Chilham © ITV

The episode stars franchise regulars Michael Brandon (Captain America: The First Avenger) Glynis Barber (Hammer of the Gods) and Ray Smith (Struggle, We’ll Meet Again). Guest stars include Ralph Michael (The Quest, Kessler), Keith Bonnard (Noble House, Shanghai Surprise), Ralph Arliss (Grange Hill, Retrace), Seretta Wilson (The Da Vinci Code, London Bridge), and John Terry (Brothers and Sisters, Lost).

Chilham Castle becomes Winfield Hall, the grand English estate of Lord Winfield (Ralph Michael) in this episode. The Jacobean mansion was built in 1616 on the site of an ancient castle, and is now the private home of the Wheeler family. The castle has previously hosted productions such as Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (1995) and Miss Marple – The Moving Finger (2006).

Chilham Square, which is considered to be one of the most perfectly preserved medieval settings in the South East of England, makes a brief appearance in this episode. Dempsey and Makepeace drive through the square as they approach the grand gates to Winfield Hall. Chilham has previously featured in Chickens (2011), Emma (2009), and The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965).

The episode first aired in 1985 on ITV and is now available to buy on DVD.

 

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