The Third Day (2020)

Jude Law as character Sam stands silhouetted by the sun looking towards the ground

The Third Day (2020) with Jude Law © Sky UK Limited

Writers: Dennis Kelly, Dean O’Loughlin, Kit de Waal
Director: Philippa Lowthorpe, Marc Munden
Starring: Jude Law, Naomie Harris, Mark Lewis Jones, Amer Chadha-Patel, Katherine Waterston
Production Company: Plan B Entertainment, Punchdrunk International, SKY Studios
Kent Locations Used: Fog Signal Station, Allens Farm, Chiddingstone, Bedgebury National Pinetum Forest, Hever Castle, Shellness Beach and Huts, Quex Park, St Clere Estate, Grain Coastal Park and and other private Kent locations.

Jude Law (Captain Marvel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald) leads the cast in mysterious six-part limited series The Third Day (2020) due to air in the UK on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV. Blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, the adventure tale finds Law’s character Sam traveling to a strange island off the British coast where he encounters its inhabitants, eventually clashing with them as his sanity is threatened.

Produced by Plan B Entertainment for HBO, The Third Day also stars Naomie Harris (Skyfall, Spectre), Mark Lewis Jones (The Crown , Chernobyl), Amer Chadha-Patel (Beecham House , Year of the Rabbit ) and Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Alien: Covenant). Directed by Marc Munden (Utopia, National Treasure) and Philippa Lowthorpe (Three Girls, The Crown ) the show was written by Dennis Kelly (Utopia, Black Sea) with Kit de Waal and Dean O’Loughlin contributing two episodes.

Production visited many locations in Kent for filming, including Fog Signal Station at Dungeness, Allens Farm, St Clere Estate, Bedgebury National Pinetum Forest, Hever Castle, Quex Park, Grain, Chiddingstone and Shellness Beach.

Chiddingstone is one of the oldest and most picturesque villages in Kent. Within the Sevenoaks District, the village sits on the River Eden between Tonbridge and Edenbridge. Previous productions to film there include Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip (2015) and Flog It! (2014).

Hever Castle is an outstanding 13th century Tudor castle and moat. The grounds include stunning Italianate gardens, a large lake, as well as a mock Tudor Village. It was the original home of the Boleyn family. Inkheart (2008) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) have previously filmed there.

Set in 2800 acres of the rolling Kent countryside, St Clere estate offers stunning views of the North Downs, formal gardens, paddocks, a meadow, ploughed fields, a kitchen garden, orangery, green houses, workshops and stunning features such as a hawthorn archway, lime avenue and a temple by the lake. Gangs of London (2020) and The Great (2020) have recently filmed here.

Shellness Beach has an area of mixed sand and shingle beach adjoining Shellness on the Isle of Sheppey. The beach is bordered by private chalets, some of which are available for filming. Both Dark Heart Series 1 (2018) and Kiss Me First (2018) have previously filmed here.

Situated in Dungeness on the Kent coast, The Fog Signal Station has been re-furbished to an incredible standard from old government buildings into contemporary dwellings. The interior leads outside via large glass doors on to decking and shingle. Vistas from the site include two light houses and a look-out tower. Una (2017) and All Or Nothing (2002) have previously filmed at Dungeness.

Allens Farm is a beautiful in the heart of the Sevenoaks district. Recent productions to have filmed in Sevenoaks include Gangs of London (2020) and The First Team (2020).

Bedgebury National Pinetum Forest in Tunbridge Wells has the world’s finest collection of Conifers. The site is a mixture of lakes, valleys, parkland and denser forest with a large variety of tree species. There are also adventure playgrounds, a Go Ape facility, restaurant, cafe and bike hire. Rupert, Rupert and Rupert (2019) and Queens of Mystery (2019) have previously filmed in Tunbridge Wells.

Quex Park is a regency-style country estate with a unique museum containing dioramas of African landscapes and gardens. The science fiction show Blakes 7 – Bounty (1978)  was filmed here.

Grain Coastal Park on the Isle of Grain gives visitors a chance to walk along two miles of shoreline and pass by ancient Forts. There are also leafy avenues with tunnels of trees that host a variety of wildflowers. Peterloo (2018) and London Spy (2015) have both previously made use of the various locations available on the Isle of Grain.

The Third Day will be available to stream on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV from Tuesday 15th September 2020.

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


Merlin (2008)

Bradley James and Colin Morgan staring at the camera, colin is holding a sword above his shoulders

Arthur and Merlin played by Bradley James and Colin Morgan © BBC

Director: James Hawes

Writer: Julian Jones

Production Company: Shine

Kent Filming Location: Penshurst Place, Chislehurst Caves

A new prime time drama set in medieval England about the legendary wizard Merlin is due to be screened on BBC One this Autumn!

The programme sees Merlin as a young man at Uther’s Court, where magic is outlawed. Working as Arthur’s manservant, Merlin is forced to keep his magical skills secret.

The 13 part series boasts an impressive cast including Richard Wilson (One Foot in the Grave), Michelle Ryan (Bionic Woman), Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Santiago Cabrera (Heroes)

Katie McGrath in a blue dress standing in front of a stone window and walls

Katie McGrath as Morgana in Merlin © BBC

Film set inside Penshurst Place - three rows of wooden tables in a large hall, filming equipment and crew surround them

Filming of Merlin at Penshurst Place © Kent Film Office

Anthony Head leaning against a table towards the camera, red and black flags hang behind him Richard Wilson standing in front of a table full of books with a window besides him, candles are in the camera in front of him

Merlin was filmed mostly in a studio with Penshurst Place one of only three locations chosen to film on location where the production company Shine visited the unique Baron’s Hall with it’s awe-inspiring height and courtly atmosphere.

Chislehurst Caves features in episode 3, series one for underground scenes where Arthur and Merlin battle the water beast.

Penshurst Place is a beautiful medieval estate with a history spanning nearly 700 years and has been seen on screen for filming projects including The Hollow Crown – Henry V (2012), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) and The Gathering (2003).

Season 5 aired on BBC 1 on Saturday nights from February 2008.

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


Doctor Who – The Mutants (1972)

Jon Pertwee inside Chilslehurst Cave talking to a man with a torch

Jon Pertwee as Doctor Who at Chislehurst Caves © BBC

Director: Christopher Barry
Starring: Jon Pertwee, Katy Manning, Paul Whitsun-Jones, James Mellor, Garrick Hagon
Production Company: BBC
Kent Locations Used: Bluewater Quarry, Chislehurst Caves, Stone House Farm Caves

The Mutants (1972) is a six-part story of popular sci-fi show Doctor Who starring Jon Pertwee. The Doctor and his companion, Jo, arrive at Skybase One during the 30th century when the planet, Solos is fighting for independence from the Earth’s empire. However, the natives have started to mutate in to hideous looking creatures and the doctor needs to find out why.

Jon Pertwee (Carry On Cleo, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) stars as the third Doctor alongside Katy Manning (Gloria’s House, Evil Never Dies) as his companion Jo, Paul Whitsun-Jones (The Quatermass Experiment, Huntingtower), James Mellor (Marat/Sade, The Oblong Box) and Garrick Hagon (Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).

The production visited Bluewater Quarry which was the setting for the planet Solos prior to the shopping centre being built. The quarry began in the early 19th century and was then rapidly enlarged for cement production in the 1950’s; however it then closed down in the 1980’s and is now Bluewater shopping centre.

Chislehurst Caves also feature and doubled as the interior Solos’ caves. Chislehurst Caves are man-made and 22 miles long, initially dug as chalk and flint mines and are believed to have been last worked in during the 1830’s. The first mention of the mines was in 1250, during World War II when the caves became an air raid shelter for 15000 people with electrical lighting, a chapel and a hospital. The caves are now a tourist attraction and have been used for TV series Merlin (2008) and film The Riddle (2007).

The production also visited Stone House Farm Caves which represented the cave system entrance on Solos. It is situated near Strood in a field next to Lower Rochester Road. The caves are thought to be old chalk mines. The Medway area has previously been seen on screen in Jekyll and Hyde (2015)Great Expectations (2012) and Canterbury Tales (2003).

Doctor Who: The Mutants (1972) originally aired on BBC1 from Saturday 8th April 1972 to Saturday 13th May 1972 and is now available to buy on DVD.

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