Director: Aleem Khan Starring: Joanna Scanlan, Nasser Memarzia, Nathalie Richard Production Company: The Bureau Kent Locations Used: The White Cliffs of Dover, Kingsdown, Port of Dover
The film also stars Nathalie Richard (Never Let Me Go, Caché) and focuses on the beauty of cultural differences and the effects of physical distance on people’s relationships.
Production visited The White Cliffs of Dover whilst filming, as well as a private residence in Kingsdown, near Dover which doubles as Mary’s home. One scene was filmed showing Mary boarding a ferry at the Port of Dover, as she travels to the Continent.
Writer: Julie Wassmer, Øystein Karlsen, Mike Walden, Rachel Flowerday, Alastair Galbraith Directors: David Caffrey, Jon Jones Starring: Kerry Godliman, Howard Charles, Frances Barber Production Company: Buccaneer Media Kent Locations Used: Whitstable, Canterbury, Faversham, Herne Bay, Margate, Ramsgate, Detling, Dover, Maidstone
Based on the much loved series of novels ‘The Whitstable Pearl Mysteries’ by Kent resident Julie Wassmer (EastEnders, London’s Burning), Whitstable Pearl (2021) is a six part detective series for Acorn TV. The story follows big-hearted local restaurant owner Pearl Nolan (Kerry Godliman) who sets up a local detective agency after undergoing police training in an earlier career. She is soon embroiled in her first case when she discovers the body of close friend, Vinnie. Pearl forms an unlikely partnership with DCI Mike McGuire (Howard Charles) and finds herself pulled into the dark underbelly of the picturesque town she calls home.
Whitstable High Street features in the show and local shops were filmed including Iain’s Plaice (fish and chip restaurant), Gilbert’s Cafe and art gallery Chappell Contemporary which doubles as Houlihan’s Hardware store. Other Whitstable businesses filmed include the Cemetery, Football Ground, MFA Bowl and Seaview Holiday Park, which features as the trailer park where Vinnie and Connie live. Several private residences were used for filming including Beacon House as Pearl’s House located on Tankerton Beach and several other properties across Whitstable town.
Interior scenes were filmed at St Martin’s Hospital in Canterbury doubling as a police station and a hospital, while The Citadel doubles as a Police Station and a children’s home. In Episode 3, Jasper House on London Road in Dover doubles as Greenacre Social Club. Other filming locations include the Redsand (Maunsell) Forts off the shore of Whitstable, a field near Faversham at Belmont Park, Hall Place Enterprises – a campus of the University of Kent at Canterbury doubling for interior scenes for both Whitstable Hospital and Whitstable Police Station – and private residences in Herne Bay and Thurnham near Maidstone. Mount Ephraim Gardens in Hernhill also features in Episode 1 as the Azarov family rented villa.
Whitstable is a 16th century thriving seaside resort in Kent. Known for its native oysters, Whitstable boasts a working fishing harbour, shingle beach and busy high street. Recent productions to film in the town include The Great Pottery Throw Down – Series 3 (2020) and The Thames: Britain’s Great River With Tony Robinson (2019). Beacon House is a colonial clapboard wooden turn of the century Beach House. Set above the beach on a private sea road, the grounds include wild woodland gardens and views out to sea and lines of beach huts. Catastrophe Series 4 (2019) filmed at this location. Long Rock beach is a shingle promontory covered in grass with a number of paths across it. It is situated at Swalecliffe between Whitstable and Herne Bay.
Canterbury is a historic cathedral city; many of its original historical structures remain, including the cathedral and section of the city wall. The city is a popular tourist destination and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sex Education Season 3 (2021) and Small Axe (2020) have previously filmed at locations in the City.
Mount Ephraim Gardens located in Hernhill, Swale is a late Victorian property with an impressive and grand columned entrance situated in 10 glorious acres of stunning Edwardian terraced gardens. The large hall has marble columns and an elegant staircase adorned with a highly decorative hand-rail. The original Victorian roof-mounted skylight is located directly above the hall, providing natural daylight.
Margate is a traditional seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, amusement park, period housing and ultra modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. The Walpole Bay Hotel & Museum in Margate was built for discerning guests in 1914 and extended in 1927. The hotel has five floors and 42 bedrooms and a museum space. The décor and layout is versatile to suit many eras and the hotel provides cast and crew accommodation and on road parking in a quiet cul de sac. Westgate-on-Sea is a charming Victorian town, steeped in Heritage with quaint shops and two fantastic blue flag beaches. Margate is popular as a film location with recent productions including Two Weeks to Live (2020), Pandemonium (2020) and Top Boy – Series 3 (2019).
The Port of Ramsgate offers 32 acres of dedicated Port Land including 3 modern Ro-Ro bridges and water and bunker facilities on all berths and the Ramsgate Harbour Approach Tunnel. It is often used as ‘stand-in’ for the Port of Dover. Royal Harbour Marina offers 700 finger moorings set in a picturesque and historic harbour setting. Crime dramas to previously film at the Port of Ramsgate include The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017) and Baptiste (2019).
The Citadel, located on Dover’s Western Heights was constructed in the late 1700’s as a port of defence during the Napoleonic war. Most recently it has been used as a borstal, prison, and immigration detention centre up until its closure in 2015. It is now becoming popular as a filming location and has welcomed several productions over the past year – soon to broadcast. Dover is the site of the famous The White Cliffs of Dover and has been used in previous productions such as Britain’s Most Historic Towns – Series 2 (2019) and Flog It! Series 17 (2019).
The Great Pottery Throw Down with Sue Pryke, Keith Brymer Jones and Melanie Sykes (Channel 4/PA)
Starring: Melanie Sykes, Keith Brymer Jones, Sue Pryke
Production Company: Channel 4
Kent Locations Used: Dover
The Great Pottery Throw Down, now in its third series, is produced by the company behind The Great British Bake Off. The TV show sees home potters strive to create their most intricate and imaginative works as they compete to be crowned best at the wheel.
The programme has moved to Channel 4 with new host Melanie Sykes fronting the series. Master potter Keith Brymer Jones returns to judge alongside award-winning ceramicist Sue Pryke.
Master potter Keith Brymer Jones, a born and bred Londoner and a potter by trade, started his career in a studio in Whitstable, Kent, which is housed inside an old bakery. Here he throws shapes on his pottery wheel for various designers, a leading retailer and clients such as the National Trust.
One of the 12 contestants is Rainna Erbas who grew up in Bow, east London, but moved to Kent when she was 14, where she began her love affair with potting. She uses her whole house as a studio, including the kitchen and conservatory, but she can mainly be found throwing in a converted garden shed.
Kent contestant Rainna Erbas (Channel 4/PA)
During filming production visited the woods behind Coxhill Gardens in Dover to go bird watching with Rainna.
Whitstable is a bohemian seaside town which was famous for its oysters and is now famous for the harbour where sunbathing, swimming and water sports are popular including jet skiing. Furthermore, it has one of the oldest yacht clubs. Previous filming here includes Flirty Dancing – Series 2 (2019)and Who Do You Think You Are? (2018).
Episode One airs onWednesday8th January at 9pm on More4 and Sunday 12th January at 6.45pm on Channel 4.
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 follows Miranda ‘Miri’ Matteson (Daisy HaggardBreeders 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 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.
Production Company: Two Brothers Pictures for BBC One
Kent Locations used: Discovery Park, Dover, Kingsdown, Deal, Ramsgate
The highly anticipated new six-part BBC drama Baptiste will be airing next week! From the creators of The Missing, this spin-off stars Tchéky Karyo as the insightful, yet stubborn investigator Julien Baptiste. Now retired and trying his best to enjoy his retirement with his family, the investigator is contacted by Police Commissioner and former girlfriend Martha Horchner (Barbara Sarafian), who brings him a missing person’s case he can’t refuse.
Production visited numerous Kent locations during filming for the series. These included a scene on Deal seafront, also showing Deal Pier, which features Edward Stratton (Tom Hollander) arriving by boat. A small scene also features a Co-op store in Deal where Edward shops for groceries. Further filming took place in neighbouring Kingsdown, again using the sea road and beachfronts. These include an establishing shot of a seafront house, a drone shot of Undercliffe and Sutton Vale Road of a black taxi and Sutton Vale Country Park where Edward Stratton (Tom Hollander) visits his family and meets with Baptiste (Tchéky Karyo). Kingsdown Beach is also featured for a conversation scene between Edward and Baptiste in the final episode.
Discovery Park in Sandwich was also used in the filming, doubling as a Japanese airport. A tool store on Manston Industrial Estate in Ramsgate is featured as Baptiste (Tchéky Karyo) shops while talking on the phone.
A dangerous smuggle’s haunt in the 1800s, Deal town boasts a wonderful collection of colourful Georgian buildings, complemented by a long shingle beach with huts, fishing boats and pier restores in the 1950’s. It is a popular filming location and has previously featured in productions such as The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016) and Liar (2017). Kingsdown village is situated south of Deal and features in the James Bond trail.
Ramsgate, located in the district of Thanet, is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Georgian terraced housing, Marina, Port and Promenade. Previous TV productions which filmed here include Eastenders (2015), The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017) and Hancock and Joan (2008).
Baptiste is set to air on BBC One on Sunday 17th February at 9pm.
Writer: Paul Doolan Director: Paul Murphy Starring: Jason Watkins, Sarah Parish, Stephen Tompkinson, Hugh Dennis Production Company: Roughcut TV Kent Location Used: Port of Dover- Cruise Terminal
Deciding to leave the Valcro store and make a fresh start in Calais, Gavin (Jason Watkins) and Cheryl (Sarah Parish) plan to get married. When Gavin’s stag-do goes awry, he and his friends face a race against time to get him back for the wedding.
The Cruise Terminal at the Port of Dover was used as the location for the Dublin and Holyhead Ferry Ports in scenes which sees Gavin (Jason Watkins) and his friends panic they are going to miss the wedding.
The Port of Dover in Kent is the closest point between England and France and the busiest ferry port in Europe. It gets a lot of interest from location managers for the service it provides and the views that come along with it. Other shows that filmed on location at the port include The Tunnel (2013), Missing (2009-2010), and film Albert’s Memorial (2009).
The episode was first aired in the UK on the 23rd December 2018 on Sky One.
Director: Samuel Supple
Starring: Toby Jones, Phil Eyden Production Company: BBC South East Kent Locations Used: Dover
BBC documentary film The Lost Commando Raid (2018) was inspired by Phil Eyden’s book, ‘Dover’s Forgotten Commando Raid’, and tells the story of Operation Abercrombie, a WWII raid led by Lord Lovatt on the French Town of Hardelot in 1942.
Narrating is BAFTA winning actor Toby Jones (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022), Christopher Robin (2018)), as amateur historian Phil Eyden discovers mysterious graffiti in a supposedly abandoned fort in Dover that leads him to the story of a long-forgotten commando mission. The documentary includes interviews with Phil Eyden, as well as some of the relatives of the commando’s taking part.
Production filmed in and around Dover at various locations, including the Drop Redoubt and the Grand Shaft at Western Heights, St Margaret’s at Cliffe, as well as at Discovery Park, where production filmed historian Phil Eyden using a microfilm reader and talking about Dover’s role in WWII.
Starring: Michael Caine, Michael Gambon, Tom Courtenay
Production Company: Working Title Films
Kent Locations Used: The Harbour Arm, Turner Contemporary, Wig and Pen Pub, Nayland Rock Hotel, Margate train station, and Dover
Feature film King of Thieves is based on the infamous Hatton Garden Robbery, in which a crew of retired crooks pull off a major heist in London’s jewelry district. The thieves, most of them in their 60s and 70s, employ their old-school tricks of the trade to plan the heist over the Easter holiday weekend of 2015. After taking over £200 million worth of jewels, arguments erupt in the group as the police start to move in on the group.
Starring Michael Cain (The Dark Knight, the quiet American, The Prestige) as widower Brian Reader, Michael Gambon (The Kings speech, Harry Potter) as Billy ‘The Fish’ Lincoln. Tom Courtenay (45 years, Nicholas Nickleby) as John Kenny Collins.
Margate is a popular film location for films and has recently featured in film productions such as King Lear (2018), The Carer (2016) and True Love (2012).
Dover, where production filmed a small scene, is the site of the famous white cliffs of Dover and has been used in films such as Sherlock Holmes (2011).
The film will be released in cinemas on Friday 14th September 2018.
Starring: Olivia Cooke, Suranne Jones, Martin Clunes
Production Company: Mammoth Screen
Kent Locations Used: Deal, Dover, Sevenoaks and Medway
This new ITV series is an adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray’s classic Victorian novel Vanity Fair. Set in the time of the Napoleonic wars, it follows the life of a beautiful and determined woman named Becky Sharp (Olivia Cooke) as she attempts to claw her way out of poverty and climb straight to the top of 19th century English Society.
Starring Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One, Bates Motel) as the antihero Becky Sharp, Suranne Jones (Doctor Foster, Scott and Bailey) as Miss Pinkerton, Martin Clunes (Doc Martin, Men Behaving Badly) as Sir Pitt Crawley, Michael Palin (Monty Python, Remember Me) as Thackeray, Tom Bateman (Snatched, Into The Dark) as Captain Rawdon Crawley.
A cottage on Chevening House Estate was used for filming and featured as Rawdons’ (Tom Bateman) Cottage. This location is situated at the foot of the North Downs in Sevenoaks with extensive parkland surrounding it. It is set aside for official Government business.
A scene on the promenade, featuring soldiers and horses was filmed outside the Royal Hotel in Deal. The town is situated on the South Coast of Kent and has a longstanding naval history as one of the major Cinque Ports and many period features remain.
Squerryes Court in Sevenoaks was also used for filming Miss Pinkertons’ (Suranne Jones) school interiors. This location is a beautiful 17th century manor house which has been in the residence of the Warde family since 1731. It is surrounded with 20 acres of attractive and historic gardens which includes a lake and 18th century dovecote. Previous films that have used this location are The Hollow Crown: Henry V (2012) and The Boat that Rocked (2009).
The Historic Chatham Dockyard was also used. Production filmed various London street scenes outside the Ropery, as well as Anchor Wharf for an embarkation to France and the interior of Commissioners House. The Historic Chatham Dockyard built many ships for the Royal Navy over the last 400 years, including HMS Victory, and it is the home of the Royal Rope Makers, having produced ropes since 1618. It is a popular filming location which offers many period locations, authentic cobbled streets and three historic warships. The Dockyard has previously been featured in films such as Suffragette (2015) and Mr Turner (2014).
Vanity Fair begins on 2nd September 2018 at 9pm on ITV, with episode two airing the next day, on Monday (3rd September 2018). It will then continue for 5 Sunday nights at 9pm.
