Director: John Madden Writers: Michelle Ashford, Ben Macintyre Starring: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, Johnny Flynn, Kelly Macdonald Production Company: See-Saw Films Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham
Operation Mincemeat (2022) is a drama set during World War Two. The film is based on the true story on how British intelligence officers pulled off one of the most successful wartime deceptions of Nazi Germany.
Writer: Harry Wootliff, Molly Davies, Director: Harry Wootliff Starring: Ruth Wilson, Tom Burke Production Company: BBC Films, The Bureau Kent Locations Used: Broadstairs, Kingsgate Bay, Margate, Ramsgate
True Things (2022) follows Kate, a young woman living on the edge of society as she becomes intoxicated with a stranger who overturns her quiet lifestyle.
Production based themselves in Kent for the majority of their location filming.
Kate’s Flat was filmed at a private residence in Margate. Margate is seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, amusement park, period housing and the ultra-modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. Margate has previously featured in Above the Clouds (2020) and Jellyfish (2018).
Various scenes were filmed in Ramsgate. Ramsgate is thriving seaside town with beautiful Victorian terraced housing, a Marina, Port and Promenade. The location often doubles for period London streets and has been used in the productions such as The Flood (2019) and Hard Sun (2018).
Kingsgate Bay is used for a dream sequence in the film. Kingsgate Bay is a small sandy bay surrounded by chalk cliffs that connects at low tide through Whiteness cliff arch to Botany Bay. It features a Victorian castle on top of the sea defences which were turned into private residences. Sulphur and White (2020) and Bhikari (2017) have previously filmed here.
Harpers Bar in Broadstairs is used throughout the film. Broadstairs is a traditional seaside town and home to Charles Dickens’ Bleak House. It features a sandy beach lined with traditional beach huts, Morelli’s cafe bar complete with original 1950’s interior, band stand and large Victorian terraces. Previous productions to film here include Dracula (2020) and Juliet, Naked (2018).
True Things is due to be released in UK cinemas on Friday 1st April 2022.
Axed by Channel 4 in 2013 after two series, the show soon found a new home on Netflix and the new Series was produced by rapper Drake, a long-time fan of the show.
Season One follows the story of Dushane as he travels to Jamaica where he makes a deal with Sugar (Gilbert Chen), an imprisoned drug lord. When Dushane returns to the UK, he connects with some of his crew selling drugs in Ramsgate and tries to regain control. Back on Summerhouse estate, Dushane once again rises to Top Boy status despite resistance from the new crew in London Fields that is headed by teenager Jamie. Season Two continues to explore the rival dynamics between the two gangs.
In Season One, filming took place in Margate at Walpole Bay and Fulsam Rock Beach and nearby streets including Athelstan Road. Production also visited Ramsgate, where they filmed at Jacob’s Ladder, outside the Rose of England pub on the High Street and Ramsgate Train Station. In addition, Gordon Place in Gravesend played the role of the fictional ‘Summerhouse Estate’ in London.
Gravesend is on the southern bank of the River Thames and boasts a cast iron pier, promenade and high street as well as international rail links at the nearby Ebbsfleet International station. The Gravesend area has previously welcomed film productions such as Killing Eve (2018-2022), The Escape (2018), and Doctor Strange (2016).
Top Boy Season Two was made available to stream on Netflix on Friday 18th March 2022.
Writers: Andy Hamilton, Guy Jenkin Director: Ben Kellett Starring: Brenda Blethyn, Jimmy Akingbola (Series 1), Okorie Chukwu (Series 2), Blake Harrison, Barbara Flynn, Meera Syal Production Company: Hat Trick Productions, ITV Studios Kent Locations Used: Romney House, School Road, Charing, Herne Bay Beach, Pier & Promenade
The series is directed by Ben Kellett and written by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin. It is a Hat Trick Production for ITV Studios filmed on location in Kent and at Elstree Studios in front of a live audience.
The seaside café for the TV sitcom was filmed at Frasiers Pie and Mash Shop in Herne Bay, standing in for the fictional seaside town of Seagate. The production also filmed exteriors of The Divers Arms pub and various scenes around the Promenade and Pier and an exterior scene at Herne Bay Industrial Estate. A further sequence was shot on the Promenade featuring a storm and its after-effects.
Series Two returned to Herne Bay for exterior filming and once again filmed along the Pier and Promenade, as well as the Neptune Arm and the Bandstand, which doubled as the exterior to a Community Centre.
Writer: Simon Ashdown, Louise Candlish Director: Sheree Folkson Starring: Tuppence Middleton, Martin Compston, Rupert Penry-Jones, Weruche Opia Production Company: Red Planet Pictures Kent Locations Used: Shellness beach in Leysdown-on-Sea
Based on Louise Candlish’s novel of the same name, Our House (2022) follows Fiona Lawson, a woman whose home is taken over by strangers, all her possessions missing, and her husband Bram nowhere to be found. Told through a series of flashbacks, the couple’s unexpected secrets are slowly brought to light, culminating in a nail-biting finale.
Shellness beach in Leysdown-on-Sea, as well as a private beach house nearby, feature in Episode 3 during a family holiday flashback sequence.
Leysdown is situated at the Eastern end of the Isle of Sheppey. With access to a sandy beach and a slew of arcades it is one of the largest holiday parks in Kent. Previous productions to have filmed there include The End of the F***ing World (2017) who shot in Leysdown town for Series One, and Kiss Me First (2018), which features Leysdown promenade.
Our House (2022) will air on ITV on Monday 7th March at 9pm.
Writer: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Emerald Fennell, Laura Neal Starring: Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer, Fiona Shaw, Kim Bodnia Production Company: Sid Gentle Films for (BBC America) Kent Locations Used: Nells Café in Gravesend, Margate Beach, Margate Harbour Arm, Dreamland, Nayland Rock Hotel, the Lido Complex, Sands Café and various streets in Margate.
Killing Eve (2018 – 2022) is an intense spy thriller, based on the Codename Villanelle novellas by Luke Jennings, in which MI6 intelligence investigator Eve (Sandra Oh) and psychopathic assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) go head to head in a game of cat and mouse.
Killing Eve is back again for its fourth and final series with screenwriter Laura Neal(Sex Education (2021) joining the team. Series 4 picks up with titular character Eve Polastri on the run from shadowy crime organisation The Twelve.
For the opening scene of Series 1, Episode 5, production visited the M2 motorway in Medway and Nell’s Café, a popular roadside truck stop off the A2 near Gravesend. In the scene, Eve (Sandra Oh) and Elena (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) question Frank (Darren Boyd) about his connections to Villanelle and the criminal organisation she works for.
In 2021, production visited various locations across Margate for Episodes 4 to 7 of Series 4, including local attractions and businesses Dreamland, the Lido Complex, The Nayland Rock Hotel and Market Square. Filming also took place on the sea defence steps of Margate Beach, Margate Harbour Arm, the Nayland Rock Shelter, Sands Café and Newgate Lower Promenade.
Street filming featured some of the many different aspects of Margate, maximising the town’s rich architectural history from the Edwardian Nayland Rock Shelter, the Georgian Royal Crescent Promenade to the quirky, modern vibe of Market Street, Duke Street and Broad Street with their narrow streets and boutique shops. In contrast, All Saints Avenue gives a city feel, running alongside Arlington House with its brutalist architecture. Recent productions to film in Margate include Whitstable Pearl Series 1 (2021), Pandemonium (2020) and Netflix’s crime drama Top Boy (2019).
Considered to be the oldest surviving amusement park in Great Britain, Dreamland dates back to the early 1870s and was revamped in 2017. The Park has a Retro Roller Room, vintage arcades, a fully restored Grade II listed Art Deco Ballroom and beautiful rides dating from 1920 to present day. Dreamland has previously welcomed productions including Two Weeks to Live (2020),Jellyfish (2018), and the Only Fools and Horses 1989 Christmas Special The Jolly Boys’ Outing.
Built in 1885, the Nayland Rock Hotel is situated on Margate beach, with stunning panoramic views of the English Channel, and only a walking distance away from Margate’s top attractions. Joe Penhall’sKing of Thieves (2018) starring Michael Cain and Michael Gambon features the Hotel in a scene where the aforementioned actors have lunch together.
Killing Eve first aired on BBC One on Saturday 15th September 2018, and Series 1-4 are available to stream on iPlayer.
Series 4 was made available on BBC iPlayer on Monday 28th February 2022.
Writer: Sarah Phelps Director: Anne Sewitsky Starring: Paul Bettany, Claire Foy, Jonathan Aris Production Company: Amazon Studios, Blueprint Pictures Kent Locations Used: Kent & East Sussex Railway
A Very British Scandal (2021) depicts the story of events surrounding the notorious divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll during the 1960s.
Production visited Tenterden’s Kent & East Sussex Railway to film the opening scene where Margaret and Ian Campbell meet for the first time on The Golden Arrow Boat Train from Paris.
Director: Andy De Emmony Writer / Creator: Simon Nye, Abigail Wilson Starring: Bradley Walsh, Joanna Scanlan, Sabrina Bartlett, Tok Stephen, Peter Davidson Production Company: Objective Fiction, Genial Productions Kent Locations Used: Viking Bay and Victoria Gardens in Broadstairs, Eynsford, Faversham, Stonepitts PYO Farm, Long Barn in Sundridge, Squerryes Court in Westerham, Walpole Bay Hotel & Museum in Margate, Underriver, Chiddingstone, various undisclosed villages and farms in North Kent
The Christmas special promises to be a tumultuous time for the Larkin clan. With the upcoming village pantomime, Mariette (Sabrina Bartlett) and Charley (Tok Stephen) taking their relationship to the next level, and a spate of burglaries that rock the entire village, rest assured, the Larkins will be on hand to save the day.
During filming of Series 1, as well as the Christmas Special, production filmed in various farms and villages in North Kent for the setting of the family farm and village.
In Episode 3, Victoria Gardens and Viking Bay in Broadstairs feature when Ma and Pop Larkin go on a holiday to Margate. Faversham town and the Guild Hall feature in the same episode as Margate town and the Registry Office, where Ma and Pop rescue a runaway bride. The Walpole Bay Hotel & Museum in Margate also features in Episode 3 as the Margate Grand Hotel where Ma and Pop stay.
Eynsford village features in various episodes throughout the series. Eynsford Riverside appears in Episodes 1 and 2 as the Littlechurch river, Eynsford Village Hall appears in Episode 5 as the Littlechurch village hall where the locals vote on Tom’s plans for the village, and The Castle Hotel appears in Episode 2 during the pram race. The Five Bells Pub in Eynsford also appears in Episodes 2, 3 and 6 as the local village pub.
The Larkins enjoy strawberry picking in Episodes 4 and 5, and these scenes were filmed at Stonepitts Farm near Sevenoaks. Filming also took place at Long Barn in Sundridge, which became Seth’s Cottage in Episode 6, and Squerryes Court in Westerham became Bluff Court in Episodes 2 and 6, and the interior of Reg’s guesthouse in Episode 2.
The 2021 Christmas special saw the return of various locations from the previous series, and featured some new sites including the Underriver Village Hall where the locals rehearse their festive pantomime, a private residence in Underriver which featured as the Norman’s home, and a private cottage in Chiddingstone which featured as the Nunn’s cottage.
Broadstairs in East Kent is a picturesque coastal town with several beautiful beaches, restaurants, bars and walking trails which provide visitors with a real Kentish seaside town experience. Victoria Gardens has stunning clifftop views of Viking Bay and Louisa Bay. Broadstairs and Viking Bay has welcomed productions including Breeders Series 2 (2021), Devils (2021) and Hurricane (2018).
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. Margate is a traditional seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, amusement park, period housing and modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. Recent productions to film in Margate are Whitstable Pearl Series 1 (2021), Two Weeks to Live (2020) and Pandemonium (2020).
Located on the River Darent, Eynsford has some distinctive features including its viaduct, ford and ancient ruins and is part of the Sevenoaks district. Stonepitts Farm sits at the foot of the North Downs in Seal, near Sevenoaks, with magnificent views over the beautiful Vale of Holmesdale that has been a local landmark for hundreds of years.
Squerryes Court in Westerham is a beautiful 17th century manor house which has been the Warde family home since 1731. It is surrounded by 20 acres of attractive and historic gardens which include a lake, restored parterres and an 18th century dovecote. Westerham is a very busy village on a through road near Sevenoaks. Recent productions to film in the Sevenoaks district include The Cleaner (2021), The First Team (2020) and Great British Railway Journeys Series 11 (2020).
Chiddingstone is one of the oldest and most picturesque villages in Kent. It’s described as the most accurate example of a surviving Tudor village in the county, complete with half-timbered frames, gables and stone hung red-tiled roofs. Previous productions to have filmed in Chiddingstone include A Room with a View (1986) and The Wind in the Willows (1996).
The Larkins began airing on ITV on Sunday 10th October. All episodes are available to stream on ITV Hub.
The Christmas Special is set to air on ITV on Saturday 25th December 2021 at 9pm.
Writer: Heidi Thomas Starring: Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Raine, Pam Ferris, Miranda Hart, Helen George, Jenny Agutter, Laura Main, Judy Parfitt, Stephen McGann, Cliff Parisi, Ben Caplan, Jennifer Kirby, Leonie Elliot, Linda Bassett, Annabelle Apsion Production Company: Neal Street Productions for BBC Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham
Much-loved BBC period drama Call the Midwife (2012-2022) is back for its annual Christmas Special, which will kick off the eleventh series. Based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, the TV drama follows the lives of nuns and midwives working in the East End of London during the 1950s and 60s.
Set in December 1966, the Series 11 Christmas Special promises to be the busiest Christmas yet for the Nonnatus team. With an injury that threatens Lucille’s (Leonie Elliott) upcoming wedding and the Maternity Home filled with expectant mothers, only a Christmas miracle – like the return of Mother Mildred (Miriam Margolyes) – can save the day. The Christmas Special will air on Christmas Day 2021, with the rest of the series to commence from Sunday 2nd January 2022.
Series 1 Episode 1 of Call the Midwife aired for the first time on Sunday 15th January 2012 on BBC One and attracted over 10 million viewers. A new series has aired every year since, along with an annual Christmas Special broadcast every Christmas Day since 2012.
The early series featured actress Jessica Raine as the main protagonist Nurse Jenny Lee, with leading supporting cast Helen George as Nurse Trixie Franklin, Pam Ferris as Sister Evangelina, Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan and Miranda Hart playing Chummy Browne, all led by the calm guidance of Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter). Vanessa Redgrave narrates the series as mature Jennifer Worth.
The more recent series feature now familiar faces Nurse Valerie Dyer (Jennifer Kirby), Nurse Lucille Anderson (Leonie Elliott), Nurse Phyllis Crane (Linda Bassett) and Nurse Trixie Franklin (Helen George) . Supporting cast includes long standing characters Doctor Turner (Stephen McGann) and his wife Shelagh Turner (Laura Main), Fred Buckle (Cliff Parisi) and Violet Buckle (Annabelle Apsion). Following her absence from Series 10, the much-loved Mother Mildred (Miriam Margolyes) will make a comeback in the Series 11 Christmas special.
During all eleven seasons Call the Midwife has made use of the settings of The Historic Dockyard Chatham to stand in for the Victorian buildings of Poplar in East London. The Fitted Rigging House doubles for the Lisbon Buildings and Rakesby Street Homeless Shelter. Meanwhile, Admiral’s Offices exteriors feature as Poplar Maternity Home and the London Hospital. The Tarred Yarn Store has made regular appearances as a Boxing Ring, Chinese Laundry and derelict building. HMS Cavalier, a WW2 destroyer ship and The National Destroyer Memorial, has also featured playing the role of a Russian ship. The Commissioner’s House gardens set the scene for a famous engagement scene in one episode, while Anchor’s Wharf and the Dockyard Railway and steam train have regularly appeared for Poplar Docks scenes. The Victorian Ropery even appears in one episode as a working ropemakers as well as various cellars and tunnels around the building. In Episode 1 of Series 11, the Sail and Colour Loft appears as the building site where human bones are found. The Royal Dockyard Church also appears in the same episode as the graveyard that Nurse Trixie and Matthew (Olly Rix) visit.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham was established in the mid-16th century and is located on the River Medway. A location with an extensive history, evident through its numerous buildings and exhibitions open to the public. Today Chatham is the only one of the original four Royal Navy Ropeyards to remain in operation and, together with its related buildings, forms the finest integrated group of 18th century manufacturing buildings in Britain. The site offers maritime, industrial, Georgian and Victorian architecture and cobbled streets, an ideal set for many film productions. Recent period dramas to film at the Dockyard include Belgravia (2020), World On Fire Series 1 (2019) and Pennyworth Series 1 (2019) to name but a few.
Call the Midwife Series 11 Christmas Special will air on BBC One on Christmas Day 2021, with the rest of the series to commence from Sunday 2nd January 2022.
All 10 series are available to view on BBC iPlayer or purchase on Amazon Prime.
Director: Will Sharpe Starring: Olivia Colman, David Thewlis, Kate O’Flynn, Dipo Ola, Samuel Anderson, Felicity Montagu, Daniel Rigby Production Company: Sister Productions Kent Locations Used: Laredo Western Town in Dartford
Landscapers (2021) is a true-crime drama inspired by real events, which documents the unique transformation of a mild-mannered English couple into cold-blooded killers.
During filming, production visited Kent to film at Laredo Western Town in Longfield near Dartford. The production filmed a dream sequence where Susan Edwards reimagines the events surrounding the murder of her parents and her subsequent arrest.
Laredo Western Town is situated just twenty miles from London. The town represents the American Wild West as it would have been in 1865 to 1889 featuring 24 buildings including a two-story Hotel with Saloon Bar, Marshals Office, working Blacksmiths, Livery Stables, Bank and many more. All the interiors are fully furnished and decorated to the period. Previous productions to film here include Finding Neverland (2004) and Blood Moon (2014).
Dartford is a historic market town with a rich industrial heritage and boasts Bluewater, one of the largest shopping centres in Europe. Recent productions to film here include Gangs of London (2020) and The Corrupted (2019).
Landscaperswill be released on Sky Atlantic and NowTV on Tuesday 7th December 2021.
