Writer: Joe Barton Director: Colm McCarthy Starring: Jay Lycurgo, Nadia Parkes, Isobel Jesper Jones, Emilien Vekemans Production Company: Imaginarium Productions Kent Locations Used: Port of Ramsgate and Ramsgate Royal Harbour
Based on the ‘Half Bad’ series of books by author Sally Green, The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022) is a young adult tale about a sixteen-year-old boy called Nathan, who is the illegitimate son of the most powerful and cruel Witch in the world. Monitored all his life by those who wish to stop him from following in his father’s footsteps, Nathan soon begins to question the rules that have been imposed on him. In a world where one is either a “Good” Witch, or a “Bad” Witch, Nathan must discover what kind of person he truly is.
The production visited the Port of Ramsgate and the Royal Harbour of Ramsgate during filming of the eight-episode series for Netflix. Both locations feature in Episode 4, doubling as the French harbour where Nathan, Annalise and Gabriel walk through a magic portal into Paris. The Port of Ramsgate is set on 32 acres of dedicated port land and is often used as a ‘stand-in’ for film and TV as the Port of Dover. Other productions that have filmed here include the SKY crime-drama series The Tunnel (2013) and, more recently, the Acorn TV crime-drama series Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022).
Ramsgate has the only Royal Harbour in the country, decreed by King George IV in 1821 due to his fondness of the friendly locals he met there. Often used as a double for London, Ramsgate is a popular filming location, with previous productions such as the BBC comedy series Not Going Out (2013) making use of the marina, and the Netflix crime-drama series Top Boy (2019-2022) using the iconic Jacobs Ladder steps in the harbour, as well as several other locations within the town.
The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself was released on Netflix on Friday 28th October 2022.
Creators: Gareth Evans, Matt Flannery Starring: Narges Rashidi, Joe Cole, Lucian Msamati, Paapa Essiedu, Sope Dirisu Production Company: Pulse Films Kent Locations Used: St Clere Estate near Sevenoaks, Dartford
Gangs of London (2020-2022) tells the story of a city torn apart by power struggles, and the sudden vacuum that arises when Finn Wallace, the head of London’s most notorious crime family, played by Colm Meaney (Tolkien), is assassinated. Season 2 picks up one year after the death of Sean Wallace (Joe Cole), head of the Wallace Organisation, an event which forces rival gangs and sworn enemies to join together to fight against a new order.
During filming of Season 1, production visited St Clere Estate in Sevenoaks to stage a Traveller site, and the Dartford Marshes featured as the landing spot for a drug delivery by a group of Turkish gang members. A short driving scene was also filmed on Pilgrim’s Way in Dartford.
Production revisited the Dartford Marshes for Series 2, where they filmed a weapons shipment arriving on the shore of the River Thames in Episode 7, and a dramatic fight scene in Episode 8 between Elliot (Sope Dirisu) and Sean (Joe Cole) that decides who will take over London.
Dartford has a rich industrial heritage and boasts one of the largest shopping centres in Europe: Bluewater. The Dartford Marshes border the River Thames, and the area is a popular film location with recent productions to film here including The Corrupted (2019) and Trigger Point (2022).
Season 1 of Gangs of London was released on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV on Thursday 23rd April 2020.
Season 2 of Gangs of Londonwill be available to stream on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV from Thursday 20th October 2022.
Writer / Creator: Simon Nye Starring: Bradley Walsh, Joanna Scanlan, Sabrina Bartlett (Series 1), Joelle Rae (Series 2) Tok Stephen, Peter Davidson Production Company: Objective Fiction, Genial Productions Kent Locations Used: Viking Bay and Victoria Gardens – Broadstairs, Eynsford, Faversham, Stonepitts PYO Farm, Sundridge, Squerryes Court, Walpole Bay Hotel & Museum, Underriver, Chiddingstone, various undisclosed villages and farms in North Kent, Tonbridge Castle, Leigh, Sackville School, Canterbury prison
Series 2 sees a new family settle in the picturesque village, and they soon find themselves at war with the Larkins. Also joining the new townspeople is Reverend Candy (Maxim Ays (Sanditon, Still So Awkward)), whose handsome face immediately sets Primrose’s heart aflutter.
During filming of Series 1 and 2, as well as the 2021 Christmas Special, production filmed on various farms and villages in North Kent for the setting of the family farm and village.
Series 1
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 this 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
Series 2
As well as the welcome return of Squerryes Court as Bluff Court and Underriver village hall, Series 2 features some new Kent locations, including several in Tonbridge.
Sackville School features as Fordington Prison’s visiting area, and Tonbridge Castle and the river behind it also appear, doubling as the exterior of the Mid Kent Times Office. A private estate in Leigh in Sevenoaks appears in the series as the interior of the Chand’s bungalow, the interior of the Mid Kent Times Office and the exterior of Lady Violet’s (Prue Clarke) cottage. Canterbury Prison also features in Series 2 as Fordington Prison.
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 (2021-2022), 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).
Tonbridge is a riverside town with picturesque castle, churches and historic buildings. Tonbridge Castle was built at the time of the Norman conquest and in 1741, stone from the towers, walls and keep were used in the building of the Medway canal. Other productions to have filmed in Tonbridge include PRU (2022), Making Noise Quietly (2019) and Missing (2009-2010).
Now owned by Canterbury Christ Church University, the former Canterbury prison has wings with closed cells dating back to 1808. It is a popular filming location, with previous productions such as Deceit (2021), Small Axe (2020) and Break (2020) having filmed there.
The Larkins Series 1 began airing on ITV on Sunday 10th October. All episodes are available to stream on ITV Hub as well as the Christmas Special which first aired on ITV on Saturday 25th December 2021 at 9pm.
Series 2 of The Larkins began airing on ITV on Sunday 16th October 2022.
Writer: Kal Bonner, Steve Crowhurst Director: Steve Crowhurst Starring: Michael Socha, Zoë Tapper, Rocci Williams, Paul Connolly Production Company: Screenbound International Pictures Kent Locations Used: Cliffe Woods, Deal, Higham and Gravesend
Paul Connolly (Michael Socha (Papillon (I)) recalls his harrowing childhood growing up in a children’s home following a police investigation into his boyhood friend’s suicide. As Paul struggles to build a relationship with Anthea (Zoë Tapper (Mr Selfridge (2013-2016)), he is forced to confront those responsible for his shattered childhood and the death of his friend.
Part of the production was filmed in Cliffe Woods, on some private farmland and in an alleyway off Battlesmere Road. Deal seafront and Mario’s Fish Bar features when Paul (Michael Socha) and Anthea (Zoë Tapper) go on a day out by the sea. Hive Lane in Gravesend features in a brief night scene, doubling for London, and Gravesend Road in Higham briefly features in a scene where Paul calls Malkie (David Spinx) from a phone box.
Cliffe is a small village located on the Hoo Peninsula and has close links to the larger Medway area.
Deal is a popular seaside town with a perfect mix of historical and modern spots, from the Tudor artillery castle and fascinating smuggling history to the modern, stylish cafes, bars, restaurants and shops and the beautiful pier stretching out onto the east coast. This coastal hotspot has been seen in TV dramas such as Liar (2017-2020) and Baptiste (2019).
Gravesend continues to prove popular with its maritime links and its diverse communities which offer visitors a blend of culture and history all in one place. It has the beautiful Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara Sikh temple, Borough Market, the Woodville Theatre and the oldest remaining cast-iron pier in the world. The town has featured in Black Mirror (Season 5 – Smithereens (2019)and Top Boy (2019-2022)
Big Boys Don’t Cry will be debuting at a special charity screening at Everyman cinema Chelmsford on Monday 5th September 2022, and will be available to stream on Netflix soon afterwards.
Director: Danny Boyle Starring: Anson Boon, Jacob Slater, Toby Wallace, Christian Lees, Louis Partridge, Emma Appleton, Maisie Williams Production Company: FX Network Kent Locations Used: Dover, Folkestone, Sandgate, Deal
During filming, production visited Kent to film in Dover, Folkestone, Sandgate and Deal. The exterior of FOLCA (former Debenhams store) appears at the end of Episode 1, when Steve Jones suffers stagefright at his first gig. In Episode 4, The Grand in Folkestone doubles as the exterior of a Whitby Hotel, whilst the interior of The Grand Burstin Hotel appears as the Victorian ballroom in which the Pistols perform to a crowd of two people. Folkestone Railway Social Club also features in this episode, doubling as the exterior of a pub in Barnsley. Various roads around Folkestone were also filmed for driving scenes. Sunny Sands beach also features as Whitby Beach.
Filming in Sandgate village took place at Riviera Car Sales, which was dressed as the 1970s, Sandgate High Street and Undercliff. These locations can be spotted in Episode 4, as the band tour around the North of England.
In Dover, filming took place at Kings Hall and various nearby streets, as well as Dover seafront and Marine Parade. Marine Parade appears in the opening of Episode 2, as Jordan (Maisie Williams) cycles along the seafront in a see-through t-shirt, whilst the exterior of Kings Hall appears in Episode 4 as the Pistols leave a gig in Doncaster and a huge fight breaks out. Nearby, The Citadel was filmed as a stand in for HM Remand Centre in Ashford, where Steve Jones is imprisoned in Episode 1, and as HMP Chelmsford in Episode 3, where the Pistols perform to a crowd of prisoners.
In Deal the beach and Channel View B&B were used for various scenes in Episode 4. The exterior of the Royal Amusement Arcade appears in the final shot of the series, as the Pistols perform a Christmas gig at Ivanhoes in Huddersfield. A variety of other street scenes were shot in Deal, but unfortunately these didn’t make the final cut!
Sandgate village is in the Folkestone & Hythe district of Kent and features Martello towers, various boating clubs, antiques shops and a lift platform office that used to run in the Victorian times up Sandgate Hill to The Leas.
Dover is a popular filming location which also boasts the historic Dover Castle and the famous White Cliffs of Dover. Dover has featured in After Love (2021), The Rook – Series 1 (2019) and Missing (2009-2010). 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, including Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022) and various others soon to broadcast.
The coastal town of Deal has a long naval history and is one of the major cinque ports along the south coast. The Pier is a significant local landmark and public amenity offering excellent views of the town. It is internationally recognised as an angling venue.
East Kent is home to spectacular coastal landscapes and historic towns and boasts excellent transport links to London and Western Europe. East Kent has been used for filming several recent hit TV productions such as Baptiste (2019), Next of Kin (2018) and The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017).
Pistol was released on Disney+ on Tuesday 31st May 2022.
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.
Production visited The Historic Dockyard Chatham to film on HMS Cavalier and at Anchor Wharf. HMS Cavalier is hard to spot, but it features at the beginning and end of the film in a sequence where the Allied forces are approaching the coast of Sicily. Anchor Wharf doubles as the R.N. Submarine Base at Holy Loch, where Charles (Matthew Macfadyen) tells Ewen (Colin Firth) that he is going to travel with the dead body to Spain.
Writer: Harry Wootliff, Molly Davies, Director: Harry Wootliff Starring: Ruth Wilson, Tom Burke Production Company: BBC Films, The Bureau Kent Locations Used: Ramsgate, Margate Broadstairs, Kingsgate Bay
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.
The film is set in the seaside town of Ramsgate, and various locations in the town feature throughout. Roads, such as Military Road and the Ramsgate Harbour Approach Tunnel, feature in driving sequences. Notable landmarks such as the Ramsgate lifts, Royal Harbour and the Jacobs Ladder steps appear in short establishing shots. The exterior and lobby of the Ramsgate The Argyle Job Centre on York Street doubles as the job centre where Kate works. The Royal Harbour Parade car park features as the location in which Blond and Kate have their first tryst, and appears later on in a night-time scene.
Ramsgate is a 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).
The interior and exterior of Kate’s flat was filmed at a private residence in Margate. Nasza Biedronk convenience store on Northdown Road also features as the supermarket in which Kate buys breakfast ingredients for Blond. Margate is a 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).
Harpers Bar in Broadstairs features as the pub that Kate visits with Blond, and later with her friend Alison (Hayley Squires). The terrace of The Royal Albion Hotel appears in the scene where Blond and Kate have a romantic lunch date. The old Canterbury Christ Church University campus in Broadstairs was used to film the interior of the job centre that Kate works at. 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).
Kingsgate Bay is used for a dream sequence in the film’s opening. 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.
True Things was 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 Hamiltonand 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. For Series 1, 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 began airing on ITV on Monday 7th March at 9pm.