filmed in Kent

Great British Railway Journeys – Series 10 (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Image of presenter Michael Portillo at one of Britain's railway stations wearing a blue jumper and pink blazor. Tracks and the station can be seen in the background.

Great British Railway Journeys ©BBC

Starring: Michael Portillo
Production Company: Fremantle Media Ltd.
Kent Locations Used: Gravesend, Dartford and Folkestone

BBC documentary series Great British Railway Journeys (2010-) which first premiered on BBC Two in 2010, returns for its tenth series. Presenter Michael Portillo (Great Continental Railway Journeys) travels around the railway networks of Great Britain. He does this whilst referring to an 1840’s copy of Bradshaw’s Guide, comparing how various destinations have transformed since Victorian times.

For the new series, production filmed at railways in various Kent locations, such as Gravesend, Dartford and Folkestone.

Situated in North West Kent is the town of Gravesend  which has exceptional transport links up to London, a cast iron pier, promenade and high street. Gravesend has previously hosted productions including Great British Railway Journeys (2014), The Hospice (2018) and Children in Need – The Rickshaw Challenge (2015).

Dartford is a historic town situated close to London and home to one of Europe’s largest shopping centres. Previous productions which filmed here include Who Do You Think You Are? (2014).

Folkestone is a port town on the English Channel in Kent, with an elegant Victorian clifftop promenade, a creative quarter, gardens, a coastal park, and fishing Harbour. It has also been used as a popular filming location for productions such as Danny Boyle: Pages of the Sea (2018), The Channel: The World’s Busiest Waterway (2017), and Coast v Country (2017).

The new series of Great British Railway Journeys began airing on Monday 4th February 2019 at 6.30pm on BBC Two, and the Kent episode then aired on Wednesday 13th February 2019.

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

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces – Series 8 (2019)

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George Clarke's Amazing Spaces Series 8 poster of acorn tree house hanging in the trees within a forest

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces Series 8 ©Channel 4

Starring: George Clarke
Production Company: Plum Pictures
Kent Locations Used: Ramsgate

Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (2012-) returns for a new series this year. Architect and presenter George Clarke (Amazing Spaces Shed of the Year, The Restoration Man) explores the fascinating world of small builds, with an emphasis on the creative use of small spaces. The show follows people who turn the smallest of places, such as old boats, a tree house disguised as an acorn, and a mountain-top restaurant resembling a spaceship, into places to live.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces series 5 previously filmed in Margate, Thanet back in 2015. Here, George met a coma survivor who transformed a family camper van and also visited a woman who turned her narrow boat into a floating bookshop.

The Kent episode of series 8 was filmed in Ramsgate, Thanet. Production filmed at Port of Ramsgate, where George follows a new restoration.

Ramsgate is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Georgian terraced housing, Marina, Port and Promenade. Often doubling for London streets. Other previous TV productions which filmed here include Fantasy Homes by the Sea – Series 7 (2018), The Channel: The World’s Busiest Waterway (2017) and Coast Vs Country (2016).

Series 8 began airing on Sunday 30th December 2018 on Channel 4. Episode eight, which featured Ramsgate, aired on Sunday 24th February 2019 at 8pm.

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

Mary Queen of Scots (2018)

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Margot Robbie in Mary Queen of Scots seen standing in the dark in a long grey dress, with a maid at each side dressed in the same grey colour.

Margot Robbie in Mary Queen of Scots ©Universal Pictures

Writer: Beau Willimon
Director: Josie Rourke
Starring: Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie
Production Company: Universal Pictures International
Kent Locations Used: Penshurst Place

Historical drama Mary Queen of Scots is based on John Guy’s book ‘Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart’ and tells the story of Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan), Queen of France, who becomes widowed at 18, defies pressures to remarry and instead, returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her throne. However, when Mary’s attempt to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England (Margot Robbie), fails, she is condemned to years of imprisonment before finally facing execution.

The film was directed by Josie Rourke and written by Beau Willimon and  stars Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones, Brooklyn) and Margot Robbie (Wolf of Wall Street, The Legend of Tarzan).

Filming took place at Penshurst Place in Sevenoaks, with lead actress Saoirse Ronan featuring in scenes set in the Baron’s Hall and the Inner Courtyard. The medieval Baron’s Hall also features at the start of the official trailer as a backdrop for Mary’s execution. The solemn procession of spectators waiting to witness Queen Mary’s execution was staged in the Inner Courtyard.

Penshurst Place is a 14th Century Manor House with preserved interiors, including the unique medieval Baron’s Hall as well as eleven acres of Elizabethan walled gardens. Previous productions using this location were The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016), Wolf Hall (2015), and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008).

Mary Queen of Scots will be released in UK Cinemas on Friday 18th January 2019.

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

The Favourite (2019)

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Olivia Colman as Queen Anne in The Favourite. Side view of Olivia wearing a cloak and crown staring into the distance.

Olivia Colman as Queen Anne in The Favourite ©Fox Searchlight

Writer: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz
Production Company: Element Pictures, Scarlet Films, Film4, Waypoint Entertainment
Kent locations Used: Knole

The Favourite (2019) had its world premiere at the 75th Venice International Film Festival in August 2018 where it won two awards. The film is a historical comedy-drama and is set in early 18th Century England. The story follows the life of dysfunctional monarch, Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) and Anne’s close friend and lover, Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz), who effectively rules the country. However, her efforts to control Anne are undermined when Sarah’s impoverished younger cousin Abigail (Emma Stone) comes to work for Anne as a maid and the two women vie for Queen Anne’s favour.

Emma Stone as Abigail in The Favourite. Emma laying on a bed in a large black and white dress staring at the camera with a fire on in the background.

Emma Stone as Abigail in The Favourite ©Fox Searchlight

The film was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) and written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara. Starring are Olivia Colman  (The Crown), Emma Stone (La La land), Rachel Weisz, and Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road).

Knole Park was used as the exterior of Westminster Place in a carriage scene that sees our protagonists abused by the peasantry. Sadly, we think this scene may have ended up on the cutting room floor, but do let us know if you spotted it!

Knole in Sevenoaks is the last medieval deer park in Kent surrounding a 600-year-old estate which has previously doubled for The Palace of Westminster during Tudor Times. Other features that filmed at Knole included The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), Burke and Hare (2010) and Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows (2011).

The Favourite was be released in UK cinemas on Tuesday 1st January 2019.

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

Holmes & Watson (2018)

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Movie poster of Holmes and Watson (Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly). Both staring into the camera in front of a horse wearing period suits. John is wearing a hat.

Sherlock Holmes (Will Ferrell) and Watson (John C. Reilly) ©Columbia Pictures

Writer:​ ​Etan Cohen​
Director: ​Etan Cohen
Starring: ​Will Ferrell​, ​John C. Reilly​, Ralph Fiennes
Production Company​: Columbia Pictures Corporation, Gary Sanchez Productions, Mosaic Media Group, Mimran Schur Pictures
Kent Locations Used​: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Holmes & Watson (2018) is a comedic revision of ​Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s​ classic mysteries and his famed literary characters, detective Sherlock Holmes (Will Ferrell​) and his sidekick, Dr John Watson (John C. Reilly​). The pair join forces to investigate a murder at Buckingham Palace and learn that they have just four days to stop their arch enemy, Professor Moriarty (​Ralph Fiennes)​, or the queen will become his next victim.

The film was written and directed by Etan Cohen (Men in Black 3, Tropic Thunder), and stars Will Ferrell​ (Anchorma​n,​ Zoolander​), ​John C. Reilly​ (​Step Brothers​, ​Guardians of the Galaxy) and ​Ralph Fiennes​ (​The Grand Budapest Hotel​, ​Schindler’s List).

Holmes & Watson​ features several locations around ​The Historic Dockyard Chatham​. The interior of the Tarred Yarn Store was transformed into a bar tavern, the interior of the Ropery played the role of a Boxing Club, while the streets around the Ropery and Anchor Wharf stood in as London streets and docks. Some external scenes were also filmed around Officers Terrace.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham​ has been used in an array of productions such as Mr. Holmes (2015), Partners in Crime (2015), and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (2014).

Holmes & Watson​ will be released in UK cinemas on Wednesday 26​th​ December 2018.

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

Trollied: The Wedding – Christmas Special (2018)

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Jason Watkins and his four other cast members wearing shirts seen running and struggling through Dublin Ferry Port barriers on a cobbled street.Gavin (Jason Watkins) and his friends at ‘Dublin Ferry Port’ (Port of Dover) ©TVWise

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 Wedding episode of Trollied was written by Paul Doolan (Mongrels (5 episodes)/Hospital People (2 episodes)) and directed by Paul Murphy (Casualty/Grange Hill). The season and show’s finale starred Jason Watkins (Being Human/Love, Nina), Sarah Parish (W1A/Bancroft), Stephen Tompkinson (Truckers/DCI Banks) and Hugh Dennis (Not Going Out/Outnumbered), plus many more of the Trollied regulars.

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.

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

Fantasy Homes by the Sea – Series 7 (2018)

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Image of presenter Michelle Ackerley in an orange top leaning against colourful sheds

Presenter Michelle Ackerley ©UKTV Really

Writer: Jayne Hibbitt-Smith
Starring: Michelle Ackerley
Production company: Hat Trick
Kent locations used: Broadstairs, Margate, Ramsgate, Kingsdown, Dungeness

The series originally ran for six seasons between 2007 and 2013 on UKTV’s Style channel.

Michelle Ackerley presents the reboot of Fantasy Homes by the Sea. Each 60-minute episode follows Michelle as she takes buyers around coastal locations in the UK in the quest to find their dream home by the sea.

Production filmed in Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate , Kent sea-side towns in Thanet that recently featured in shows such as Britain’s Favourite Walks: Top 100 (2018) and Landscape Artist of the Year (2018).

Further filming took place at Kingsdown near 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. Productions such as Coast v Country (2017) and Antiques Roadshow (2015) also chose this as a prime film location.

Production also visited Dungeness. Dungeness is a unique location which includes ramshackle huts as well as two lighthouses, a historic railway station, two pubs and artist galleries along with a nuclear power station. Previous projects that have filmed there include Walks With My Dog (2017) and Great British Railway Journeys – Series 7 (2016).

Fantasy Homes by the Sea airs on 19th November 2018 on UKTV’s Really Channel (Freeview Channel 17, Sky Channel 142, and Virgin Media Channel 129) at 8pm. The Thanet episodes will air on 22nd November and 6th December, and the Kingsdown episode will air on 11th December 2018 on Really at 8pm.

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

Juliet, Naked (2018)

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Two actors greeting one another on the beach, actress Rose Byrne is smiling at them in the middle carrying a blanket.

Juliet, Naked 2018 ©IMDb

Writer: Evgenia Peretz, Jim Taylor and Tamara Jenkins
Director: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Jimmy O. Yang
Production Company: Apatow Productions, Bona Fide Productions, Ingenious Media
Kent Locations Used: Home Farm, Ramsgate, and Broadstairs

Juliet, Naked (2018), starring Ethan Hawke, Rose Byrne and Chris O’Dowd, is a warm, smart and funny adaptation of the Nick Hornby novel of the same name and features an obsessive rock fan, his long-standing girlfriend and the mysterious rocker he idolises.

Starring Rose Byrne (Bad Neighbours 1 & 2, Peter Rabbit) as Annie, Ethan Hawke (Training Day, Before Sunrise) as rock star Tucker Crowe and Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, Moone Boy) as Duncan.

Home Farm in Swale was previously used in André Øvredals The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2017). Filming for Juliet, Naked at the American-style Home Farm took place in 2015 where the house and grounds were used.

Filming also took place in Ramsgate, which is a popular filming area and has been used in several films and TV series such as Hard Sun (2018) and The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016). Further scenes were also filmed on Viking Bay beach in Broadstairs, which recently featured in feature films Hurricane (2018) and The Lady in The Van (2015).

Juliet, Naked is due to be released in the UK in cinemas on 2nd November 2018.

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

Dark Heart Series 1 (2018)

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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. 

Landscape Artist of the Year (2018)

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Image of series logo with writing Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 in black text

Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 ©Sky Arts

 

Starring: Joan Bakewell, Stephen Mangan
Production Company: Storyvault Films
Kent Locations Used: Viking Bay, Thanet

This competition based in England allows artist to showcase their talent over many rounds to contend for a grand prize. Landscape Artist of the Year is presented by Joan Bakewell (Home At Four-Thirty, Meeting Point) and Frank Skinner (Shane, A Little Bit of Elvis). Kate Bryan (Click, Portrait Artist of the Year) is one of the judges.

The third and fourth heats were filmed on the beach at Broadstairs. Viking Bay is a beautiful beach, surrounded by the town’s Victorian architecture. The series was filmed in early summer 2018 in this iconic Kent seaside town. Plenty of scenery to offer the viewers as well as the artists.

The Thanet area boasts many beaches and Viking Bay has starred in other Television series such as Coasts vs Country (2016), The Great British Bake Off (2014), and The Calling (2009).

Landscape Artist of the Year 2018 is due to air on Sky Arts on  Tuesday 16th October 2018.

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