ITV

The Larkins TV Series (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
The Larkins family posing for a photo by a lake with trees in the background. The actors are wearing brightly coloured 1950s clothing. To the left children sit on a picnic blanket with a hamper. The adults stand to the right leaning on a wooden bench.

The Larkins © ITV Plc / Objective Fiction / Genial Productions
Pictured: Montgomery Larkin (Liam Middleton), Petunia Larkin (Rosie Coleman), Victoria Larkin (Lola Shepelev), Zinnia Larkin (Davina Coleman), Mariette (Sabrina Bartlett), Primrose Larkin (Lydia Page), Charley (Tok Stephen), Pop Larkin (Bradley Walsh) and Ma Larkin (Joanna Scanlan)

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 Farm near Sevenoaks and Long Barn in Sundridge, Squerryes Court in Westerham, Walpole Bay Hotel & Museum in Margate, various undisclosed villages and farms in North Kent

The Larkins is a brand-new adaptation of beloved HE Bates’ novel The Darling Buds of May. The six‑part comedy drama series for ITV stars Bradley Walsh (Doctor Who, Law & Order: UK, Coronation Street) as Pa Larkin, Joanna Scanlan (After Love (2021), Stardust, Getting On) as Ma Larkin, Peter Davison (Call the Midwife Series 9 (2020), The Trial of Christine Keeler, Gentleman Jack) as The Vicar and Sabrina Bartlett (Bridgerton (2020), Victoria, Game of Thrones) as Mariette and Tok Stephen as Charley Silent Witness, Holby City, Grantchester).

Bradley Walsh takes on a role originally played by David Jason (Still Open All Hours, Only Fools and Horses) in  The Darling Buds of May (1991 – 1993), a story about the lives of the working class May family. Both the 1990s series and the remake are based on an HE Bates’ novel.

Pa and Ma Larkin posing for a photo in front of a brick wall with a pear tree. Bradley Walsh as Pa Larkin wears a tweed suit, blue shirt and yellow tie. Joanna Scanlan as Ma Larkin wears a pink and white floral dress.

The Larkins (C) ITV Plc / Objective Fiction / Genial Productions
Pictured: Pop Larkin [Bradley Walsh] and Ma Larkin [Joanna Scanlan]

The Larkins is written and created by Simon Nye (The Durrells, Finding Alice) and Abigail Wilson (Trollied, Stella) and the series was directed by Andy De Emmony (The Bletchley Circle, The Nest).

During filming production visited Broadstairs to film scenes at Victoria Gardens and the beach at Viking Bay where Ma and Pa Larkin take a paddle in the sea. Faversham town and the Guild Hall feature in scenes with Pa Larkin’s beloved yellow Rolls Royce. Eynsford village features in various scenes including a summer fete. Look out for Eynsford Village Hall, The Castle Hotel, The Five Bells Pub and Eynsford Riverside.

 The Larkins enjoy strawberry picking in scenes filmed at Stonepitts Farm near Sevenoaks. Meanwhile Long Barn in Sundridge and Squerryes Court in Westerham were used to shoot countryside scenes.

The Walpole Bay Hotel & Museum in Margate also features in the series, ideally suited with its art deco design. Various undisclosed villages and farms in North Kent also feature in the series picturing The Garden Of England in the idyllic 1950s summer sunshine.

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).

Faversham is a beautiful historic market town in the Swale Borough of Kent. The historic town boasts over 500 listed buildings. Previous productions in the town include Bollywood film Jagame Thandhiram (2021), Whitstable Pearl Series 1 (2021) and Hetty Feather Series 1 – 6 (2015 – 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).

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).

The Larkins begins on ITV on Sunday 10th October at 8pm and will be available on ITV Hub. A Christmas Special is also due to air in 2021.

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

Too Close (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Connie Mortenson (played by Denise Gough) and psychiatrist Dr Emma Robertson (played by Emily Watson) stand side by side looking to camera with a dark background, the mood of the image is sinister.

Too Close (2021) © ITV images

Writer: Clara Salaman
Director:  Bruce Goodison
Starring: Emily Watson, Denise Gough, Eileen Davies
Production Company: Snowed-In Productions Ltd, All3Media for ITV
Kent Locations Used: Kingsferry Bridge – Isle of Sheppey, Swale

Too Close (2021) is a psychological drama for ITV starring Emily Watson. The three-part mini‑series tells the story of a forensic psychiatrist who must assess a criminal suspect – only to fall victim to their manipulative nature.

Dedicated forensic psychiatrist, Dr Emma Robinson played by Emily Watson (The Third Day (2020), Chernobyl) is sent to assess Connie played by Denise Gough (Paula, Guerrilla) who is on trial for a terrible crime When Connie quickly gains insight into Emma’s deepest insecurities and starts to brutally exploit them, their sessions become a complex psychological game. Eileen Davies (Grantchester, Peterloo (2018)) also stars as Julia de Cadenet.

Too Close (2021) is based on the book of the same name, written by Clara Salaman under the pseudonym Natalie Daniels, and is directed by Bruce Goodison (Born to Kill, Doctor Foster) for Snowed-In Productions for All3Media.

During filming, production visited Kent to film a stunt sequence on Kingsferry Bridge, a combined road and railway bridge that links the Isle of Sheppey to mainland towns Sittingbourne and Kemsley. The maximum bridge lifting height is 84 feet and when reached a claxon sound is heard to confirm the bridge is at full height. The Kingsferry Bridge is no longer as busy as it once was, traffic now able to use the New Sheppey Crossing Bridge. Previous productions to film on the bridge include Kiss Me First (2018).

Too Close (2021) is due for release on ITV on April 12th at 9pm.

 

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

Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace (2020)

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Close up of presenter Davina McCall looking into the camera wearing a black jumper

Lost Lost Family Born Without Trace- Davina McCall- © ITV

Starring: Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell
Production Company: ITV Studios
Kent Locations Used: Gravesend, Maidstone, Dartford

Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace returns for a second series. The team combine detective work alongside the latest DNA technology to help four contributors uncover their real identities and work out where they came from.

In these two special episodes we see the incredible stories of a man who was left in a car on the outskirts of Belfast, a woman left in a telephone box in Dundalk, another woman found in a public toilet in Warminster and lastly, a man found outside a railway tavern in Greenhithe.

The show is presented by Davina McCall (Long Lost Family) and Nicky Campbell (The Big Questions), who continue to work together to bring solace to many families across the UK.

Production visited a contributor’s house in Gravesend, along with various streets in Maidstone and Dartford.

Gravesend is a town on the south bank of the Thames. The Towns Pier is the oldest remaining cast-iron pier in the world, with an unspoilt promenade, high street and two shopping centres. Top Boy Series 3 (2019) and Great British Railway Journeys – Series 10 (2019) have both filmed here in the past.

The town of Maidstone has many shops, restaurants, bars, churches and a museum. The River Medway runs though the town centre, linking it with other towns such as Rochester and Chatham. Productions to have filmed in Maidstone include Phil Spencer’s Stately Homes – Series 3 (2020) and The Split Series 2 (2020).

Dartford is a historic market town with a rich industrial heritage and boasts one of the largest shopping centres in Europe. Recent productions to film here include Gangs of London (2020) and The Corrupted (2019).

Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace will air on Monday 1st June and Tuesday 2nd June at 9pm on ITV.

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

 

 

 

 

Liar Series 1 & 2 (2017 – 2020)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Actors Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd standing in front of a building

Liar Series 2 (2020) starring Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd © Joss Barratt / ITV

Writer: Harry Williams and Jack Williams

Directors: James Strong, Samuel Donovan, Chris Sweeney

Starring: Joanne Froggatt, loan Gruffudd, Zoë Tapper, Richie Campbell

Production Company: Two Brother Pictures, Sundance TV

Kent Locations Used: Deal, Kingsdown and Hunting Lodge in Tonbridge & Malling

ITV’s psychological thriller, Liar, follows the relationship between teacher Laura Newell (Joanne Froggatt) and the father of one of her pupils, Andrew Ellis (Ioan Gruffudd). Their simple attraction leads to deceit and betrayal, which has wide reaching consequences for both families.

The drama was written by Harry Williams and Jack Williams (The Missing , Rellik) and directed by James Strong (Vanity Fair (2018), Broadchurch (2013)), Samuel Donovan (Humans (2015), Jamestown (2017)) and Chris Sweeney (Back to Life (2019)).

The main protagonist, Laura Nielson, is played by Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey (2010–2015), Dark Angel (2016)) with Andrew Earlham, her antagonist, played by Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic 4 (2005) Titanic (1997)). Meanwhile Zoe Tapper (Mr Selfridge (2013), Grantchester (2020) plays Laura’s sister, Katy, and Richie Campbell (Top Boy (2019), Blue Story (2019)) as her brother in law, Liam.

Deal was used as the main setting for Laura Nielsen’s home on The Marina and also features many other locations, such as restaurants, hotels, the beach and Deal Pier Restaurant as the setting for Laura and Andrews fatal date. Filming began for Series One in November 2016. Additional filming for Series Two took place at Kingsdown as the setting for various beach scenes as well as the location of The Zetland Arms Pub and Katy and Liam’s home. A Hunting Lodge in Tonbridge & Malling was also filmed as a remote hideout. 

The coastal town of Deal has a long naval history and is one of the major cinque ports along the south coast. Deal is a winner of the Daily Telegraph’s High Street of the Year 2013 award. The Pier is a significant local landmark and public amenity offering excellent views of the town. It is internationally recognised as an angling venue and features a glass-walled café-bar on the pier-head.

Kingsdown, located just up the coast from the White Cliffs of Dover, has a secluded shingle beach, with plenty of benches suitable for picnics.

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).

The Hunting Lodge at Tom Farm, situated in the district of Tonbridge & Malling, is a large working farm offering a huge array of shoot location opportunities. Home to a wide mix of farm animals, including sheep, cattle, pigs and horses, Tom Farm offers 1,000 acres of arable land, a butchers shop, country store and a breakers yard within its ownership. Recent productions to film in the district include feature film Making Noise Quietly (2019) and TV documentaries Horizon: My Amazing Brain – Richard’s War (2018) and Harry Potter: A History of Magic (2017).

Liar Series 1 first aired on Monday 11th September 2017 at 9pm on ITV. Series 2 followed on Monday 2nd March 2020 at 9pm on ITV.

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

Flesh and Blood (2020)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
The main 8 cast members sitting on a bench on the beach posing for the camera with the sea behind.

Flesh and Blood (2020) © ITV

Director: Louise Hooper
Writer: Sarah Williams
Starring: Russell Tovey, Claudie Blakley, Lydia Leonard, Francesca Annis, Stephen Rea, Imelda Staunton
Production Company: ITV
Kent Locations Used: Farningham near Sevenoaks, Greatstone Beach (Romney Sands)

Flesh and Blood, a new four-part series for ITV, is a modern story of three adult siblings, exploring universal themes of relationships, trust, loyalty and love against in aftermath of a tragic crime.

Russell Tovey, (Years and Years (2019)), Claudie Blakley (Manhunt (2019)) and Lydia Leonard (Gentleman Jack (2019)) lead the cast as the siblings Jake, Helen and Natalie. The series also stars Francesca Annis (King of Thieves (2018)) as their recently widowed mother with Stephen Rea (Dickensian) as her new love interest and Imelda Staunton (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)) as their neighbour.

Also joining the cast are Sharon Small (Trust Me), Lara Rossi (Cheat), Keir Charles (Love Actually), Vincent Regan (Victoria), David Bamber (Valkyrie), Stephanie Langton (Ransom) and Clara Indrani (Vera).

The drama was created and written by Kent resident Sarah Williams, whose previous credits include The Long Song (2018), Case Sensitive (2012) and Poppy Shakespeare (2008). Flesh and Blood is directed by BAFTA nominee Louise Hooper (Cheat (2019), Cold Feet (2017)).

During filming production visited Farningham, near Sevenoaks, to film The Manor on the High Street as three separate location. Farningham nestles on the old London to Folkestone Road astride the River Darent. Scheduled as a Conservation Area, it includes many notable buildings and historic sites, including Farningham Mill, the site of a Roman villa and Farningham Woods SSSI and Nature Reserve.

Production also visited Greatstone Beach (Romney Sands) during filming. Greatstone is part of 26 miles of beaches in the Folkestone and Hythe District and the Dunes and Beach between Littlestone-on Sea and Lydd-on-Sea, often also referred to as Romney Sands is an area of SSSI.

Flesh and Blood will air on ITV over four consecutive nights starting on Monday 24th February 2020 at 9pm.

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

 

James Martin’s Great British Adventure (2019)

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James Martin pictured in a black jumper standing next to a red mini car as he leans on it. Grass and trees are in the background.

James Martin’s Great British Adventure Series ©ITV

Starring: James Martin
Production Company: ITV Studios
Kent Locations Used: Folkestone, Canterbury

The ITV series James Martin’s Great British Adventure stars James Martin (Saturday Kitchen) and follows his journey around the UK. Guests of the series include Nick Nairn, Tom Kitchin, Lisa Allen and Paul Rankin while talking to the locals and cooking food with them.

James’ culinary tour also takes him to the county of Kent, where he meets up with local chef and restaurateur Mark Sargeant, owner of the Rocksalt. The series also sees further cooking taking place with James cooking two recipes at Folkestone’s Harbour Arm . Folkestone is a popular filming location, some examples include Come Dine With Me (2012) and The Hotel Inspector (2018).

Additionally, production visited the Kentish Pip Cider Farm in Canterbury for some further filming. The City of Canterbury remains one of the largest tourism centres in England, known for its cobbled streets and wealth of historic buildings. Previous productions which filmed here were Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip (2015) and A Taste of Britain (2014).

The series consists of twenty episodes, with one episode shown per day. The first episode can be seen on ITV on Saturday 9th February 2019 at 2pm. The Kent episode will be episode 16 airing on Sunday 24th February 2019.

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

 

Dark Heart Series 1 (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office

 

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 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 (Da Vinci’s Demons, Starfish) are, Miranda Raison (My Week with Marilyn) and Anjli Mohindra (The Boy with the Topknot) star and the series is written by Chris Lang (Torn, A Mother’s Son) 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. 

Vanity Fair (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Poster for Vanity Fair series- women in long red dress sat on a gold chair with her feet up on a globe model.

Poster for Vanity Fair series ©ITV Studio

 

Writer:  Gwyneth Hughes

Director: James Strong

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.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Next of Kin (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Actress Archie Panjabi and actor Jack Davenport embrace against a grey background

Next of Kin: Archie Panjabi as Mona Shirani and Jack Davenport as Guy Harcourt © ITV / Mammoth Screen

Writers:  Natasha Narayan, Paul Rutman

Directors:  Justin Chadwick, Jamie Childs

Starring:  Archie Panjabi, Jack Davenport

Production Company:  Mammoth Screen

Kent Locations Used:  Oakdene Cafe, London Road, Wrotham

ITV’s new drama series Next Of Kin follows whip-smart GP Mona Shirani who lives in London with political lobbyist husband Guy Harcourt. Family life is shattered when Mona’s brother is brutally murdered whilst working for a medical charity abroad. In the wake of the murder, Mona’s family comes under suspicion and is drawn deep into a tangle of betrayal and conspiracy as they try to protect their loved ones and careers.

The six-part series was written and created by husband and wife team Paul Rutman (Indian Summers, Vera) and Natasha Narayan. Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee, Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife, The Fall), and renowned actor, Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Caribbean, Smash), star in Mammoth Screen’s fast-paced family thriller, Next Of Kin.

Oakdene Cafe, London Road in Wrotham Kent  features in Episode 4 where filming took place in June 2017.  Wrotham is a village on the Pilgrims’ Way in Kent, at the foot of the North Downs. It is one mile north of Borough Green and approximately five miles east Sevenoaks, a historic market town which has attracted several large productions in 2017 including Judwaa 2 (2017) and The Big Family Cooking Showdown (2017).

Kent is increasingly popular with ITV drama productions and hosting popular series such as Liar (2017) filmed partly in Deal and Walpole Bay and Mr Selfridge (2016) partly filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

ITV’s new drama series Next Of Kin starts on Monday 8th January at 9pm and the episode featuring Kent will be screened on 29 January 2018.

 

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

Long Lost Family Series 7 (2017)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell smiling at camera

From Wall To Wall Productions
LONG LOST FAMILY on ITV
Pictured: Nicky Campbell and Davina McCall
© ITV
Photographer Tony Ward

 

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell sitting on chair looking at camera

From Wall To Wall Productions
LONG LOST FAMILY on ITV
Pictured: Nicky Campbell and Davina McCall
© ITV
Photographer Tony Ward

Kent Locations Used: Haysden Country Park – Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells

The highly popular award winning ITV programme, Long Lost Family returns to TV screens for its seventh series with more heart-breaking stories.

Presenters Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell embark on an emotional journey around the UK, helping to reunite estranged families. The new series filmed segments in Royal Tunbridge Wells and Haysden Country Park in Tonbridge.

Situated in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Tunbridge Wells is a highly popular town full of independent shops and restaurants set alongside the trendy colonnaded Pantiles and the bustling High Street. Previous shows that have filmed in the area include Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year (2016) and Question Time (2016)

Popular for family days out, Haysden Country Park in Tonbridge offers a beautiful countryside setting for a variety of leisure activities. The park plays home to two lakes and is a popular venue for water activities.

The new series of Long Lost Family starts on Wednesday 26th July at 9pm on ITV

 

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