Joanna Lumley

Love Your Garden (2016)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Alan Titchmarsh standing in a garden looking at the camera

Alan Titchmarsh © Spungold

Production Company: Spun Gold Productions

Kent Location Used: Canterbury

Love Your Garden is an ITV programme fronted by Alan Titchmarsh as he travels around the country with his team to create beautiful gardens for extraordinary people.

Gurkha Hari Budha Magar with Alan Titchmarsh in the garden

Gurkha Hari Budha Magar with Alan Titchmarsh © Spungold

Episode three of series six features a visit to Canterbury, where the team help outstanding soldier  Gurkha Hari Budha Magar and his young family. Despite tragically losing both his legs in an IUD incident in the Afghanistan war, Hari goes out of his way to help others.

However, Hari’s own garden has proven difficult to manage, so his friends and colleagues asked Alan and the team to help. With Hari’s Nepalese homeland in mind, they transform his garden into a colourful private sanctuary for the whole family. There is even a surprise visit from Joanna Lumley!

Canterbury is a vibrant City that offers a variety of locations ranging from the modern day city, parks and open spaces, shopping areas to neighbouring quaint, traditional towns. Previous productions that have shot in Canterbury include Bargain Hunt (2012), Songs of Praise (2011) and A Canterbury Tale (1944).

The Kent episode of Love Your Garden will air on Tuesday 12th July 2016 on ITV at 20:00.

 

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

Cold Comfort Farm (1995)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Cold Comfort Farm poster- 6 characters standing facing the camera in a frame. Cold Comfort Farm is written in white on top

Cold Comfort Farm poster © BBC, Thames Television

Director: John Schlesinger

Writer: Malcolm Bradbury (screenplay), Stella Gibbons (novel)

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Eileen Atkins, Sheila Burrell, Stephen Fry, Freddie Jones, Joanna Lumley, Ian McKellen

Production Company: BBC, Thames Television

Kent Locations Used: Kent and East Sussex Railway, Royal Military Canal

Cold Comfort Farm is a BBC adaption of Stella Gibbons’ novel of the same name. Set in early 1930’s England, the story focuses on young Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale) who is left penniless when her parents die and goes to stay with distant relatives on Cold Comfort Farm. Flora makes it her mission to improve the lives of the miserable inhabitants.

The TV movie parodies the romanticised, sometimes doom-laden accounts of rural life and is directed John Schlesinger (Marathon Man, The Next Best Thing) and written by Malcolm Bradbury (The Gravy Train, In the Red).

Kate Beckinsale (The Aviator, Underworld) takes the leading role of Flora alongside Eileen Atkins (Cold Mountain, Robin Hood), Sheila Burrell (Jane Eyre, Perfect Strangers), Stephen Fry (Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows), Freddie Jones (The Elephant Man, Dune), Joanna Lumley (Corpse Bride, Absolutely Fabulous) and Ian McKellen (The Hobbit Series, Vicious).

The production filmed on location in Kent at Kent & East Sussex Railway which provided the trains for Flora’s journey from London to her relatives at Cold Comfort Farm and Northiam station which is the fictional railway station of Beershorne.

The Royal Military Canal was also used for scenes where Flora and Amos (Ian McKellen) walk and chat.

Kent & East Sussex Railway is a ten and a half mile rural light period railway which runs between Tenterden and East Sussex. The railway has also been used for filming by productions such as Richard E. Grant on Ealing Comedies (2016) and Last Passenger (2013).

The Royal Military Canal runs for 28 miles between Seabrook near Folkestone and end at Cliff End near Hastings. The canal passes the iconic Romney Marsh, tranquil countryside and quiet villages and has a footpath for the entire stretch.

Cold Comfort Farm was broadcast on 1 January 1995 and is now available for DVD purchase.

 

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