Jonathan Aris

A Very British Scandal (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Claire Foy, as the Duchess of Argyll, stands in the centre of the frame looking directly at the camera. Behind her is a grey-brick building. On her left, right and at the bottom of the frame stand three photographers, pointing large old-fashioned cameras directly at her. Foy has dark brown slicked-back hair and blue eyes. She wears a purple blazer with matching hat and thin veil over her face, a grey fur coat held around her midriff, light grey gloves, a pearl necklace, bracelet and earrings, and a dark grey clutch bag. She also wears bright red lipstick.

Claire Foy in A Very British Scandal © BBC

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.

Claire Foy (The Crown Series 1 – 4 (2016-2020), Wolf Hall (2015)) stars as Margaret, Duchess of Argyll while Paul Bettany (Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), WandaVision) stars as Ian Campbell, Duke of Argyll. The three part miniseries also features Jonathan Aris (Grantchester, The End of the F***ing World (2017) , was written by
Sarah Phelps (The Pale Horse, The White Princess) and directed by Anne Sewitsky (Monsterland, Black Mirror).

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.

The Kent & East Sussex Railway is a ten and a half mile rural railway from Tenterden to East Sussex. The Kent and East Sussex Railway has provided location services for a variety of film and television productions over the years including Richard E. Grant on Ealing Comedies (2016) and the opening shot of Downton Abbey (2010) series one, episode one when a steam train travels through the countryside. A more recent production to film on the railway is Paul O’Grady Great British Escapes.

A Very British Scandal began airing on Sunday 26th December 2021 on BBC One and all episodes are available to watch on iPlayer.

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