Julie Hesmondhalgh

Mr Bates vs the Post Office (2024)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
A group of 10 people stand against a red backdrop. The 9 in the background are holding up red and blue signs; the blue signs read ‘Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance’ and the red signs read ‘SOS: Support our Sub-postmasters’. In the foreground Toby Jones as Alan Bates wears a grey jumper with red writing reading ‘Justice for Post Office victims’.

Mr Bates vs the Post Office (2023) © ITV

Writer: Gwyneth Hughes
Starring: Toby Jones, Monica Dolan, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Alex Jennings, Ian Hart, Lia Williams, Will Mellor, Clare Calbraith, Shaun Dooley, Lesley Nicol
Production Company: ITV Studios, Little Gem
Kent Locations Used: BT Sevenoaks, Westerham, Allens Farm

Mr Bates vs the Post Office (2024) is an ITV miniseries chronicling the events behind the British Post Office Scandal, when hundreds of Post Office employees were wrongly accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a defective IT system.

Written by Gwyneth Hughes (Vanity Fair (2018), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012)), the miniseries stars Toby Jones (Empire of Light (2023), The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022)) as Alan Bates, Monica Dolan (Eye in the Sky, Pride) as Jo Hamilton, Julie Hesmondhalgh (Catastrophe (2019), Coronation Street) as Suzanne Sercombe, Alex Jennings (The Halcyon (2017), The Lady in the Van (2015)) as James Arbuthnot, Ian Hart (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Backbeat) as Bob Rutherford, Lia Williams (The Foreigner, Living (2022)) as Paula Vennells, Will Mellor (Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, No Offence) as Lee Castleton, Clare Calbraith (Unforgotten (2021), Grace) as Gina Griffiths, Shaun Dooley (Blood Moon (2014), It’s a Sin) as Michael Rudkin and Lesley Nicol (Downton Abbey, East is East) as Pam Stubbs.

The series filmed at various locations in Kent, including the BT building in Sevenoaks, Pilgrims Way in Westerham, and Allens Farm. Allens Farm features throughout the series as the home of Alan (Toby Jones) and Suzanne (Julie Hesmondhalgh), the BT Sevenoaks building doubles for both the Fujitsu Offices in Bracknell and the interior of Post Offices HQ, and Pilgrims Way features briefly in Episode 2 as Bob (Ian Hart) drives along a country road on the phone with Michael (Shaun Dooley).

The town of Sevenoaks has a variety of shops and restaurants as well as one of the oldest cricket grounds in the country – The Vine Cricket Ground. There are many stately homes and castles in the areas as well as beautiful countryside. Other productions to have filmed in Sevenoaks include Red, White & Royal Blue (2023), The Larkins (2021-2022) and Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022).

Situated on 28 acres of land, Allens Farm is a beautiful farmhouse with a barn in the heart of Sevenoaks district. Other productions to have filmed on the farm include The Third Day (2020) and The Cleaner (2021).

Mr Bates vs the Post Office (2023) will air on ITV on Monday 1st January 2024.

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

Catastrophe Series 4 (2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Sharon (Sharon Horgan) and Rob (Rob Delaney) cast from the series. The two are sitting on a rock by the side of the road, looking up to the sky.

Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney ©Channel 4

Writers: Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan
Director: Ben Taylor
Starring: Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Mark Bonnar, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Chris Noth
Production Company: Avalon Television
Kent Locations Used: Whitstable, Royal Tunbridge Wells

Catastrophe (2015-2019), Channel 4’s popular comedy series,  follows the lives of American Rob (Rob Delaney) and Sharon (Sharon Horgan) his Irish wife from Ireland who first met on a business trip to London. The latest series catches up with them four years after they first met as Rob tackles his alcoholism and we see its impact on their relationship. It also includes the fictional funeral of Mia (Carrie Fisher), Rob’s mother as actress Carrie Fisher who sadly passed away after the filming of Series 3.

Starring Sharon Horgan (Game Night, Moone Boy) as Sharon Morris, Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2, Action Team) as Rob Norris, Mark Bonnar (Shetland, Take Down) as Chris, and guest starring Julie Hesmondhalgh (Coronation Street, Broadchurch) and Chris Noth (Sex and the City, Tyrant).

Filming for Mia’s funeral took place at Beacon House in the seaside town of Whitstable, which doubled as a house in Boston. The house is situated above a natural promontory, called The Street, which stretches out to sea for about half a mile. Another location used in Whitstable was The Lobster Shack, which is located at the edge of the harbour with stunning sea views.  Whitstable is a popular filming location and previous productions include Wayfaring Stranger (2008), The Things I Haven’t Told You (2008), and Mr Turner (2014).

The Pantiles in Royal Tunbridge Wells also featured in the new series and doubled as Boston. This area with shops, bars and live music offers a great shopping experience. The buildings, some of which are over 400 years old, still have some original features, though the overall impression is of a Georgian terrace that plays host to events from farmers markets to live Jazz and Christmas fairs. Royal Tunbridge Wells is credited in films and TV series such as The Royals Season 4 (2018).

Catastrophe began airing on Channel 4 on Monday 7th January 2019 .

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