Katherine Kelly

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 (2017-2020), 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), Samuel Donovan (Humans (2016), Jamestown) and Chris Sweeney (Back to Life (2019-2021)).

The main protagonist, Laura Nielson, is played by Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey, Dark Angel) with Andrew Earlham, her antagonist, played by Ioan Gruffudd (Fantastic 4, Titanic). Meanwhile Zoe Tapper (Mr Selfridge (2016), Grantchester) plays Laura’s sister, Katy, and Richie Campbell (Top Boy (2019-2022), Blue Story) 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.

Mr Selfridge – Jeremy Piven as Harry Selfridge, Katherine Kelly as Mae Rennard, Sacha Dhawan as Jimmy and Zoe Richards and Emma Hamilton as The Dolly Sisters © ITV

Starring: Jeremy Piven, Frances O’Connor, Ron Cook, Kika Markham, Tom Goodman-Hill, Amy Beth Hayes, Samuel West
Production Company: ITV Studios, Masterpiece
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham, South Foreland Lighthouse, Kingsgate Bay

Mr Selfridge (2013-2016) was an ITV drama series based on the novel ‘Shopping, Seduction and Mr Selfridge’ by Lindy Woodhead. The series tells the true story of charismatic American entrepreneur Harry Gordon Selfridge who transformed the world of retail after opening the first ever Selfridges store in London in 1909.

The series stars Jeremy Piven (Serendipity, Entourage) as Harry Selfridge, Frances O’Connor (A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Mansfield Park) as Rose Selfridge, Ron Cook (On a Clear Day (2005), Hot Fuzz) as Mr Crabb, Kika Markham (Killing Me Softly, Outland) as Lois Selfridge, Tom Goodman-Hill (The Rizen (2017), Humans – Series 2 (2016)) as Mr Grove, Amy Beth Hayes (Three Little Birds, Lilyhammer) as Kitty Hawkins and Samuel West (Darkest Hour (2017), Howards End) as Frank Edwards.

The production came to The Historic Dockyard Chatham to film the exterior of Selfridges’ Oxford Street store throughout all four series.

Frances O’Connor, who plays Rose Selfridge, said: “The exterior set is down at Chatham in Kent and just looks like the outside of Selfridge’s. Then if you step a couple of feet one way you’re in the water of the docks. That’s the magic of filming. It really does look amazing.”

For Series 3, production visited the South Foreland Lighthouse in Dover to film Violette Selfridge (Hannah Tointon) and Victor Colleano (Trystan Gravelle) taking a drive to the coast.

Kingsgate Bay in Broadstairs features in Series 4, in a scene where Mr Grove and Miss Mardle (Amanda Abbington) visit the beach.

Harry Selfridge talks to Journalists in an airfield

Set on the River Medway, The Historic Dockyard Chathamis a popular film location offering Georgian and Victorian architecture, maritime environment, dry dock, cobbled streets, and industrial buildings. The Historic Dockyard Chatham has previously featured in productions such as Victor Frankenstein (2015), Jekyll and Hyde (2015) and Great Expectations (2012).

South Foreland Lighthouse in Dover is a Victorian lighthouse landmark along the White Cliffs of Dover. The White Cliffs of Dover has been featured on screen in productions such as Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows (2011) and On A Clear Day (2005).

Kingsgate Bay is a beautiful sandy beach surrounded by chalk cliffs in Broadstairs. The Thanet area has welcomed filming from projects including The Lady in the Van (2015), Eastenders (2007-2023) and Die Another Day (2002).

The first episode of Mr Selfridge aired on ITV1 on Sunday 6^th January 2013.

The final season of Mr Selfridge (2013-2016) began airing on ITV1 on Friday 8^th January 2016 and all 4 series are now available to stream on ITVX.

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

Kent's Premier Film Commission

Liar – Series 1 & 2 (2017 – 2020)

Mr Selfridge (2013-2016)