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.
