Ramsgate

Things You Should Have Done (2024)

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Jamie Bisping as Lucas, Selin Hizli as Aunt Karen, Lucia Keskin as Chi and Daniel Fearn as Dan are standing in front of a 1970’s built house with partial white cladding.. Chi is resting her head on Aunt Karen’s shoulder, who is looking down at her, displeased. Lucas is wearing a red zip-up tracksuit jacket, Karen a black faux leather jacket with fur trim and a leopard print blouse, Chi a multi-coloured windbreaker and Dan is wearing a blue and green striped-polo shirt with a black faux leather jacket.

Things You Should Have Done © BBC

Writer: Lucia Keskin
Starring: Lucia Keskin, Selin Hizli, Daniel Fearn, Jamie Bisping, Martha Cope, Darren Strange  
Production Company: Roughcut Television, BBC3
Kent Locations Used: Ramsgate, Margate, Bugsy’s Ten Pin Bowling Centre, Nayland Rock Hotel, Broadstairs

Things You Should Have Done (2024) follows Chi, a self-titled stay-at-home daughter, who finds her laidback lifestyle thrown into turmoil when both of her parents die and  she discovers she will only inherit their house once she completes a list of things she should have done.

Written by and starring Margate-born Lucia Keskin (Big Boys, Sneakerhead), the series also features Selin Hizli (Am I Being Unreasonable?, Grantchester (2014)) as Aunt Karen, Daniel Fearn (Man vs. Bee, Peaky Blinders) as Dan, Jamie Bisping (Dreamland (2023)) as Lucas, Martha Cope (Alfie, Mile High) as Chi’s deceased Mum and Darren Strange (Ted Lasso, Parents) as Chi’s deceased Dad.

The series was filmed entirely across East Kent. In Ramsgate, locations featured include several private houses which double for Chi’s and Karen’s houses, Newlands Primary School, Ramsgate Main Sands, Geoff Oliver & Associates offices, La Magnolia Italian Restaurant as well as various roads. In Margate, filming took place in the Costcutter on Canterbury Road, the Lido car park, Baxter’s Pharmacy, Bradgate Holiday Park, the Nayland Rock Hotel, Scavolini Kitchens and Bathrooms and Bugsy’s Ten Pin Bowling Centre. The Denture Clinic in Broadstairs also features in the series, doubling for a waiting room in a fertility clinic and hospital waiting room.

Ramsgate is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Victorian and Regency terraces , a Marina, Port and promenade. Often doubling for period London, the town is a popular filming location, having recently featured in Liaison (2023), The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself (2022) and True Things (2022).

Margate is a seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, Dreamland retro amusement park, period housing and ultra-modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. Other productions that have filmed in Margate include Dreamland (2023), Empire of Light (2023) and Two Weeks to Live (2020).

Built in 1885, the Nayland Rock Hotel is situated on Margate beach, with stunning panoramic views of the English Channel and only a walking distance away from Margate’s top attractions. King of Thieves (2018), Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022) and Killing Eve (2018-2022) all feature the Hotel.

Located on the seafront between Margate and Cliftonville, Bugsy’s Ten Pin Bowling Centre offers  12-lanes as well as a diner, bar area and amusement arcade. It is also the only ten-pin bowling shop in Thanet.

Home to Charles Dickens’ Bleak House, Broadstairs is a seaside town with a sandy beach lined with beach huts, a band stand and large Victorian terraces. Eastenders (2007-2022), The Larkins (2021-2022) and Breeders Series 2 (2021) filmed in Broadstairs.

Things You Should Have Done (2024) will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer from Thursday 29th February 2024.

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

The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself (2022)

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Three characters stand in a misty wood. On the left stands a woman with long brown hair. She is wearing blue jeans, a red baggy hoody and a green stripy crop top. The man in the middle has short black hair and wears black tracksuit trousers, a dishevelled white t-shirt and a black oversized jacket. His hand is wrapped in a bandage. The man on the right had silver hair and wears black cargo trousers, a black trench coat, grey t-shirt and several silver necklaces.

The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself © Netflix

Writer: Joe Barton
Director: Colm McCarthy
Starring: Jay Lycurgo, Nadia Parkes, Isobel Jesper Jones, Emilien Vekemans
Production Company: Imaginarium Productions
Kent Locations Used: Port of Ramsgate and Ramsgate Royal Harbour

Based on the ‘Half Bad’ series of books by author Sally Green, The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022) is a young adult tale about a sixteen-year-old boy called Nathan, who is the illegitimate son of the most powerful and cruel Witch in the world. Monitored all his life by those who wish to stop him from following in his father’s footsteps, Nathan soon begins to question the rules that have been imposed on him. In a world where one is either a “Good” Witch, or a “Bad” Witch, Nathan must discover what kind of person he truly is.

Directed by Colm McCarthy (The Girl with All the Gifts, Black Mirror: Black Museum), and with Andy Serkis (Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) as an executive producer, The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself stars Jay Lycurgo (Titans, Cheaters) as Nathan, Nadia Parkes (The Spanish Princess, Domina) as Annalise, Isobel Jesper Jones as Jessica and Emilien Vekemans as Gabriel.

The production visited the Port of Ramsgate and the Royal Harbour of Ramsgate during filming of the eight-episode series for Netflix. Both locations feature in Episode 4,  doubling as the French harbour where Nathan, Annalise and Gabriel walk through a magic portal into Paris. The Port of Ramsgate is set on 32 acres of dedicated port land and is often used as a ‘stand-in’ for film and TV as the Port of Dover. Other productions that have filmed here include the SKY crime-drama series The Tunnel (2013) and, more recently, the Acorn TV crime-drama series Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022).

Ramsgate has the only Royal Harbour in the country, decreed by King George IV in 1821 due to his fondness of the friendly locals he met there. Often used as a double for London, Ramsgate is a popular filming location, with previous productions such as the BBC comedy series Not Going Out (2013) making use of the marina, and the Netflix crime-drama series Top Boy (2019-2022) using the iconic Jacobs Ladder steps in the harbour, as well as several other locations within the town.

The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself was released on Netflix on Friday 28th October 2022.

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

The Baby (2022)

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Michelle de Swarte as Natasha stands in a field holding a baby. She wears a brown corduroy jacket, and the baby is wearing a white onesie with green, orange and yellow shapes on it. Natasha and the baby both looking nervously at someone to the right of the frame, who’s face is obscured from view.

Michelle de Swarte in The Baby (2022) © Ross Ferguson/HBO

Writer / Creator: Lucy Gaymer, Sian Robins-Grace
Starring: Michelle de Swarte, Sinéad Cusack, Isy Suttie, Shvorne Marks, Amber Grappy
Production Company: HBO, Proverbial Pictures, Sister Pictures, Sky
Kent Locations Used: Botany Bay, Acacia Sports Hall in Dartford, Nell’s Café, Ramsgate Harbour Approach Tunnel, St Andrew’s Lake and Watersports Centre in Halling, The Quadrangle in Sevenoaks

The Baby (2022) is a horror comedy series about 38-year-old Natasha who is furious that all her friends are having babies. When she is unexpectedly landed with one of her own, her life is thrown into turmoil. She doesn’t want a baby. But the baby definitely wants her.

Created by Lucy Gaymer and Sian Robins-Grace in their debut as TV writers, The Baby stars Michelle de Swarte (The Duchess) as Natasha, Sinéad Cusack (Waterland (1992), Marcella (2016)) as Barbara, Isy Suttie (Peep Show, Shameless) as Rita, Shvorne Marks (Breeders (2021), Endeavour) as Mags, and Amber Grappy (Wrecked) as Bobbi.

During filming, production visited various locations across Kent including Botany Bay, Nell’s Café in Gravesend, the Ramsgate Harbour Approach Tunnel, Acacia Sports Hall in Dartford, St Andrew’s Lake and Watersports Centre in Halling and The Quadrangle in Sevenoaks.

Botany Bay is a very popular filming location due to its sandy beach, rock pools, white cliffs and highly photographed white chalk stacks. Previous productions to have filmed at Botany Bay include Jhimma (2021), Sulphur and White (2020), and The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022).

Nell’s Café is a popular roadside café along the A2 in Gravesend. Situated on the southern bank of the River Thames, Gravesend boasts a cast iron pier, promenade and high street as well as international rail links at the nearby Ebbsfleet International station. Previous productions to have filmed at Nell’s Café include Series 1 of Killing Eve (2018-2022), Series 2 of Temple (2021) and Series 2 of In the Long Run (2019).

The Ramsgate Harbour Approach Tunnel is the approach road to Port of Ramsgate. The tunnel is over 800m long and about 9.5 metres wide. Because this is an alternative approach to the Harbour, this road and tunnel may be controlled during agreed periods. Previous productions to have made use of this include Hard Sun (2018) and The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016).

The Acacia Sports Hall in Dartford is a large sports hall and is part of a multi-use site that includes a manor and several outbuildings with ample parking. The Sports Hall is perfect for set building and storage with a ceiling height of over 20m. Recently opened as a build space for productions, The Baby is the first to make use of the facilities.

Situated between the River Medway and Pilgrims Way, St Andrews Lake in Halling is a unique 70-acre blue lake in a former chalk quarry with a total area of 122 acres of mixed woodland and a small lagoon area. From the Watersports Centre, you can hire a kayak, paddle board or a sailing boat.

The Quadrangle is a large Victorian farmstead built in 1870 in the Darent Valley, near Shoreham Village. The site features a grand lofty hay barn (15m x 8.5 m), converted Granary, stables, a holiday cottage, an orchard, and access to the River Darent for swimming and boating. Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast (2016) used the location for filming a mini food festival.

The Baby was released on NowTV on Sunday 24th April 2022.

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

True Things (2022)

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Ruth Wilson as Kate leans against a grey concrete wall. She has long brown hair and is wearing a brown jacket with a fur collar. Tom Burke as Blond is leaning over her with his hands on the wall either side. He has dyed blond hair and a dark stubbly beard. He wears a worn black leather jacket.

True Things (2022) © BBC Films.

Writer: Harry Wootliff, Molly Davies,
Director: Harry Wootliff
Starring: Ruth Wilson, Tom Burke
Production Company: BBC Films, The Bureau
Kent Locations Used: Ramsgate, Margate Broadstairs, Kingsgate Bay

True Things (2022) follows Kate, a young woman living on the edge of society as she becomes intoxicated with a stranger who overturns her quiet lifestyle.

Based on the book of the same name by Deborah Kay Davies, True Things was adapted for the screen by Molly Davies and Harry Wootliff (Only You, Totally Frank) and stars Ruth Wilson (Luther, Saving Mr. Banks) as Kate, and Tom Burke (Only God Forgives, The Souvenir) as Blond, the man she falls in love with.

Production based themselves in Kent for the majority of their location filming.

The film is set in the seaside town of Ramsgate, and various locations in the town feature throughout. Roads, such as Military Road and the Ramsgate Harbour Approach Tunnel, feature in driving sequences. Notable landmarks such as the Ramsgate lifts, Royal Harbour and the Jacobs Ladder steps appear in short establishing shots. The exterior and lobby of the Ramsgate The Argyle Job Centre on York Street doubles as the job centre where Kate works. The Royal Harbour Parade car park features as the location in which Blond and Kate have their first tryst, and appears later on in a night-time scene.

Ramsgate is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Victorian terraced housing, a Marina, Port and Promenade. The location often doubles for period London streets and has been used in the productions such as The Flood (2019) and Hard Sun (2018).

The interior and exterior of Kate’s flat was filmed at a private residence in Margate. Nasza Biedronk convenience store on Northdown Road also features as the supermarket in which Kate buys breakfast ingredients for Blond. Margate is a seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, amusement park, period housing and the ultra-modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. Margate has previously featured in Above the Clouds (2020) and Jellyfish (2018).

Harpers Bar in Broadstairs features as the pub that Kate visits with Blond, and later with her friend Alison (Hayley Squires). The terrace of The Royal Albion Hotel appears in the scene where Blond and Kate have a romantic lunch date. The old Canterbury Christ Church University campus in Broadstairs was used to film the interior of the job centre that Kate works at. Broadstairs is a traditional seaside town and home to Charles Dickens’ Bleak House. It features a sandy beach lined with traditional beach huts, Morelli’s cafe bar complete with original 1950’s interior, band stand and large Victorian terraces. Previous productions to film here include Dracula (2020) and Juliet, Naked (2018).

Kingsgate Bay is used for a dream sequence in the film’s opening. Kingsgate Bay is a small sandy bay surrounded by chalk cliffs that connects at low tide through Whiteness cliff arch to Botany Bay. It features a Victorian castle on top of the sea defences which were turned into private residences. Sulphur and White (2020) and Bhikari (2017) have previously filmed here.

True Things was released in UK cinemas on Friday 1st April 2022.

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

Top Boy (2019-2022)

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Kane Robinson as Sully and Ashley Walters as Dushane stand in front of the River Thames looking off into the distance. Both are wearing dark-coloured baggy hoodies.

Kane Robinson and Ashley Walters in Top Boy Season 1 © Netflix

Writer: Ronan Bennett
Starring: Ashley Walters,Kane Robinson, Micheal Ward, Shone Romulus
Production Company: Cowboy Films, DreamCrew, Easter Partisan, SpringHill Entertainment
Kent Locations Used: Margate, Ramsgate, Gravesend, The Dockside Outlet Shopping Centre in Chatham

Top Boy (2019-2022) is a British drama series revolving around the life of Dushane (Ashley Walters (Figures of Speech, Bulletproof)), the leader of an underground drug operation, his friend Sully (Kane Robinson (Tower Block, Point Blank)), troubled teen Jamie (Michael Ward (The A List, Small Axe (2020)) and their aim to become the richest men in town.

Axed by Channel 4 in 2013 after two series, the show soon found a new home on Netflix and the new Series  was produced by rapper Drake, a long-time fan of the show.

Season One follows the story of Dushane as he travels to Jamaica where he makes a deal with Sugar (Gilbert Chen), an imprisoned drug lord. When Dushane returns to the UK, he connects with some of his crew selling drugs in Ramsgate and tries to regain control. Back on Summerhouse estate, Dushane once again rises to Top Boy status despite resistance from the new crew in London Fields that is headed by teenager Jamie. Season Two continues to explore the rival dynamics between the two gangs.

Season One was written by Ronan Bennett (Gunpowder, Hidden) and Daniel West (Gunpowder) and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard, Monsters and Men), Brady Hood (Endeavour, The One) and Aneil Karia (Lovesick, Pure), with Episode 4 directed by the critically-acclaimed Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels).

Season Two sees the return of Ronan Bennett as writer, and introduces new cast members including Josephine De La Baume (Road Games (2016), Mr Selfridge (2013-2016)) as Delphine, Sully’s new love interest, Howard Charles (Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022), Liar (2017-2020) as Curtis, Lauryn’s abusive boyfriend, Erin Kellyman (The Green Knight, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) as Pebbles, and rap and grime artist ‘NoLay’ who returns to her role as Sully’s ex-girlfriend Mandy.

In Season One, filming took place in Margate at Walpole Bay and Fulsam Rock Beach and nearby streets including Athelstan Road. Production also visited Ramsgate, where they filmed at Jacob’s Ladder, outside the Rose of England pub on the High Street and Ramsgate Train Station. In addition, Gordon Place in Gravesend played the role of the fictional ‘Summerhouse Estate’ in London.

In Season Two Episode 5, The Dockside Outlet Shopping Centre in Chatham features in a scene where Lauryn (Saffron Hocking) flees from her abusive boyfriend in a Liverpool shopping mall. Chatham is a historic town situated in Medway, North Kent, and is known for its historic dockyard, army barracks and high street. A recent production to film in Chatham is Great British Railway Journeys Series 11 (2020).

Margate, in the district of Thanet, is a popular film location and has been used as in various productions such as in feature films King of Thieves (2018) and King Lear (2018). Ramsgate is also a popular location in Thanet and has featured in several productions such as Baptise (2019), Hurricane (2018) and The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016).

Gravesend is on the southern bank of the River Thames and boasts a cast iron pier, promenade and high street as well as international rail links at the nearby Ebbsfleet International station. The Gravesend area has previously welcomed film productions such as Killing Eve (2018-2022), The Escape (2018), and Doctor Strange (2016).

Top Boy Season Two was made available to stream on Netflix on Friday 18th March 2022.

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

Shiddat (2021)

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A man is lifting a woman in the air as they kiss against a backdrop of a city skyline at night. He wears a black outfit and she wears a red dress.

Shiddat (2021) © Disney+

Writer: Shridhar Raghavan, Dheeraj Rattan
Director: Kunal Deshmukh
Starring: Sunny Kaushal, Radhika Madan, Mohit Raina, Diana Penty
Production Company: T-Series, Maddock Films
Kent Locations Used: Port of Ramsgate

Shiddat (2021) is an Indian Hindi language romantic drama produced by T-Series and Maddock Films. The film was written by Shridhar Raghavan (War, Criminal Justice) and Dheeraj Rattan (Bhangra Paa Le, Khamoshi) and directed by Kunal Deshmukh (Raja Natwarlal, Jannat 2).

The cast is led by Sunny Kaushal (Bhangra Paa Le, Gold) as Khamid Siddiqui and Radhika Madan (Angrezi Medium, Pataakha) as Imayat Khan. Supporting cast includes Mohit Raina (Mrs. Serial Killer, Bhaukaal) as Zakir Siddiqui and Diana Penty (Khandaani Shafakhana, Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi) as Roshna Ibrahim.

The production used the Port of Ramsgate as a double for Calais Port as a truck goes through border control and the men inside are caught.

The Port of Ramsgate offers thirty-two acres of dedicated Port Land including three modern Ro-Ro bridges and Water and bunker facilities on all berths. It has been used several times as a ‘stand-in’ for the Port of Dover and has previously hosted productions including Gypo (2005), Big Bad World (2013) and Will (2011).

Shiddat was released on Disney+ Hotstar on Friday 1st October 2021.

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

Jagame Thandhiram (2021)

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Actor Dhanush with brown hair and a beard is shown flipping a pancake in a kitchen, wearing a red shirt. The movie title Jagame Thandhiram and ‘coming soon’ Netflix is printed on a black background to the right of the actor.

Dhanush in Jagame Thandhiram (2021) © IMDb

Writer: Nick Bain
Director: Karthik Subbaraj
Starring: James Cosmo, Dhanush, Aishwarya Lekshmi
Production Company: Reliance Entertainment
Kent Locations Used: Faversham, Chillenden Windmill, Herne Bay, Knowlton Court, Ramsgate

Jagame Thandhiram (2021) is a Tamil action thriller about an Indian gangster who is hired by a UK gang to take down their competition. When he betrays their trust, however, the gang seeks revenge.

The film was written by Nick Bain (The Man Who Knew Infinity, The Boabab Boys) and directed by Karthik Subbaraj (Petta, Jigarthanda).

The cast is led by Dhanush (Vada Chennai, Raanjhanaa) as the Indian gangster Suruli, and is supported by Aishwarya Lekshmi (Varathan, Mayaanadhi) as Attila his love interest, and Game of Thrones actor James Cosmo (Highlander, His Dark Materials) as Peter Sprott, the leader of the UK gang.

The production filmed several day and night scenes in the centre of Faversham where they converted various shops, set up a street market and staged a large dance sequence. Production also filmed at Iron Wharf in Faversham, which doubles as a boatyard for a scene where the two rival gangs fight and Suruli kills Rajan (Muthukumar).  The exterior of St Mary of Charity church in Faversham is where Suruli tells Attila that he loves her.

Driving scenes were staged around Chillenden Windmill near Canterbury, including a snowy scene on Goodnestone Road where Suruli’s gang kill the opposing gang members and capture John (Roman Fiori).

Herne Bay Pier, Neptune Arm and the Promenade provided the location for a wedding scene, and The King’s Hall doubles as the bar where the two rival gangs have their first battle and Sivadoss’ (Joju George) gang is slain.

Filming also took place at Knowlton Court country estate near Canterbury in both the house and on estate lands., which doubles in the film for Peter Sprott’s manor house. The Church at Knowlton Court features in a funeral dance scene.

Ramsgate also features in the film. A house on Belle Alliance Square doubles as Attila’s house which Peter’s gang shoot at in order to bribe Suruli to go to Birmingham to carry out a job. The Port of Ramsgate doubles as a Marina where Peter’s gang plan a raid, and the opening scene of the film features a refugee boat being captured in the English Channel, which was filmed just off the coast.

Faversham is a beautiful historic market town in the Swale Borough of Kent. The historic town boasts over 500 listed buildings. Previous productions in the town include Bollywood film Pagalpanti (2019) and Walks With My Dog (2017).

Herne Bay is a seaside town which has a pier and shingle beach and is set just outside of the historic City of Canterbury. Previous productions which have filmed in the area include The 1900 Island – Series 1 (2019) and Blue Planet UK – Series 1 (2019).

Chillenden Windmill is a Grade ll listed building and distinctive local landmark, standing on an exposed site at Goodnestone, Dover. The windmill is on high open ground with fine views to Knowlton Court to the east and Ramsgate to the north. It is also situated on a circular walk taking in Chillenden, Rowling and Goodnestone.

Knowlton Court is a much-loved family home within a stunning and extensive country estate of over 1,900 acres nestled in the heart of Kent. Described as a ‘timeless work of Tudor history’, Knowlton was built in 1585 and has sweeping tree-lined driveway and seven holiday cottages. The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016) filmed here and the main hall is now available for weddings and events.

Ramsgate, located in the district of Thanet, is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Georgian terraced housing, Marina, Port and Promenade. Previous TV productions which filmed here include Baptiste (2019) and The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017).

Jagame Thandhiram will be released on Netflix on Friday 18th June 2021.

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

Sulphur and White (2020)

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Mark Stanley (David Tait) wearing a brown jacket and Emily Beecham (Vanessa Tait) wearing a blue floral dress, looking at each other with greenery and sky behind them.

Mark Stanley (David Tait) and Emily Beecham (Vanessa Tait) in Sulphur and White (2020)    Copyright: IMDb Photo: Nick Wall

Writer: Susie Farrell
Director: Julian Jarrold
Starring: Mark Stanley, Emily Beecham, Anna Friel, Dougray Scott, Aftab Shivdasani
Production Companies: AMG International, EMU Films
Kent Locations Used: Thanet (Joss Bay, Kingsgate Bay, Botany Bay)

Feature film Sulphur and White (2020) is inspired by the true story of David Tait (Mark Stanley), a city trader and mountaineer, who tries to forget his traumatic childhood as he climbs the corporate ladder in the City Of London. When he meets Vanessa (Emily Beecham), David’s life begins to change.

Sulphur and White is directed by the award winning Julian Jarrold (Kinky Boots, Becoming Jane) and the screenplay was written by Susie Farrell (Dirty God). It stars Mark Stanley (Game of Thrones, Run) as David Tait and Emily Beechman (Daphne, Hail, Caesar!) as Vanessa. Co-stars also include Anna Friel (Marcella, Deep Water), Dougray Scott (EverAfter, Hitman) and Aftab Shivdasani (Mast, Kasoor).

Filming took place in Thanet, a district of Kent containing resort towns Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs with beautiful beaches.

The production visited Joss Bay in Broadstairs, a proclaimed surfer’s paradise, boasting a 200 metre-long stretch of sandy beach. Kingsgate Bay and Botany Bay afford incredible views of white cliffs and highly photographed white chalk stacks.

These coastal locations have attracted various film and TV productions over the years from French coming-of-age film À nous les petites Anglaises (1976), Mr Selfridge Series 4 (2016), Bhikari (2017) to most recently Dracula (2020).

Sulphur and White will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 6th March 2020.

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

Baptiste (2019)

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Actor Tchéky Karyo starring as investigator Julien Baptiste wearing a brown jacket pictured standing in a street looking around with people blurred behind him.

Tchéky Karyo as Julien Baptiste in Baptiste Series ©BBC

Writers: Harry Williams and Jack Williams
Director: Börkur Sigþörsson and Jan Mattys
Starring: Tchéky Karyo, Anastasia Hille, Tom Hollander, Camille Schotte, Trystan Gravelle
Production Company: Two Brothers Pictures for BBC One
Kent Locations used: Discovery Park, Dover, Kingsdown, Deal, Ramsgate

The highly anticipated new six-part BBC drama Baptiste (2019-2021) will be airing next week! From the creators of The Missing, this spin-off stars Tchéky Karyo as the insightful, yet stubborn investigator Julien Baptiste. Now retired and trying his best to enjoy his retirement with his family,  the investigator is contacted by Police Commissioner and former girlfriend Martha Horchner (Barbara Sarafian), who brings him a missing person’s case he can’t refuse.

The series is directed by Börkur Sigþörsson (BlackBoxTV, Trapped) and Jan Mattys (The Last Kingdom, Shetland). It was written by Harry Williams (The Missing, Liar) and Jack Williams (The Missing, Liar). Starring are Tchéky Karyo (Section Zéro, The Missing), Anastasia Hille (Prey, The Missing), Tom Hollander (American Dad, The Night Manager), Camille Schotte (The Missing, Belgian Disaster), Trystan Gravelle (The Aliens, A Discovery of Witches).

Production visited numerous Kent locations during filming for the series. These included a scene on Deal seafront, also showing Deal Pier, which features Edward Stratton (Tom Hollander) arriving by boat. A small scene also features a Co-op store in Deal where Edward shops for groceries. Further filming took place in neighbouring Kingsdown, again using the sea road and beachfronts. These include an establishing shot of a seafront house, a drone shot of Undercliffe and Sutton Vale Road of a black taxi and Sutton Vale Country Park where Edward Stratton (Tom Hollander) visits his family and meets with Baptiste (Tchéky Karyo). Kingsdown Beach is also featured for a conversation scene between Edward and Baptiste in the final episode.

Discovery Park in Sandwich was also used in the filming, doubling as a Japanese airport.  A tool store on Manston Industrial Estate in Ramsgate is featured as Baptiste (Tchéky Karyo) shops while talking on the phone.

A dangerous smuggler’s haunt in the 1800s, Deal town boasts a wonderful collection of colourful Georgian buildings, complemented by a long shingle beach with huts, fishing boats and pier restores in the 1950’s. It is a popular filming location and has previously featured in productions such as The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016) and Liar (2017). Kingsdown village is situated south of Deal and features in the James Bond trail.

Sandwich is a town north of Deal on the Stour Estuary and was once one of the Cinque Ports. It still has many original medieval buildings, including churches, almshouses and the White Mill. This location was the base for all three series of Kudos’  The Tunnel (2013), The Tunnel: Vengeance and The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016).

Ramsgate, located in the district of Thanet, is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Georgian terraced housing, Marina, Port and Promenade. Previous TV productions which filmed here include Eastenders (2015), The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017) and Hancock and Joan (2008).

Baptiste is set to air on BBC One on Sunday 17th February at 9pm.

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

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces – Series 8 (2019)

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George Clarke's Amazing Spaces Series 8 poster of acorn tree house hanging in the trees within a forest

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces Series 8 ©Channel 4

Starring: George Clarke
Production Company: Plum Pictures
Kent Locations Used: Ramsgate

Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (2012-) returns for a new series this year. Architect and presenter George Clarke (Amazing Spaces Shed of the Year, The Restoration Man) explores the fascinating world of small builds, with an emphasis on the creative use of small spaces. The show follows people who turn the smallest of places, such as old boats, a tree house disguised as an acorn, and a mountain-top restaurant resembling a spaceship, into places to live.

George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces series 5 previously filmed in Margate, Thanet back in 2015. Here, George met a coma survivor who transformed a family camper van and also visited a woman who turned her narrow boat into a floating bookshop.

The Kent episode of series 8 was filmed in Ramsgate, Thanet. Production filmed at Port of Ramsgate, where George follows a new restoration.

Ramsgate is a thriving seaside town with beautiful Georgian terraced housing, Marina, Port and Promenade. Often doubling for London streets. Other previous TV productions which filmed here include Fantasy Homes by the Sea – Series 7 (2018), The Channel: The World’s Busiest Waterway (2017) and Coast Vs Country (2016).

Series 8 began airing on Sunday 30th December 2018 on Channel 4. Episode eight, which featured Ramsgate, aired on Sunday 24th February 2019 at 8pm.

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