Rochester Castle

Take Me Out (2010-2019)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Take Me Out - cast of girls on a staircase with host paddy in front.

Take Me Out – Series 6 © Thames and ITV

Production Company: Talkback Thames
Kent Locations Used: The Maidstone Studios

Take Me Out (2010-2019) is a dating gameshow that aired on ITV. Hosted by King of matchmaking Paddy McGuinness, the show sees 30 single ladies try to have their dream date on the Isle of Fernando with one of the eligible bachelors that arrive via the Love Lift.

From 2010 to 2019, the show was recorded at The Maidstone Studios.

In 2012, a spin-off after show titled Take Me Out: The Gossip (2012-2015) began airing. Filming locations for the spin-off included Rochester Castle and Canterbury.

The Maidstone Studios is an independent TV studio complex on an 11-acre site with 5 television studios, dubbing facilities, edit suites, a fully saturated lighting grid and office space. It has previously welcomed shows such as Series 2 of The Split (2020) and Series 2 of This Time with Alan Partridge (2021).

Rochester Castle is a 12th Century Castle set in beautiful gardens and overlooks the River Medway. The castle has been used as a film location by The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Veer (2010).

The vibrant City of Canterbury has a Cathedral, busy shopping areas, parks and open spaces and two universities. The Canterbury area has previously been seen on screen on A Canterbury Tale (1944) and Rustom (2016).

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

Veer (2010)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Zarine Khan walking in the snow holding a book with a bike behind her.

Zarine Khan as Princess Yashodhara © Eros International

Director: Anil Sharma

Writers: Salman Khan

Stars: Salman Khan, Mithun Chakraborty and Jackie Shroff

Filming Locations: The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Rochester Castle

Set in 1875 and starring Bollywood legend Salman Khan as Veer, this is the love story of an Indian warrior under the British Raj. With the arrival of the British, Indian Kings and Nawabs entrust their treasured kingdoms to the foreigners. Not so Veer. Being a member of the Pindari, he prefers death to dishonour and decides to fight the invaders.

Salman Khan as Veer walking down a street with horse and carriages, white buildings are either side

Salman Khan is Veer © Eros Entertainment

The stakes are raised when he falls in love with Princess Yashodhara (Zarine Kahn), daughter of a British collaborator and his sworn enemy, played by Jackie Shroff.  Veer takes on the might of the British Empire and its allies not only for justice, but also to win his true love.

Salman Khan, who wrote the story for the film, gained one and half times his body weight to fit the role.  Over 20 years in the making, Khan’s hard work and determination finally paid off when he completed his ‘dream project’.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham provided the perfect period location for Director, Anil Sharma, to stage a funeral sequence, a winter scene and a Victorian Street, all within its grounds.

Rochester Castle became the romantic backdrop for a musical sequence complete with horse and carriage.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is set over 80 acres on part of the site of the former royal/naval dockyard at Chatham. The site boasts 100 Georgian and Victorian buildings, cobbled streets and a Cold War submarine and Victorian ropery. Previously filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham include The Crown (2016) and Great Expectations (2012).

Rochester Castle is a 12th Century Castle which prides itself on being one of the best preserved castles in England. The castle is set in beautiful gardens and overlooks the River Medway and has been used for filming by  The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012).

Veer is out on DVD.

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

Canterbury Tales (2003)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Canterbury Tales DVD cover- montage of images from the film, with canterbury tales written in black above

Canterbury Tales DVD cover © BBC

Starring: Julie Walters, James Nesbitt, Billie Piper, John Simm, Keeley Hawes, Dennis Waterman

Production Company: Ziji Productions, BBC

Kent Locations: Rochester – Castle, Cathedral, Chertsey Gate, the High Street and Esplanade, River Medway, Stangate Creek, Gravesend

Canterbury Tales is a BBC adaptation of a handful of Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th century stories of the same name which are still set along the traditional Pilgrims’ route to Canterbury, but in the 21st century.

The stories include themes such as love, adultery, jealousy and revenge.

The six single dramas feature an all-star cast including Julie Walters (Mamma Mia!, Calendar Girls Billy Elliot), James Nesbitt (The Missing, Murphy’s Law, Cold Feet), Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Penny Dreadful), John Simm (Human Traffic, Life on Mars, The Village), Keeley Hawes (Death at a Funeral, The Bank Job, The Avengers) and Dennis Waterman (New Tricks, The Sweeney, Back in Business).

Rochester is the principal setting for The Pardoner’s Tale with the castle, Cathedral, Chertsey Gate, the High Street, Esplanade and various streets, pubs and restaurants featuring.

The river scenes in The Man of Laws’ Tale were filmed on the River Medway and The Medway Estuary.

Gravesend is the setting in The Seacaptain’s Tale where old waterfront warehouses, the pier and Town Pier Square feature.

Rochester is a historic city set on the River Medway offering a Medieval Cathedral and castle and cobbled streets with shops, pubs and restaurants. Rochester has previously featured in productions such as Jekyll and Hyde (2015), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Great Expectations (1989).

The River Medway starts in Sussex and runs through Tonbridge, Maidstone and Medway before flowing into the Thames Estuary near Sheerness. Stangate Creek is part of the River Medway and has been used as a film location by productions such as Mr Turner (2014), Great Expectations (2012) and The Long Memory (1953).

On the south bank of the River Thames, Gravesend has a cast iron pier, promenade and high street as well as international links at the nearby Ebbsfleet International station. The area has previously been used as a film location in productions such as The Interceptor (2015) and Age of Heroes (2011).

The Canterbury Tales aired in 2003 and is now available for DVD purchase.

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