The Crown Series 1 – 6 (2016-2023)

Actress Olivia Coleman as Queen Elizabeth II dressed in regimental uniform sitting on a black horse saluting. In the background is a crowd

Olivia Colman in The Crown (2020) © Netflix

Creator: Peter Morgan
Starring: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, Elizabeth Debicki, Dominic West
Production Company: Left Bank Pictures, Sony Pictures Television
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Brompton Barracks, Cobham Hall, Lydd, Discovery Park, Rochester

The Crown (2016-2023) is a Netflix Original historical drama series focusing on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Based on real events, the series is a fictional dramatization of the political and personal events that shaped her reign.

Created by Peter Morgan (Rush (2013), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)), The Crown was reportedly the most expensive series to be produced by Netflix when it first aired, estimated at £100 million.

In Series 1 – 2, Queen Elizabeth II is portrayed by Claire Foy (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2022), A Very British Scandal (2021)) followed by Olivia Colman in Series 3-4 (Landscapers (2021), The Favourite (2019)). Imelda Staunton (Flesh and Blood (2020), Vera Drake) took over the role in Series 5-6, supported by a host of stars including Jonathan Pryce (Wolf Hall (2015), The Two Popes) as Prince Philip, Lesley Manville (Harlots (2017), Mr Turner (2014)) as Princess Margaret, Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, Widows) as Princess Diana and Dominic West (Genius (2016), Johnny English Reborn (2011)) as Prince Charles.

The Crown production team chose to visit Kent to film at The Historic Dockyard Chatham for Series 1 where they filmed a dockside scene on Anchor Wharf after building part of the side of a ship. The Historic Dockyard Chatham dates back to the 17th century and contains over 100 buildings from the Georgian and Victorian periods. It is a popular film location that has previously featured on screen in Suffragette (2015)Downton Abbey (2010-2013) and Les Miserables (2013).

In Series 4, production visited Brompton Barracks in Chatham, where they used the Parade Square and The Mall for scenes re-enacting Trooping the Colour at the Horse Guards Parade. Brompton Barracks is ideally suited as a location to double for iconic London landmarks with a large parade ground, vaulted cellars under the Officer’s Mess, statues, stone bridges, a museum, and a large ornate arch.

For Series 5, production revisited The Historic Dockyard Chatham where they filmed the Queen boarding a ship at Anchor Wharf. Filming also took place in the village of Lydd, at Hardy Hall and The Green, which was used to recreate Tony Blair, played by Bertie Carvel (Dalgliesh, Doctor Foster), and his family casting their votes in the 1997 General Election – a scene which sadly did not make the final cut. Production also visited Cobham Hall, which doubled as Eton College.

Production returned to Kent for Series 6, with filming taking place at Cobham Hall, which once again doubles for Eton College. A jogging scene was also filmed in a nearby private woodland and in Episode 4 Discovery Park features as the hospital in France where Princess Diana passed away. The wedding of Prince Charles (Dominic West) and Camilla (Olivia Williams) in Windsor was filmed outside Rochester Guildhall in the City Centre doubling for the registry office at Windsor Guildhall and the wedding procession.

Cobham Hall is a private school in a historic house which is located in 150 acres of Grade II listed parkland. Its features include a stunning ballroom, library, cobbled courtyards, formal gardens, water towers, modern classrooms and sport facilities, including a swimming pool. Previous productions to have filmed at Cobham Hall include Hetty Feather (2015-2020), High End Yaariyaan (2019) and Tulip Fever (2018).

Formerly the HQ for Pfizer in the UK, Discovery Park is a large office complex with science labs and warehouses. Recent productions to have filmed there include The Old Guard (2020), The Complex: Lockdown (2020) and Baptiste (2019).

Rochester City has the feel of a medieval market town, with Cathedral, castle ruins and unspoilt high street by the River Medway. Recent productions to have filmed there include Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022), Series 4 of Unforgotten (2021) and Big Boys Don’t Cry (2020).

The first series of The Crown (2016-2023) was released on Netflix on Friday 4th November 2016. All seasons are currently available to view on Netflix.

Series 6 of The Crown (2016-2023) will be released on Netflix in two parts. Part 1 will be released on Thursday 16th November 2023, with Part 2 following on Thursday 14th December 2023.

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


Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022)

Kerry Godliman as restaurant owner Pearl Nolan is centre of the image wearing a green top and blue apron. She has blonde hair and behind her is a pebble beach with boats and fishing huts

Whitstable Pearl stars Kerry Godliman as restaurant owner Pearl Nolan © Acorn TV

Creator: Julie Wassmer
Starring: Kerry Godliman, Howard Charles, Sophia Del Pizzo, Frances Barber
Production Company: Buccaneer Media
Kent Locations Used: Whitstable, Canterbury, Faversham, Herne Bay, Margate, Ramsgate, Detling, Dover, Sevenoaks, Rochester

Based on the much loved series of novels ‘The Whitstable Pearl Mysteries’ by Kent resident Julie Wassmer (EastEnders, London’s Burning), Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022) is a detective series for Acorn TV. The story follows big-hearted local restaurant owner Pearl Nolan (Kerry Godliman) who sets up a local detective agency after undergoing police training in an earlier career. She is soon embroiled in her first case when she discovers the body of close friend, Vinnie. Pearl forms an unlikely partnership with DCI Mike McGuire (Howard Charles) and finds herself pulled into the dark underbelly of the picturesque town she calls home.

Whitstable Pearl was adapted for screen by Norwegian filmmaker Øystein Karlsen (One Night, Dag). Kerry Godliman (After Life, Call the Midwife (2012-2023)) headlines the show as Pearl Nolan alongside Howard Charles as DCI Mike McGuire (Shadow and Bone, Liar Series 2 (2020))and Frances Barber (Cold Feet, Queens of Mystery (2020-2021)) as Pearl’s mum Dolly.

A woman with red hair and a black hat (Frances Barber as Dolly) walks along the sea shore with a woman wearing a black coat carrying a box (Kerry Godliman as Pearl Nolan). In the distance is the shoreline with houses and a beach

Frances Barber as Pearl’s mother Dolly (left) and Kerry Godliman as Pearl Nolan © Mark Bourdillon / Acorn TV

For both Series 1 and 2, most of the filming took place in and around Whitstable itself, including scenes filmed by the coast at Whitstable Harbour, Whitstable Beach, Whitstable Yacht Club and Tankerton Beach. In Series 1, Whitstable High Street features and local shops were filmed including Iain’s Plaice (fish and chip restaurant) and art gallery Chappell Contemporary as Houlihan’s Hardware store. Other Whitstable businesses filmed for Series 1 include the Cemetery, Football Ground, MFA Bowl and Seaview Holiday Park, which features as the trailer park where Vinnie lives. Several private residences were used for filming, including Beacon House as Pearl’s House for Series 1, the exterior of The Ness as Mike’s Flat in Series 2 Episode 2, The Warehouse Cottages for the same episode, and various private residences on Island Wall for Series 2 Eps 1 and 2. Filming took place at The Old Neptune pub, which doubled as the Pearson’s Arms for both series. Whitstable train station also features briefly in Series 2 Ep 2 as Pearl trails a suspected cheating spouse.

The Kent Events Centre was used as a studio build location in Series 1 for interiors of Pearl’s seafood restaurant.

Meanwhile, Margate in Thanet features in both series with Margate Beach and The Walpole Hotel doubling for Whitstable seaside scenes in Series 1, Dreamland and the Nayland Rock Hotel featuring in Series 2 as a theme park and The Bradford Hotel. For Series 1, production also filmed at St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church on Canterbury Road in nearby Westgate-on-Sea. The Port of Ramsgate and Royal Harbour Marina double for the Port of Dover cruise terminal and Dover Marina in Series 1.

Dover features multiple times in Series 2, with locations such as The White Cliffs, Port of Dover, Lydden Spout Battery and Western Heights making an appearance in Episode 1, along with various nearby roads. The Citadel also appears in both series, doubling as a police station. The Citadel also features in Series 1 as a children’s home, and in Series 2 Episode 1 the location’s tunnels feature as the setting for the dramatic confrontation between Kruz Tomlin (Yaw Nimako-Asamoah) and his stepfather Leo (Oliver Walker).

For Series 2, production also visited various locations in Sevenoaks, including a private house which doubled as Dolly’s House, Stonepitts PYO Farm and the St Clere Estate which doubles as Zelda St John’s (Stephanie Beacham) mansion.

Rochester High Street in Medway appears in Series 2, with local businesses Baggin’s Book Bazaar, Kiss the Bride and a former Estate Agents featuring in Episodes 2 and 3.

Interior scenes for Series 1 were filmed at the former St Martin’s Hospital in Canterbury doubling as a police station and a hospital. Other filming locations for Series 1 include a field near Faversham at Belmont Park and private residence in Herne Bay.

Whitstable is a 16th century thriving seaside resort in Kent. Known for its native oysters, Whitstable boasts a working fishing harbour, shingle beach and busy high street. Recent productions to film in the town include The Great Pottery Throw Down – Series 3 (2020) and The Thames: Britain’s Great River With Tony Robinson (2019).

Beacon House is a colonial clapboard wooden turn of the century Beach House.  Set above beach on a private sea road, the grounds include wild woodland gardens and views out to sea and lines of beach huts. Catastrophe Series 4 (2019) filmed at this location.

The Kent Events Centre based in Detling is the largest, most flexible conference and exhibition venue in Kent, offering 7,000 sqm of indoor space available to film productions as studio space and 200 acres of outdoor space.

Margate is a traditional seaside town complete with sandy beach, harbour, amusement park, period housing and ultra-modern art gallery Turner Contemporary. The Walpole Hotel was built for discerning guests in 1914 and extended in 1927.  Built over 5 floors it has 42 Bedrooms, 2 flats and a newly added small museum space. Dreamland is considered to be the oldest-surviving amusement park in Great Britain, and has played host to a variety of productions, including Killing Eve (2018-2022), Two Weeks to Live (2020) and Jellyfish (2018). Located nearby, The Nayland Rock Hotel also featured in Killing Eve (2018-2022), as well as King of Thieves (2018).

Westgate-on-Sea is a charming Victorian town, steeped in Heritage with quaint shops and two fantastic blue flag beaches. Margate is popular as a film locations with recent productions including Two Weeks to Live (2020), Pandemonium (2020) and Top Boy (2019-2022).

The Port of Ramsgate offers 32 acres of dedicated Port Land including 3 modern Ro-Ro bridges and Water and bunker facilities on all berths. It is often used as ‘stand-in’ for the Port of Dover. Royal Harbour Marina offers 700 finger moorings set in a picturesque and historic harbour setting. Crime dramas to previously film at the Port of Ramsgate include The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017) and Baptiste (2019).

Dover houses the major port, connecting the UK with the European mainland. Dover Castle towers above the town, signalling Dover’s strategic importance in the defence of the country and the White Cliffs are one of the most recognised landmarks in Britain. Recent productions to have filmed in Dover include Pistol (2022), Rogue Agent (2022), and The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016).

The Citadel, located on Dover‘s Western Heights was constructed in the late 1700’s as a port of defence during the Napoleonic war. Most recently it has been used as a borstal, prison, and immigration detention centre up until its closure in 2015. It is now becoming popular as a filming location and has welcomed several productions over the past year – soon to broadcast.

The town of Sevenoaks has a varied landscape, featuring a bustling high street, stately homes and castles as well as beautiful countryside. Located in that countryside is the St Clere Estate, which offers stunning views of the North Downs, formal gardens, paddocks, a kitchen garden, orangery, green houses, and a temple by the lake. Built in 1630, it has some fine architectural examples of the Caroline era. It has recently played host to a variety of productions including The Great (2020-2023), Gangs of London (2020-2022) and The Third Day (2020).

Rochester is a city with the feel of a medieval market town, including a cathedral, castle ruin and unspoilt high street by the River Medway. Other productions to have filmed in Rochester include Unforgotten (2021), Jekyll and Hyde (2015) and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012).

Herne Bay is a coastal resort popular for filming along the Kent coast. Kate & Koji (2020-2022) is a recent production to film here. Faversham is a beautiful historic market town set on Faversham Creek. TV productions to film in the area include Hetty Feather Series 1 – 6 (2015 – 2020) and Celebrity Antiques Road Show – Series 8 (2018).

St Martin’s Hospital is a large building on the outskirts of busy Canterbury town centre. It has hosted filming for crime drama The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016) and The Tunnel: Vengeance (2017).

Series 1 of Whitstable Pearl was released on Acorn TV on Monday 24th May 2021.

Whitstable Pearl Series 2 will be released as a box set on Acorn TV on Monday 28th November 2022.

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


Pennyworth Series 1 – 2 (2019 – 2021)

Alfred Pennyworth points a gun on this poster image with a montage of characters in the background. Red backdrop with faint image of castle in the background

Pennyworth (2019–2021 ) ©IMDb

Creator / Writer: Bruno Heller
Directors: Danny Cannon, Rob Bailey, Bill Eagles, Jon East, Clare Kilner, China Moo-Young
Starring: Jack Bannon, Ben Aldridge, Hainsley Lloyd Bennett, Paloma Faith
Production Company: Warner Bros
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Pennyworth (2019-2021) tells the origin story of Alfred Pennyworth a former special‑forces soldier living in London in the 1960s and how he came to work for Bruce Wayne’s father, Thomas Wayne.

This TV series for Starzplay was created by Bruno Heller and co-written by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Danny Cannon and Seth Sinclair. Pennyworth was directed by a collaboration of directors Danny Cannon, Rob Bailey, Bill Eagles, Jon East, Clare Kilner and China Moo-Young.

Jack Bannon (The Imitation GameFury, Endeavour) stars as Alfred Pennyworth with co-star Ben Aldridge (Our GirlFleabagToast) playing Thomas Wayne. Pennyworth also stars Hainsley Lloyd Bennett (King of Crime, Catastrophe), Ryan Fletcher (Beats, Outlander) and singer songwriter Paloma Faith (Peter & WendyDoctor Parnassus).

During Series One production visited The Historic Chatham Dockyard for filming where exterior scenes were shot around the Ropery, including a chase scene on the roof, Old Pay Office, Admiral’s Office and Anchor Wharf to stand in as 1960s London.

During Series Two production visited former MOD site Lodge Hill in Rochester, Medway to shoot some scenes.

Chatham is home to one of Kent’s most popular film locations The Historic Dockyard Chatham. The Medway area has previously been seen on screen in The Third Day (2020), Great British Railway Journeys Series 11 (2020) and Call the Midwife Series 1 – 13 (2012 – 2024).

The Historic Chatham Dockyard is a historic tourist attraction on the site of a former Royal Naval Dockyard and has been the location for several recent productions set in the 1950s and 1960s including Call the Midwife (2012-2024) and The Crown (2016-2023). Lodge Hill in Rochester is a huge former MOD site of around 350 hectares offering numerous large warehouses, hard standing for set builds, two lakes, a helicopter landing area and miles of country roads and dirt tracks for driving sequences.

Pennyworth Series One was released on Starzplay on 25th October 2019.

Series Two was released on Sunday 28th February 2021.

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


Interior Design Masters (2019)

Picture Shows: Backrow (L) to (R) Cassie Nicholas, Jim Biddulph, Verity Coleman, Frank Newbold, Nicki Bamford-Bowes all standing at the back of a bricked room with blue pictures on the wall. Front row (L) to (R) Trish Coggans, Terian Tilston, Jerome Gardner, Kyle Broughton-Frew and Ju De Paula sitting on sofas looking into the camera.

©BBC / DSP / Tom Scott

Presenter: Fearne Cotton
Starring: Michelle Ogundehin, Mary Portas, Jade Jagger, Matthew Williamson
Production Company: Darlow Smithson Productions / Endemol Shine
Kent Locations Used: Whitstable

On Interior Design Masters (2019-), ten designers take on different design projects and compete with each other to gain a commission with a client for a job.

Among the contestants is Jim Biddulph, 32, from Margate. He left a previous job as a design writer to pursue his new career which was 10 years in the making and seized the opportunity to be involved in the programme. Fellow contestant Frank Newbold also boasts Kent connections as he previously lived in Rochester.

The guest judges on Interior Design Masters are Michelle Ogundehin (The Great Interior Design Challenge), Mary Portas (Hotel GB, Mary Portas: Secret Shopper), Jade Jagger (Gomorron, Divendres) and Matthew Williamson. Presenting is Fearne Cotton (Celebrity Juice, Lemon La Vida Loca).

In Episode 7 , the semi final, the three remaining candidates are asked to each remodel a hairdressers in Whitstable High Street. Guest judge Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen will help to decide whether the classic look of Len’s Barber Shop, the futuristic theme of Jelly Beanz or the industrial remodel of Edge is good enough to get the designer to the final.

Whitstable is on the north coast of Kent. The town is famous for its oysters, celebrated during the famous Oyster Festival during the summer.

The series was created by BBC 2 and Netflix, consisting of eight episodes.

Episode One of Interior Design Masters will be shown on BBC Two on Wednesday 14th August 2019 at 8pm on BBC2.

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


Welcome to Curiosity (2018)

Amrita Acharia as Zoe walks down an empty country road. She wears a red and white skirt, oversized denim jacket and black boots.

Amrita Acharia in Welcome to Curiosity (2018) © Shooting Tiger Pictures

Welcome to Curiosity (2018) follows four interconnected stories as a group of people in the small town of Curiosity find themselves linked to a notorious serial killer. It was the world’s first film to raise its entire production budget through crowdfunding.

The film was directed by Ben Pickering (Two Days in the Smoke, Election Night) and written by Darren Ripley (Two Days in the Smoke). The lead cast includes Christian Solimeno (Guilt, Hollyoaks) as Dexter, Eke Chukwu (Inside Man, How We Met) as Al, Gary Grant (Enemy Lines, The Lazarus Project) as Tim and Amrita Acharia (Game of Thrones, The Sister) as Zoe.

Various scenes were shot on the streets of Gravesend and Rochester. Fort Borstal also features, doubling as an abandoned warehouse where the criminals return after their heist and Fordy (Richard Blackwood) tries to double-cross them.

Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent on the south bank of the Thames. Gravesend’s pier is the oldest remaining cast-iron pier in the world, and the town also boasts an unspoilt promenade, high street and two shopping centres. Previous productions to have filmed here include The Escape (2018), The Interceptor (2015) and The Long Memory (1953).

Rochester City has the feel of a medieval market town, with cathedral, castle ruin and unspoilt high street by the River Medway. Built in 1895, Fort Borstal was designed to hold the high ground southwest of Rochester. Used as an anti-aircraft battery in WWII, then later a pig farm and Young Offenders Institute storage space, the site has now been sold and converted into living accommodation. Previous productions to have filmed in Rochester include Jekyll and Hyde (2015), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Last Orders (2002).

Welcome to Curiosity (2018) was released on Friday 8th June 2018 and is available to purchase on Amazon Prime.

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


Secret Britain (2016)

Secret Britain,Chris Hollins on North Kent Marshes (RSPB & Dickens stories)

Secret Britain,Chris Hollins on North Kent Marshes (RSPB & Dickens stories) © BBC/James Harrison

Production Company: BBC

Kent Locations: Sheldwich, Bonnington, Little Chart, Tonbridge, Rochester, The White Cliffs of Dover, Cooling and North Kent Marshes, St Thomas Becket in Fairfield, Thanet

Secret Britain is a BBC series which explores the hidden corners of the UK in search of the best landscapes in the country.

Now in its third series, the production visited Kent between September and October 2015 to explore some of what Kent’s glorious countryside has to offer.

Presenters Ellie Harrison, Chris Hollins and Denise Lewis filmed at a variety of Kent locations including Sheldwich, Bonnington, Little Chart, Tonbridge, Rochester, Cooling and North Kent Marshes, The White Cliffs of Dover, Fairfield and Thanet Offshore Wind Farm.

Denise Lewis, Will Tebbutt (L-R) abseiling for rock samphire off the White Cliffs of Dover

Denise Lewis, Will Tebbutt (L-R) abseiling for rock samphire off the White Cliffs of Dover © BBC/James Harrison

The village of Sheldwich lies south of Faversham and is on the edge of the beautiful Kent Downs. The Faversham area has been used as a film location for A Taste of Britain (2014), Southcliffe (2013) and Great Expectations (2012).

In the Ashford district of Kent is the village of Bonnington with the The Royal Military Canal running through it as well as Little Chart which is home to the Ruins of St Mary’s Church. The Ashford area  has previously been used as a film location by such The Apprentice (2015), as Emma (2009) and the infamous Kentish series, The Darling Buds of May (1991 – 1993).

The West Kent market town of Tonbridge has a rich cultural heritage and spectacular scenery with beautiful countryside, castles, stately homes, gardens, farms, as well as sports and leisure facilities. Productions that have previously filmed in the area include Great British Railway Journeys (2014) and BBC drama Missing (2010).

In the Medway district is the historic town of Rochester and village of Cooling which overlooks the gorgeous North Kent Marshes. The Medway area has previously been seen on screen in Jekyll and Hyde (2015), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Sherlock Holmes (2009).

The world famous White Cliffs of Dover offers spectacular views of the English Channel and Dover Castle. This location has previously featured in Sherlock Holmes – A Game of Shadows (2011), On A Clear Day (2005) and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965).

St Thomas Becket in Fairfield is an isolated historic church in the middle of the Romney Marsh which dates back to 1200. The Romney Marsh area has been used as a film location for projects such as The Honourable Woman (2014), Parades End (2012) and Dr Syn: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh (1964).

The Thanet Offshore Wind Farm consists of 100 wind turbines which stretches for seven miles. The Thanet area has previously featured on screen in productions such as The Lady in the Van (2015) and Eastenders (2015).

Don’t miss the Kent episode of Secret Britain which will air on Wednesday 6th April 2016 at 21:00 on BBC One.

 

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


Children in Need – The Rickshaw Challenge (2015)

Pudsey the bear in the studio with Team Rickshaw sat on the sofa behind him

The One Show’s Rickshaw challenge 2015 – Team Rickshaw. (l-r) Alex Jones, Lucy, George G, Pudsey, Erin, Amira, Matt Baker, George D, Elliot © BBC

Kent Locations: Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Chatham, The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Rochester, Gravesend, Dartford

Returning in 2015 for its fifth year is The One Show Rickshaw Challenge, in aid of BBC Children in Need. With help from The One Show presenters Matt Baker and Alex Jones, six young riders embark upon an epic 470-mile journey pedalling a rickshaw.

Across eight days the team will cycle from Land’s End to the East End, beginning their pursuit on Friday 6th November 2015. The end of Day Six will see the team touch down in Brighton, before beginning the sixty miles plus journey to The Historic Dockyard Chatham the following day. The expedition will take the team through a number of towns in Kent, including parts of Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Chatham, Rochester, Gravesend and Dartford .

The cumulative total of money raised so far by The Rickshaw Challenge is over £7.9 million, all of which goes towards supporting disadvantaged young people in the UK.

Tunbridge Wells is a town in West Kent, home to a host of historic buildings, specialist shops, churches and a busy town centre. Productions which have previously filmed in the area include Britain’s Best Bakery (2012), Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip (2015) and Hunted (2012).

Maidstone is the county town of Kent, home to a number of parks and shopping facilities, as well as The Maidstone Studios which is the UK’s largest independent High Definition TV studio facility. Productions which have filmed in the area include Take Me Out (2015), Later… with Jools Holland (2015) and Couples Come Dine With Me (2014).

Rochester offers beautiful cobbled streets, parks and the Cathedral and castle while Chatham is home to The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Day Seven’s final destination before Team Rickshaw makes their way up to Elstree to finally complete the challenge.  The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a popular filming location on account of its Georgian and Victorian architecture and authentic cobbled streets (which the rickshaw riders might be hoping to avoid!). The Medway area has previously been seen on screen in Jekyll and Hyde (2015), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Sherlock Holmes (2009).

The town of Gravesend is situated in North West Kent, with exceptional transport links up to London. Gravesend has previously hosted productions including Babylon (2014), The Interceptor (2015) and Great British Railway Journeys (2014).

Dartford is situated close to Bromley and Bexley and boasts great travel links in and out of Kent. Full of quaint architecture and great guesthouses and hotels, Dartford has hosted other productions in the past such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) and The Inbetweeners (2010).

Tune into The One Show on BBC One at 19:00, BBC One to follow Team Rickshaw’s progress from Friday 6th November until Friday 13th November, when the Children in Need Appeal Show will be airing.

 

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


Jekyll and Hyde (2015)

 

Tom Bateman as Jekyll and Hyde - standing on a cobbled street with a bridge in the background at night

Tom Bateman as Jekyll and Hyde © ITV

Director: Colin Teague

Writer: Charlie Higson

Starring: Tom Bateman, Richard E Grant, Natalie Gumede

Production company: ITV Studios

Kent Locations Used: Rochester, The Guildhall Museum, The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Elmley Nature Reserve,  Fort Amherst

ITV’s new ten-part series Jekyll and Hyde is set in the 1930’s and features Robert Jekyll, the grandson of the original famed Dr Jekyll.

This new action adventure starts with Robert Jekyll living with his foster parents in India, ignorant of his family history and his mysterious, inherited condition. The drama begins when Robert Jekyll unveils the nature of his ‘curse’ which sees him transform into Hyde in moments of extreme anger, stress and when lives are threatened.

The show was conceived by Charlie Higson (Young Bond, The Enemy) and inspired by The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Higson executive produces the series alongside Francis Hopkinson (Henry VIII, Colditz, Wallander) and Foz Allan (Wolfblood, The Dumping Ground, Robin Hood) as Series Producer.

Jekyll and Hyde cast on a cobbled street with old building behind them

Jekyll and Hyde cast © ITV

Directed by Colin Teague (Torchwood, The Last Drop) and starring Tom Bateman (Da Vinci’s Demons, The Tunnel) as Jekyll and Hyde alongside Richard E Grant (Doctor Who, Downton Abbey) and Natalie Gumede (Doctor Who, Coronation Street).

The Jekyll and Hyde production team chose to film in Kent between February and July 2015 at Rochester High Street where the exterior of Vraitch Vision doubles as Empire music hall in London and The Guildhall Museum features as the hotel where Dr Jekyll (Tom Bateman) first lodges when arriving in England. The Historic Dockyard Chatham was used to double as Gravesend Docks, Tenebrae offices and factory and various areas of the site feature as London Streets and markets.

Elmley Nature Reserve features in episode three as the setting for Maggie’s (Niamh Walsh) country house, where Robert Jekyll, Garson (Donald Sumpter), Max Utterson (Christian McKay) and Hils (Ruby Bentall) visit before a showdown with The Cutter (Jason La Shard).  The Fort Amherst tunnels are used in episodes 9 and 10 where Jekyll finds out about the powers of The Incubus.

Rochester is a historic city with a Medieval Cathedral and castle. Productions such as  BBC’s The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012) and Great Expectations (1989) have previously filmed in the city.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is set across an 80 acre site with Georgian and Victorian historic buildings, a dry dock, cobbled streets and industrial buildings. The location has previously been used in Call the Midwife , Mr Turner (2015) and Les Miserables (2013).

Elmley Nature Reserve is a large expanse of marshland located on the Isle of Sheppey. The marshes have previously been used by productions such as Great Expectations (2012), Great British Railway Journeys (2014) and A Taste of Britain (2014).

Based in Chatham, Medway is Georgian Fortress, Fort Amherst which is in a 17 acre park like setting with large tunnel complex, woodland, WW2 gun battery and sloping grassland. Fort Amherst has also been used as a filming location by Partners in Crime (2015), Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) and The Mission (1987).

Don’t miss Jekyll and Hyde which starts on Sunday 25th October at 18:30 on ITV.

 

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


Hoff the Record (2015)

David Hasselhoff singing into a microphone in a club with pink balloons behind him

David Hasselhoff as The Hoff ©UKTV

Starring: David Hasselhoff

Production Company: Me & You Productions Ltd

Kent Locations Used: Fort Borstal, Rochester

‘When you’re at the top there’s only one place you can go.’

Baywatch star, David Hasselhoff, will return to UK television screens playing a fictionalized version of himself, The Hoff, in his new six part mockumentary series titled Hoff the Record.

This semi-improvised comedy show commissioned specially by UKTV for Dave, will be based on The Hoff attempting to reignite his career, whilst being constantly challenged by his director, Josh Brooke-Webb, played by Craig Roberts (Submarine, 22 Jump Street), as they film a biopic of his life. As he lands in the UK to start a new life, The Hoff receives none of his preferential Hollywood treatment; instead, much to his dismay, he is landed with a star-struck driver and a first-time Personal Assistant. Hasselhoff’s fictionalised character has hit rock bottom. Will his luck change?

The Hoff the Record team filmed at Fort Borstal near Rochester for three days in November 2014. Kent is featured in the 5th episode where a combat scene was staged outside the old prison.

Don’t miss the Hoff the Record, which starts on Thursday 18th June 2015 at 21:00 on Dave and the Kent episode which airs on Thursday 16th July 2015 at  21:00 on Dave. 

 

 

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


Great British Railway Journeys (2014)

Great British Railway Journeys- presenter walking towards the camera with white cliffs behind

Great British Railway Journeys © BBC/Boundless, part of FremantleMedia UK

Production Company: Talkback Thames

Kent locations used: Gravesend, Rochester, Faversham, Dover, Tonbridge

This BBC Two series follows journalist and broadcaster Michael Portillo as he travels the country by train and looks into how Britain’s railways have shaped the country as well as the impact trains have had on our lives. 

On the journey between cathedral cities Norwich and Chichester, Michael Portillo travels across the South East and visits some delightful Kent locations. In episode 18 of the fifth series, he visits Gravesend where he discovers how army officer General Gordon influenced the town before he travels to Rochester to explore the one time home of renowned writer Charles Dickens.

Michael Portillo, John Owen in front of the entrance to Shepherd Neame brewery

Michael Portillo, John Owen at Shepherd Neame brewery © BBC/Boundless, part of FremantleMedia UK

In the next episode, Michael starts his journey in Faversham where he visits one of the oldest breweries in the country, Shepherd Neame, to investigate how railways helped the brewery transport beer. He then visits Dover to explore the fortification at Western Heights before heading to Tonbridge where he learns how railways helped Tonbridge School to cricketing glory. 

Gravesend is on the south bank of the River Thames and has a cast iron pier, promenade and high street as well as international links at the nearby Ebbsfleet International station. Gravesend has welcomed other film productions such as  Long Lost Family: Born without Trace (2020).

Rochester is a historic City that boasts an impressive cathedral and castle that links back to the medieval period. The City has strong connections with Charles Dickens, and many TV and film adaptations of his famous novels have filmed in the area.

Faversham is a beautiful, historic market town which boasts nearly 500 listed buildings and is set on the picturesque Faversham Creek. It has many restaurants, shops, attractions and beautiful walks and has been used for various productions including Channel 4 drama Southcliffe (2013) and the nearby Oare Marshes were used in feature film Great Expectations (2012).

Dover is home to the infamous White Cliffs of Dover and Europe’s busiest passenger port. The area has been used for many filming projects such as  Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008).

Tonbridge is a West Kent market town with a rich cultural heritage and spectacular scenery. The area is surrounded beautiful countryside and boasts castles, stately homes, gardens, farms, as well as sports and leisure facilities. Productions that have previously filmed in the area include Missing (2010).

Don’t miss the Kent episodes of Great British Railway Journeys which will be shown on Wednesday 29 January 2014 at 18:30 on BBC Two and Thursday 30 January 2014 at 18:30 on BBC Two.

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