The Serial Killer’s Wife (2023)

Annabel Scholey as Beth and Jack Farthing as Tom stand on a train station platform. Tom is clasping her hands and staring seriously into her eyes. Tom wears a navy-blue polo shirt and Beth wears a grey knitted jumper.

The Serial Killer’s Wife (2023) © BlackBox Multimedia / Clapperboard Studios / Paramount+

Writer: Suzanne Cowie, Alice Hunter (novel)
Starring:
Annabel Scholey, Jack Farthing, Luke Treadaway,
Production Company:
BlackBox Multimedia, Clapperboard Studios
Kent Locations Used:
Folkestone, Folkestone Harbour, The Warren Country Park, Saltwood, Sandgate, The Breaker’s Beach House, Knowlton Court, Abbot’s Cliff, South Foreland Lighthouse, The White Cliffs of Dover

Set in an idyllic English town, The Serial Killer’s Wife (2023) follows Beth Fairchild as her life is turned upside-down when her husband is arrested for murder. Initially believing him to be innocent, Beth soon discovers that her husband may not be who she thought he was.

Based on the book by Alice Hunter and adapted for the screen by Suzanne Cowie (The Good Ship Murder, The Dumping Ground), The Serial Killer’s Wife stars Annabel Scholey (Walking on Sunshine, Personal Affairs) as Beth Fairchild, Jack Farthing (Spencer, Poldark) as Tom Fairchild and Luke Treadaway (Attack the Block, A Street Cat Named Bob) as Adam, Tom’s childhood best friend.

The series filmed across East Kent. In Folkestone, locations featured include a private house on Church Road which doubles for Tom’s old house in Oxford and Mr Alderton’s house, a warehouse adjacent to The Valiant Sailor which doubles for the Vault nightclub, Christ Church CEP Academy, Folkestone Harbour and The Warren Country Park.

Filming also took place in the nearby village of Saltwood. A private house features as Adam’s house and the Hide and Fox Restaurant doubles as Beth’s café.

In Sandgate, The Breakers Beach House doubles as Ollie (Eben Figueiredo) and Libby’s (Elizabeth Roberts) house. Filming also took place on Sandgate beach for brief establishing shots.

Knowlton Court in Canterbury features as the home of Beth and Tom throughout the series. Additionally, roads on the estate were used for scenes of police cars speeding along, the woodland was used for the opening scene of a woman jogging, and the Church features in Episode 4 in a wedding scene.

Other filming locations include Abbot’s Cliff, South Foreland Lighthouse, The White Cliffs of Dover and Upper Road in Dover.

Folkestone is a seaside town with elegant clifftop promenade, lower coastal park, fishing harbour and Victorian cliff-top lifts. It is a popular filming location, with recent productions to film there including Who Is Erin Carter? (2023), Pistol (2022) and The Fight (2019).

Formerly a ferry port connecting the town to various destinations in France and Belgium, Folkestone Harbour Arm and the now non-operational train station have been recently restored and is now home to a growing collection of vibrant independent businesses. Other productions to have filmed there include Back to Life – Series 1 & 2 (2019-2021), Sex Education Season 3 (2021) and Seagull (2019).

The Warren Country Park is a coastal country park backed by cliffs incorporating woods, beach and concrete sea defences. Everyone’s Going to Die (2013) and Darling Buds of May (1991-1993) filmed at the Country Park.

Saltwood is located immediately to the north of Hythe on the high land looking over the Romney Marsh and surrounded by farm land. The parish includes Sandling which has a railway station on the mainline to London. It is the location of Saltwood Castle, once the home of MP Alan Clark and Sandling Park, a large estate which stretches around the village up to its second hamlet, Pedlinge. Previous productions that filmed in Saltwood Castle were The Alan Clark Diaries (2004) and My Week with Marilyn (2011).

The Breakers is a beach house in Sandgate. Set over three floors, the house has a terrace and two balconies offering uninterrupted sea views and direct access to the beach. Nestled between Folkestone and Hythe, the village of Sandgate has a shingle beach offering views over the Channel and a high street with antique shops, inns and restaurants.

Set in a nineteen-hundred-acre estate and surrounded by beautiful parkland, Knowlton Court is a magnificent historic home with a Great Hall, French and Flemish tapestries and a carved stone fireplace. Other productions to have filmed there include Jagame Thandhiram (2021), The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016) and Upstairs, Downstairs – The Sudden Storm (1974).

Abbot’s Cliff has a WWII sound mirror and isolated single lane track on top of white cliffs and is situated between Folkestone and Dover. King of Thieves (2018) and Back to Life – Series 1 & 2 (2019-2021).

A Victorian lighthouse on the White Cliffs of Dover, South Foreland Lighthouse was the first lighthouse powered by electricity and the site of the first international radio transmission. Managed by the National Trust, the site has previously played host to Rogue Agent (2022), Rustom (2016) and Mr Selfridge (2013-2016).

The famous White Cliffs of Dover offer views of Dover Castle, the Port and the English Channel. It is one of England’s most iconic locations and is therefore very popular for filming, having recently featured Whitstable Pearl (2021-2022) and The Tunnel (2013).

The Serial Killer’s Wife (2023) was released on Paramount+ on Friday 15th December 2023.

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


Rogue Agent (2022)

Gemma Arterton as Alice and James Norton as Robert Freegard stand against a navy-blue background. Alice has long dark hair and wears a high-neck navy blue top. Robert wears a grey suit. The two actors’ faces are distorted by a large black swirl pattern.

Gemma Arterton and James Norton in Rogue Agent (2022) © IFC Films

Director: Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson
Writer: Michael Bronner
Starring: Gemma Arterton, James Norton, Sarah Goldberg, Shazad Latif, Jimmy Akingbola
Production Company: Rabbit Track Pictures
Kent Locations Used: Dover, St. Margaret’s Bay, South Foreland Lighthouse

Rogue Agent (2022) depicts the chilling true story of career conman Robert Freegard, who masqueraded as an MI5 agent in order to extort and kidnap countless victims. When one woman falls for his charms however, she becomes the only person capable of finally bringing him down.

Directed by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson (The Salisbury Poisonings), Rogue Agent stars James Norton (The Nevers (2021), Little Women) as Robert Freegard and Gemma Arterton (Summerland (2020), The Escape (2017)) as Alice, the woman who falls for his charms. Also appearing in the film are Sarah Goldberg (Barry, The Night House), Shazad Latif (Penny Dreadful, Spooks) and Jimmy Akingbola (Kate & Koji (2020-2022), In the Long Run (2019)).

Production visited several locations across Dover for their filming. A driving scene was shot on Upper Road, where Robert Freegard (James Norton) gives Alice (Gemma Arterton) the chance to drive his red Ferrari. The exterior of South Foreland Lighthouse features as the holiday let Freegard stays in with Alice and Jenny (Sarah Goldberg), and St. Margaret’s Bay appears in the scene where Freegard and Jenny take a walk along the beach and discuss her student debt.

Dover’s most recognisable landmarks are its White Cliffs. The Port of Dover connects the UK with the European mainland. First built in the 1180s, Dover Castle still towers above the town, signalling Dover’s strategic importance in the defence of the country. Previous productions to have filmed in Dover include the Sky crime series The Tunnel: Sabotage (2016), Series 1 and 2 of the BBC drama Missing (2009-2010), and the Doctor Who episode Mind of Evil (1971).

St. Margaret’s Bay is a small shingle-beach bay backed by the famous white chalk cliffs of Dover and supposedly where the sun first touches mainland UK each morning. It was once the home of Noel Coward, Peter Ustinov, as well as James Bond author Ian Fleming. As well as BBC’s Missing (2009-2010) series, two episodes of Poirot were filmed here, The Kidnapped Prime Minister (1990) and The Clocks (2009).

South Foreland Lighthouse is a Victorian lighthouse perched on The White Cliffs of Dover. Now owned by the National Trust,  it the first lighthouse powered by electricity, as well as the site of the first international radio transmission. The Bollywood film Rustom (2016) features the Lighthouse, as well as Series 3 Episode 7 of the ITV period drama Mr Selfridge (2013-2016).

Rogue Agent was released on Netflix on Wednesday 27th July 2022.

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


Britain’s Favourite Walks: Top 100 (2018)

Presenter Julia Bradbury on the beach at Ramsgate starting the Ramsgate to to Margate Walk. Julia wears an outdoor coat and backpack

Pictured: Julia Bradbury on the beach at Ramsgate starting the Ramsgate to to Margate Walk © ITV

Assistant Producer:  Holly Bryson

Starring:  Julia Bradbury, Ore Oduba

Production Company:  ITV Studios / Shiver Productions

Kent Locations Used:
  Ramsgate,  Kingsgate Bay, Botany Bay, Margate and White Cliffs of Dover, South Foreland Lighthouse, St Margarets at Cliffe, Deal

This new two-and-a-half-hour special for ITV pulls on its hiking boots for a countdown of Britain’s favourite walks. Britain’s Favourite Walks: Top 100, presented by Julia Bradbury (Countryfile) and Ore Oduba (The One Show), showcases the finest rambles, scrambles and ambles across the countryside and through cities to bring viewers the ultimate guide to the British outdoors.

Based on the results of the largest survey ever conducted, the top 100 have been voted for by more than 8,000 walking enthusiasts. Famous faces, including Ade Edmondson, Janet Street Porter and Robert Bathurst hit the trails to reveal their own favourites, joined by walking experts, nature aficionados and members of the public with extraordinary stories to provide a vivid insight into the the history of the trails.

The programme visits various locations in Kent on two walks, firstly the Ramsgate to Margate Walk featuring beautiful spots such as Kingsgate Bay and Botany Bay. The second walk, the Dover to Deal Walk features the stunning National Trust sites of the stunning  White Cliffs of Dover  and the  charming South Foreland Lighthouse, as well as picturesque St Margarets at Cliffe and Deal.

The Kent Coastline is a popular location with TV productions for its dramatic scenery and convenient connections by road to London. Most recently it played a starring role in Sky Atlantic’s The Tunnel: Vengeance 2017 filmed entirely in Kent and Calais.

Kingsgate Bay, a small sandy bay surrounded by chalk cliffs that connects at low tide through Whiteness cliff arch to Botany Bay, was featured in Mr Selfridge Series 4 (2016), while both the White Cliffs of Dover and St Margarets Bay featured in Missing Series 1 & 2 (2009-2010).

The photograph shows Ramsgate Marina with small boats harboured

Pictured: Ramsgate Marina © ITV

Britain’s Favourite Walks: Top 100 will be broadcast on ITV at 7.30pm on Tuesday 30th January 2018.

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

 


Rustom (2016)

Rustom film poster with army officer on the cover. Image of women is faintly shown behind. Rustom is written on top in white

Rustom film poster © Friday Filmworks

Director: Dharmendra Suresh Desai

Writer: Vipul K. Rawal

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Ileana,  Arjan Bajwa

Production Co.: Cape of Good Films, Kriarj Entertainment, Plan C Studios, Zee Studios

Kent Locations Used: The Chequers Inn pub in Aylesford, Canterbury, Maidstone River Path and County Hall, Leeds Castle, Dover seafront, South Foreland Lighthouse, The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Rustom is a Hindi  murder mystery romance inspired by the true 1959 legal KM Nanavati v. State of Maharashtra, which changed the face of the India judicial system. Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati (Akshay Kumar) was a naval officer who was tried for killing his English-born wife’s lover, Prem Ahuja.  The murder case is still famous on the subcontinent and the film’s tagline is “3 shots that shocked the nation”.

The film is directed by Dharmendra Suresh Desai (Special 26, Players), written by Vipul K. Rawal and stars Akshay Kumar (Singh Is Kinng, Housefull 2), Ileana (Barfi!, Devadasu), and Arjan Bajwa (Son of Sardaar, Bobby Jasoos).

The Rustom production filmed on location in Kent in April 2016 for the romantic montage where Rustom (Akshay Kumar) and Cynthia (Ileana D’Cruz) visit England including The Chequers Inn pub in Aylesford, Canterbury, Maidstone River Path and County Hall, Leeds Castle, Dover seafront and  South Foreland Lighthouse.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham features as the Bombay naval port and HMS Cavalier as the destroyer on which he serves. A snowy Commissioners House also features in a montage and Slip 5 in a dinner scene between Rear Admiral Prashant Kamath (Parmeet Sethi)and Cynthia (Ilene D’Cruz).

Aylesford is a picturesque village located on the banks of the River Medway complete with a Norman Church and Victorian houses. It has previously featured in Half A Sixpence (1967).

Canterbury is a historic cathedral city with parks and open spaces, shopping areas, bars and restaurants and has previously featured on screen in projects such as Take Me Out (2010-2019) Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip (2015) The Apprentice (2014).

The county town of Kent, Maidstone has many parks, shopping areas and sports facilities and is home to The Maidstone Studios. Maidstone has been used to film The Great Interior Design Challenge (2014), Couples Come Dine With Me (2014) and Don’t Tell the Bride (2013), to name a few.

Leeds Castle is a romantic castle with medieval themed rooms, 1920’s style interiors and original marble bathrooms. The large 500 acres estate boasts beautiful gardens, a moat, woodlands, maze with shell grotto and an aviary. The castle has been used to film The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016), Henry VIII (2003) and Lady Jane (1987).

South Foreland Lighthouse in Dover, is a Victorian lighthouse landmark along the White Cliffs of Dover. The Dover area has been used for projects including Mr Selfridge Series 3 (2015), The Apprentice (2015) and On A Clear Day (2005).

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a 17th century dockyard set over 80 acres, containing over 100 buildings dating from the Georgian and Victorian Periods. It has been used extensively for filming, appearing in productions such as Call the Midwife (2016), Les Miserables (2013) and Downton Abbey (2013).

Rustom was released worldwide on 12th August 2016 and is now available for DVD purchase.

 

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


Mr Selfridge (2013-2016)

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

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

Jeremy Piven as Harry Selfridge talks to Journalists © ITV

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 6th January 2013.

The final season of Mr Selfridge (2013-2016) began airing on ITV1 on Friday 8th 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.


The Shuttered Room (1967)

Carol Lynley as Susannah and Gig Young as Mike walk along a wooden boardwalk over a creek. Mike has his arms wrapped protectively around a frightened looking Susannah. On the opposite end of the boardwalk stand three men looking at them.

Carol Lynley and Gig Young in The Shuttered Room (1967) © Troy-Schenck Productions / IMDb

Director: David Greene
Writers: D.B. Ledrov, Nat Tanchuck, August Derleth
Starring: Oliver Reed, Gig Young, Carol Lynley, Flora Robson
Production Company: Troy-Schenck Productions
Kent Locations Used: South Foreland Lighthouse, Hollowshore Boatyard and the Shipwright’s Arms in Faversham

The Shuttered Room (1967), also known as Blood Island, is a British horror film about Susannah Kelton (Carol Lynley) who, upon the death of her estranged parents, inherits an old mill. Ignoring the warnings from the townspeople that the mill is cursed, Susannah soon discovers a family secret that has remained hidden since her childhood.

Based on the short story by August Derleth, The Shuttered Room was adapted for the screen by D.B. Ledrov and Nat Tanchuck (Fury, Federal Man) and directed by David Greene (Godspell, Rich Man, Poor Man). It stars Carol Lynley (Bunny Lake is Missing, The Poseidon Adventure) as Susannah Whately Kelton, Gig Young (Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?) as her husband Mike Kelton, Oliver Reed (The Big Sleep (1978), Gladiator) as estranged cousin and violent thug Ethan, and Flora Robson (Black Narcissus, Clash of the Titans) as Aunt Agatha.

South Foreland Lighthouse in Dover features throughout the film as the exterior of Aunt Agatha’s clifftop home. A Victorian structure perched on the White Cliffs of Dover, the South Foreland Lighthouse was not only the first lighthouse powered by electricity, it was also the site of the first international radio transmission. The Bollywood film Rustom (2016) features the Lighthouse, as well as Series 3 Episode 7 of the ITV period drama Mr Selfridge (2015).

The Shipwright’s Arms and Hollowshore Boatyard in Faversham also feature throughout the film. The Boatyard doubles for Susannah’s hometown of Dunwich, Massachusetts and various driving scenes were shot on the site. Situated on the North Kent Coast among the marshes, Hollowshore Boatyard still continues its tradition of wooden boat building, repairs and mooring. Also on the site, and estimated to be over 300 years old, The Shipwright’s Arms remains an operating pub to this day. Previous productions to have filmed in Faversham include ITV’s The Larkins (2021), the Channel 4 drama Southcliffe (2013) and Bollywood movie Jagame Thandhiram (2021).

The Shuttered Room (1967) was released on Tuesday 27th June 1967.

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