Staplehurst

The Cleaner (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Greg Davies as Paul ‘Wicky’ Wickstead is stood in a kitchen wearing white overalls and blue gloves and has a face mask around his neck. He has grey hair and a moustache and beard. Behind him is a fridge covered in blood.

The Cleaner (2021) © BBC / Studio Hamburg UK / Jonathan Browning

Director: Alex Winckler
Writer: Greg Davies
Starring: Greg Davies, Helena Bonham Carter, David Mitchell, Stephanie Cole, Layton Williams, Jo Hartley
Production Company: Studio Hamburg UK
Kent Locations Used: Private residences in Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone, Showfields Hall Community Centre

The Cleaner (2021) is a BBC sitcom that tells the story of Paul ‘Wicky’ Wickstead, a state-certified cleaning technician, who is responsible for the removal of any signs of death from crime scenes. When carrying out his duties, he stumbles across the strangest of people: from the victim’s relatives, employers, neighbours, and acquaintances, to occasionally even the murderers themselves. And because he’s a sociable type, he sometimes gossips more than he cleans.

The six-part series was directed by Alex Winckler (My Mad Fat Diary, Traitors). Greg Davies (Cuckoo, Man Down) wrote the series and plays the lead role. Each episode features a different co-star; Helena Bonham Carter (The Crown Series 1 – 6 (2016-2023), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) in Episode 1, David Mitchell (Peep Show, That Mitchell & Webb Look) in Episode 2, Stephanie Cole (Gentleman Jack, Doc Martin) in Episode 4, Layton Williams (Bad Education, Beautiful People) in Episode 5, and Jo Hartley (After Life, Eddie the Eagle) in Episode 6.

During filming, production visited several private residences in the Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone districts, and built a green screen set at Showfields Hall Community Centre in Tunbridge Wells. Each episode of the series focuses on a different crime scene, and Kent residences are the main locations for all but Episode 3.

The town of Sevenoaks boasts a varied landscape with acres of beautiful countryside, stately homes and castles as well as a thriving town centre. It is most known for being home to one of the oldest cricket grounds in the country – The Vine Cricket Ground. Previous productions to have filmed in the town of Sevenoaks include The Larkins (2021-2022), Making Noise Quietly (2019) and Parade’s End (2012).

Royal Tunbridge Wells is known for its Georgian and Victorian architecture, a shopping centre, bars, restaurants, and live music scene. Previous productions to visit the area include Catastrophe Series 4 (2019) and Queens of Mystery (2020-2021).

As the county town of Kent, Maidstone plays an important part in Kent’s history. The River Medway runs though the town centre linking it with other towns such as Rochester and Chatham. The Borough of Maidstone is a popular town for filming, previous productions include This Time With Alan Partridge – Season 2 (2021) and Hetty Feather Series 1 – 6 (2015 – 2020).

Episode 1 of The Cleaner aired on BBC One on Friday 10th September at 9.30pm. The full series was made available on BBC iPlayer on the same date.

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

The Carer (2016)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
The Carer film poster - Brian Cox and Coco König in open gardens of large country house. The Carer written in white text

The Carer film poster © Cinefile

Director: János Edelényi

Writers: Gilbert Adair, János Edelényi, Tom Kinninmont

Production Co.:  Hopscotch Films, Mythberg Films, Vita Nova Films

Starring: Brian Cox, Coco König, Anna Chancellor, Emilia Fox, Karl Johnson, Selina Caddell, Andrew Havill, Roger Moore

Kent Locations Used:  Boughton Monchelsea Place,  Sutton Valence Care Home,  Sutton Valence Main School, Sutton Valence Preparatory School , Headcorn, The Lord Raglan Pub – Staplehurst, Theatre Royal – Margate

The Carer is a U.K.-Hungary co-production film about a legendary actor (Brian Cox) who is terminally ill. When young Hungarian actress Dorottya (Coco König) becomes his carer, she hopes he will give her advice and help her reach the English stage. However, despite his revered status, Sir Michael is foul-mouthed and difficult. Will their shared love of Shakespeare bring them closer together?

The film stars Brian Cox (Braveheart, The Bourne Identity) as Sir Michael Gifford and Coco König (Assassin’s Creed) as Dorottya alongside a supporting cast that includes Anna Chancellor (Testament of Youth, Four Weddings and a Funeral), Emilia Fox (The Pianist, David Copperfield), Karl Johnson (The Illusionist, Hot Fuzz), Selina Cadell (Match Point, Doc Martin) and Roger Moore (Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me).

The production filmed on location in Kent for six weeks in February and March 2015 using Boughton Monchelsea Place,  Sutton Valence Care Home,  Sutton Valence Main School, Sutton Valence Preparatory School, Headcorn, The Lord Raglan Pub – Staplehurst and the Theatre Royal – Margate.

Boughton Monchelsea Place is a 16th Century manor house boasting unrivalled views across the Kent Weald. Previous productions to have filmed there include The Royals (2016), Half Broken Things (2007) and Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949).

Sutton Valence and Headcorn are both small villages found in the district of Maidstone, which has welcomed filming from Later… with Jools Holland (2015), Couples Come Dine With Me (2014) and Missing (2009).

Other locations include the Theatre Royal, which is situated near the heart of Margate, a vibrant seaside resort, with complementary historic and modern architecture. Margate has welcomed other productions including The Apprentice (2015), Last Orders (2002) and Only Fools and Horses: The Jolly Boys’ Outing (1989).

The Carer is released in cinemas on 5th August 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-9V2rxB8AU

 

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

The Wicker Man (1973)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle and Edward Woodward as Sergeant Howie stand in a luscious green garden. Christopher Lee wears a plaid suit, with green shirt and an olive-green tie. Edward Woodward is dressed in a vintage police uniform.

Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) and Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) in The Wicker Man (1973) © British Lion Film Corporation

Writer: Anthony Shaffer
Director: Robin Hardy
Starring: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Britt Ekland
Production Company: British Lion Film Corporation
Kent Location Used: Hush Heath Estate

Cult classic The Wicker Man (1973) follows Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) from the West Highland Police force who travels to a village on the Scottish Island Summerisle in search of a girl who has gone missing. Upon arrival, he’s told by the Pagan villagers that the girl never existed.

Adapted for the screen by Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth, Frenzy) and directed by Robin Hardy (The Fantasist, The Bulldance), the film stars Edward Woodward (CI5: The New Professionals (1999), The Equalizer) as Sergeant Howie, Christopher Lee (The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones) as Lord Summerisle, Diane Cilento (Tom Jones, Hombre) as Miss Rose, and Britt Ekland (The Man with the Golden Gun, Get Carter) as Willow.

The gardens and orchard of the Hush Heath Estate in Staplehurst were used as the grove of Lord Summerisle’s Estate, where young, pregnant women wander through the blossom, and through which Sergeant Howie arrives on a carriage.

Hush Heath Estate is situated in the Tonbridge and Malling district. Other productions which shot in Tonbridge include Missing (2009-2010), Making Noise Quietly (2019) and The Larkins (2021).

The Wicker Man (1973) was first released in the UK on Thursday 6th December 1973 and has since become a cult classic.

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