Before you think, ‘why are Visit Kent telling us about filming?’ well that’s because our lovely county has been cast as the background stars of the show!
So, without further ado, let’s find out the Kent filming locations that can be spotted on our screens...
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Joan
Have you watched the TV series Joan? If not make sure to add it to your watch list! Joan was released in the UK in September 2024 but filming took place in May 2023 and you might be able to spot that some scenes were in Kent! In some of the scenes you’ll see the beautiful Herne Bay beach, Western Esplanade, Avenue Road and Central Park plus Detling Diner in Maidstone.
Joan is a six-part drama inspired by the story of a notorious jewel thief.
Matty Graham
Blitz
The new historical drama Blitz was released in UK cinemas on Friday 1st November. Did you know it was partly filmed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham in the Ropery buildings and Museum Square? The Blitz tells the tale of a young boy who goes out on an adventure in London during the Blitz, whilst his mother searches for him.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham is one of Kent's most popular filming locations and is well known for the TV series Call the Midwife.
Bird
We thought you might like to know that the film Bird was filmed across Kent, including Gravesend, Dartford, Leysdown-on-Sea and Ashford. This film was released in UK cinemas on Friday 8th November 2024 and is available to stream on Mubi.
Filming was shot almost entirely in Kent and particularly in Gravesend in various residences including The Hive estate, Gravesend Civic Centre, Custom House, Riverside Leisure Area and various streets, including the High Street.
You will also notice several streets in Dartford in the film, the Merry Chest Café, the beach, promenade, and the Rose & Crown Pub in Leysdown-on-Sea. Other key locations include Ashford International train station and a nearby underpass and The Kingsferry Bridge which features in a brief driving scene as the cast travels to Leysdown.
Sinead Hanna
Series 3 of Whitstable Pearl
The name might give away the location of this series… Series 3 of Whitstable Pearl was filmed in Whitstable, Reculver and Halstead. You will be able to spot the many beautiful local businesses and residences such as The Harbour Garden Café, Jane at Graham Greener florist, Harbour News, Harbour Gallery, VC Jones of Whitsable fish and chip shop, Whitstable Castle, Whitstable Bowling Club and the Marine Hotel. You will also be able to see the privately-owned beach huts on Tankerton Beach, the Reculver Towers, the nearby Ehelbert Inn and the private residence in Halstead in the Sevenoaks district.
The episodes were released on AcornTv at the end of October 2024.
Bridgerton
Yes, the Netflix hit series is returned on 16th May with a brand new group of debutantes and a whole new round of scandal, romance and seduction. But amidst all the secrets and surprises, there is one thing we can reveal - our very own Squerryes Court will be making an appearance as the backdrop to a lavish garden party. While the house itself is a private residence, the gardens will be opened to the public on 17th May as part of the National Garden Scheme. What's more, the estate's very own vineyard is always ready to welcome visitors and raise a toast to another scandalous Bridgerton season.
Castle Farm & Kings Ferry Bridge - The Beekeeper
Jason Statham fans, listen up because we know this film will be on your watch list for next year. The Beekeeper was released in January 2024, so the year kickstarted with a bang and we’re excited to see two Kent locations used throughout the filming. First up is the beautiful Castle Farm in Sevenoaks, popular for its gorgeous lavender, it doubled as a bee farm in the film. Castle Farm is a popular venue for filming and has been featured in music videos, clothing campaigns and TV shows. Visit in June 2024 when the fields will be a purple blanket of flowers and be sure to capture that perfect Instagrammable picture! Secondly, did you spot that bridge stunt in the trailer? That was filmed on Kings Ferry Bridge located on the Isle of Sheppey. Now there's a fun fact to tell your cinema date when you go watch the film.
Discovery Park - Three Body Problem
From the creators of Game of Thrones, Three Body Problem was released on Netflix in March 2024 with filming taking place in the UK and China. So, what brings the film crew to Kent? You might remember us mentioning Discovery Park in a previous blog about the filming of The Crown, but the popular filming location was also used throughout the filming of this Sci-Fi TV series. Discovery Park’s diverse range of settings from labs to offices and car parks makes it an attractive venue for filming opportunities, and has even welcomed Brad Pitt for the filming of World War Z.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham - Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two
The Historic Dockyard Chatham, a location that has welcomed world-famous actors, incredible music artists and production companies to the popular venue for filming. From Ed Sheeran’s Eyes Closed music video to Call the Midwife (you can do an Official Locations Tour here by the way!) the Historic Dockyard has had its fair share of star background roles. So, it’s no surprise that the film crew behind Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 2 has returned to The Dockyard (yes returned, because they were here for Part 1!). It arrived on the big screen in June 2024, so just remember to look out for this Kent attraction!
The Citadel - Kraven the Hunter
The Citadel in Dover is a remarkable fortress dating back to 1779 and is used for the filming of Kraven the Hunter, an American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character. There’s no surprise The Citadel was chosen as a filming location, with 54 unique buildings presenting as the ideal locations for not just Kraven the Hunter but several other film productions over the past year. Interested in finding out more about filming at this impressive site? A filming locations tour will be available soon so keep your eyes peeled!
Photo credit: John Miller
The Knole & Cobham Hall - Mary & George
On Sky Atlantic and NOW is Mary and George an eight-part series which tells the story of how the Countess of Buckingham and her son journey to conquering and nearly destroying England. So why Kent? Three Kent locations were carefully chosen to feature in this historical drama due to the county’s incredible history and historic locations that captured the authenticity of this production. Knole, located in Sevenoaks was used for the interior scenes of James’ palace, Dover Castle also featured an impressive role and was doubled as the Tower of London and Windsor Castle and Cobham Hall was also featured.
Channel 5 New Series on Kent
An exciting new series came to Channel 5 in 2024, and this time, Kent really is the star of the show! Produced by BriteSpark East, this 5-part series dives headfirst into the stories and landmarks of the county. Kent’s captivating history, stunning coastline, and rolling landscapes are celebrated throughout, shining a light on the county’s places and people. It’s a celebration of Kent and we’re here for it!
