There's something exciting about seeing your home town on the big screen. Whether it's a sweeping aerial shot or a familiar corner café, film and TV productions have a way of transforming everyday places into cinematic icons. Here in Swale, North Kent, we've been lucky to play host to a surprising number of productions over the years.
Here's a guide to some of the most notable film and TV locations right here in Sittingbourne, the Isle of Sheppey, and Faversham, perfect for planning your own walking tour or just impressing friends with a little behind the scenes trivia:
The Beekeeper (2024) - Filming took place on the Kingsferry Bridge, Isle of Sheppey, for the confrontation scene between none other than movie star Jason Statham and David Witts. The scene ends with Witts' character being tied to a truck and thrown into the Swale Estuary below.
Black Mirror: Season 6 - Beyond the Sea (2023) - Breaking Bad and Need for Speed star, Aaron Paul, plays Cliff Stanfield whose family home is filmed at Home Farm, Swale (private property), and the woodland where Lana (Kate Mara) takes David (Josh Hartnett) was Perry Wood, Selling.
Silent Witness Series 26 (2023) - Production visited a number of locations on the Isle of Sheppey for the final two episodes including the Kingsferry Bridge, The Rose & Crown Pub car park, Leysdown-on-Sea, a private house on The Leas, Minster-on-Sea, Leysdown Beach, Shellness Beach, Minster Beach, land underneath the New Sheppey Bridge, Warden beach, and woodland in Warden Springs Caravan Park.
Love Again (2023) - Another film that saw production at colonial style American homestead Home Farm, Swale (private property), which is Mira’s (Priyanka Chopra) parent’s home, where she stays after the unexpected death of her fiancé.
Our House (2022) - Shellness Beach, Leysdown-on-Sea, features in this TV series in the third episode during a family holiday.
Jagame Thandhiram (2021) - The production filmed scenes in the centre of Faversham where they set up a street market and staged a large dance sequence. Iron Wharf, Faversham, also features as a boatyard for a scene where two rival gangs fight.
Too Close (2021) - A stunt sequence was filmed on the Kingsferry Bridge, Isle of Sheppey, for this three-part mini-series.
Deceit (2021) - The production visited Shellness Beach, Leysdown-on-Sea, during this TV drama based on the real-life events surrounding the investigation into the murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common in 1992.
The Larkins (2021-2022) - This TV series is a story about the lives of a working class May family in rural Kent in the 1950’s, featuring Bradley Walsh. Faversham town and Faversham Guildhall appear in episode 3, series 1, where they double as Margate town and a Registry Office.
Whitstable Pearl (2021-2024) - During series 1, a field near Belmont House, Faversham, was one of the filming locations.
Whether you're a die-hard movie buff or just curious about where the cameras rolled, visiting these film locations is a fun way to explore all that Swale has to offer. Bring your camera, you never know when the next production might roll into town!