From spectacular views, rolling hills to the ancient castles and beautiful historical locations, it's no wonder that Surrey has become a hotspot for filming. But it's not just major blockbusters that are filmed here, Surrey has also been the setting to some of the best TV shows to grace our screens and streaming services.Here are 7 TV programmes that you may not have known were filmed in Surrey:
The Crown
The Crown, starring Doctor Who actor Matt Smith and television veteran Claire Foy, was launched on Netflix back in 2016. This royal themed series, which follows Queen Elizabeth II's early reign and the events of the 20th century, quickly captured the nation's imagination. The show gained such popularity that during the first season 9% of Netflix users were watching the series, meaning it was pulling in more viewers than both Breaking Bad and Orange Is The New Black. Claire Foy won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the popular monarch and the whole production team cleaned up at the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards, being recognised in categories such as period costume design and casting.
So, it may surprise readers that scenes from this iconic television series were filmed in Surrey. Loseley Park in Guildford, where 3 days of filming took place, masquerades as the backdrop for scenes in Broadlands, Hampshire. The site posed as Mountbatten's estate, where a shooting scene overlooking the house, a Great Hall dinner party, and a drawing-room phone call occurred.
Did you know...having just given birth before filming for the first season started, actress Claire Foy was required to wear a real corset to rein in her baby bump.
Black Mirror
Black Mirror, another major Netflix hit, is an anthology series which has rendered viewers equally gripped and disturbed. Now on its fifth season, Black Mirror episodes explore various terrifying dystopian futures that at times seem too close to our own reality for comfort. Fourth season episode Hang the DJ explores an existence where singles use the 'System', an algorithm based technology, to find their most compatible match. The 'System' sends users on dates and attributes their relationship with an expiration date which could range from several hours to several years. When Amy and Frank decide to defy the 'System', they must face the consequences...
Hang the DJ was shot on the historic grounds of Painshill, an 18th-century park created by Hon. Charles Hamilton. When Amy and Frank meet on Pairing Day, viewers may recognise the site as the abbey at Painshill, a pivotal spot in the park.
Did you know...The actress who played Amy in Hang the DJ, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, also starred as Kelly in the highly popular Black Mirror episode San Junipero.
The End of The F*cking World
Another Netflix creation, The End of The F*cking World, follows two teenagers who run away together and has been described by Peabody Awards as 'a wonderfully unorthodox coming-of-age story.' James, a self-confessed psychopath who plunges his hand into boiling oil to 'feel something' and Alyssa, a troubled rebel, steal a car and hit the road in this dark comedy.
You will be shocked to discover that 7 whole weeks of the filming of this series took place in Surrey. Shooting locations include Camberley, Chobham, Guildford, Thames Ditton, Virginia Water, Windlesham, Chertsey and Knaphill. Next time you watch the show, why don't you see if you can spot them?
Did you know... Game of Thrones actress Gemma Whelan, who played the ironborn heroine Yara Greyjoy in the Westeros series, also stars as DC Eunice Noon in this Netflix drama.
Howard's End
This four-part BBC adaptation of the classic E.M Forster novel tells the tale of the intertwining lives of three very different families: the dreamy, intellectual Schlegel sisters, the wealthy Wilcoxs, and the destitute Bast tribe. In a series that sheds light on the social and class-related prejudices of a bygone era, matriarch Ruth Wilcox leaves Howard’s End to Margaret Schlegel upon her death, in a move that infuriates her family. While her widower Henry Wilcox resolves to keep the contents of the will a secret from Margaret, their lives nonetheless cross paths with unexpected consequences. Meanwhile, Helen Schlegel causes a scandal when she gets close to insurance clerk Leonard Bast.
Although E.M Forster’s inspiration for Howard’s End was his childhood home in Hertfordshire, scenes of the Wilcox residence were filmed at a private 16th-century property, Vann Cottage, near Godalming. Waverley Abbey also makes an appearance in the series, when the Wilcox family are filmed strolling amongst these historical ruins in episode one.
Did you know…actor Matthew Macfadyen (Henry Wilcox) almost passed on the role due to having already appeared in a number of period dramas. The RadioTimes reports him as saying: ‘I have done every iteration of tortured, buttoned-up gentleman’.
Dr Foster
In this BBC drama, a talented doctor's suburban bliss comes apart at the seams when, after finding a blonde hair on her husband Simon's coat, she begins to suspect he is having an affair. Not wanting to take this betrayal lying down Gemma (Suranne Jones) embarks on a quest for revenge that sees her behaving in extreme and uncharacteristic ways. The show has gripped viewers and won a variety of awards, with Suranne Jones picking up a BAFTA for Best Leading Actress.
One of the most iconic locations of this series was filmed at a site in Surrey. The luxurious, glass-fronted house Simon moves into in season 2 with his young girlfriend, Kate, is filmed at a Huf Haus in Surrey. The property was built off-site and then reassembled at the filming spot.
Did you know...both the main female actresses in this drama, Suranne Jones (Gemma) and Jodie Comer (Kate), have gone on to play lead roles in the highly acclaimed BBC shows Gentleman Jack and Killing Eve respectively.
A Very English Scandal (2018)
This BBC production, set in the 1960s and 1970s, stars Hugh Grant as Jeremy Thorpe, the leader of the liberal party. Based on a true story, the series follows Thorpe's fall from grace as he becomes embroiled in a sex scandal and is put on trial for conspiracy to murder his ex-lover, Norman Scott. Thorpe allegedly had an affair with this male model in the 60s but became concerned the past could resurface when vying for the position of prime minister so is said to have hired a hitman to take Scott out of the picture. Hugh Grant received praise for his portrayal of the politician and was nominated for a Golden Globe, Emmy and BAFTA.
Scenes in the courtroom and the cells in this three-part series were, in fact, filmed in the Surrey County Hall. Other filming locations for this drama include Esher and Englefield Green.
Did you know...Showrunner Russell T. Davies has said that Hugh Grant was so invested in the role that he met with both an MP who was once a colleague of Thorpe's as well as one of the politician's old schoolmates.
Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams
This science-fiction anthology series features ten independent 50-minute episodes based off the work of renowned American writer Phillip K. Dick. These Black Mirror-Esque episodes have a wide range of topics including telepathy, space tourism and corrupt political systems.
Episode 3 of the series, The Commuter, is set in Woking Train Station, where employee Ed Jacobson lives a strained life, deeply concerned about his son Sam who is experiencing severe mental health problems. Ed is perplexed when he finds that groups of commuters are boarding a train to travel to 'Macon Heights', a destination that doesn't exist. When he follows them, he encounters an alternative reality...
Did you know...Janelle Monáe, the artist behind the songs 'Make Me Feel' and 'I Like That' played Alice in episode 8 Autofac.
