Productions in Bristol & the South West

With its cinematic coastlines, rich array of period locations, and its vibrant creative community, the South West of England, including Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall, Devon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, have become a cornerstone of both UK and international screen production.

Bristol

As a designated UNESCO City of Film, Bristol has a proud legacy of film and television production, serving as the backdrop for numerous acclaimed programmes and films. The Disney+ hit show Rivals (2024), for instance, was filmed at Bristol's Bottle Yard Studios, and although the series is set in the Cotswolds and London, it was filmed almost entirely in Bristol and the West of England. The 2018 biopic Stan & Ollie (2018), starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as the legendary movie comedy duo Laurel & Hardy, was filmed at Bristol Harbourside and Bristol Hippodrome. The streets of Bristol also played host to the popular, long-running mystery crime series Sherlock (2010 - 2017), starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as John Watson. Other productions with PGGB Member involvement include: Hellboy (2019), Doctor Who (2005-2022), Wolf Hall (2015-2025), The Outlaws (2021) and Rain Dogs (2023).

Somerset

Somerset has served as a stunning backdrop for a range of acclaimed film and television productions. The 2007 hit comedy Hot Fuzz (2007), starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, was shot in the picturesque city of Wells – England’s smallest city. Cheddar Gorge features in the 2025 horror film 28 Years Later (2025), while the charming Victorian Clevedon Pier provided a memorable setting for a heartfelt scene in Never Let Me Go (2010), starring Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, and Andrew Garfield. Other productions include Wolf Hall (2015-2025), Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Rivals (2024).

Somerset's Bath, in particular, has been a popular choice for filmmakers, not least because of its stunning Georgian architecture, surrounding manor houses and beautiful countryside. Productions filmed here include The Duchess (2008), Vanity Fair (2004), Sherlock (2010-2017), Bridgerton (2020-) and Wonka (2023).

Dorset

Dorset’s striking coastline, charming villages, and historic houses have made it a popular location for film and television. The county’s iconic Chesil Beach plays a central role in the 2017 drama On Chesil Beach, starring Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle. Christopher Nolan’s wartime epic Dunkirk (2017) also filmed key scenes in Dorset, including at Weymouth Harbour and the Swanage Railway. Other notable productions shot in the region include Andor (2022-2025), Broadchurch (2013-2017), Wonka (2023), Nanny McPhee (2005) and Tamara Drewe (2010).

Cornwall

From sweeping spy thrillers to heartwarming comedies, Cornwall’s dramatic landscapes have provided a stunning backdrop for numerous films and television series. The BBC’s Poldark (2015-2019) made full use of Cornwall’s rugged coastline by filming across various outdoor locations. The Fisherman’s Friends films (2019 and 2022), based on the true story of Cornish fishermen signed by Universal Records, were shot in the picturesque harbour village of Port Isaac - so was the long-running TV series Doc Martin (2004-2022). The county is also featured in Die Another Day (2002), Pierce Brosnan’s final outing as James Bond, with scenes filmed at the iconic Eden Project and Holywell Bay as well as in Johnny English (2003), where Cornwall’s St Michael’s Mount served as a filming location.

Devon

Devon’s scenic coast, countryside, and historic towns make it a popular filming location: The 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility (1995), starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, filmed extensively across the county, using a number of its scenic spots as key settings. The Mercy (2018), which tells the true story of amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst’s ill-fated solo voyage, starring Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz, was largely shot in South Devon. Other notable productions filmed in the region include Dark Shadows (2012), Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Operation Mincemeat (2021) and The Salt Path (2024).

Wiltshire

Wiltshire offers a diverse range of settings that attract film and TV productions of all scales. Big blockbusters filmed in this county include the 2018 Tomb Raider – Wilton House stood in for Croft Manor; The World Is Not Enough (1999) – the Bond film was shot in Swindon; and Chocolat (2000) – the lake at Fonthill Bishop near Tisbury was used for the river scenes. Other noteworthy productions include The Crown (2016-2023), Bridgerton (2020-), Sense and Sensibility (1995), Doctor Who (2005-2022), Wolf Hall (2015-2025), Poldark (2015-2019) and Downton Abbey (2010-2015).

Gloucestershire

This county has served as the backdrop for a range of recent productions, including Speak No Evil (2024), filmed on location at a rural Gloucestershire farmstead; Catherine Called Birdy (2022), which featured the cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral; and the hit series Sex Education (2019-2023), shot in the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley. It’s also home to several cinematic classics, such as Atonement (2007), with its iconic poppy field scene filmed at Whittington Lodge Farm near Cheltenham, and the Harry Potter films – The Philosopher’s Stone (2001), The Chamber of Secrets (2002) and The Half Blood Prince (2009) – in which Gloucester Cathedral was transformed into the magical halls of Hogwarts.

Film & TV in the South West in numbers

In the 2024/25 financial year, filming in Bristol delivered an estimated £46.6 million to the local economy, a 55% jump from the prior year, across 736 filming days and 29 major productions. Since launching in 2003, the Bristol Film Office and The Bottle Yard Studios have facilitated over £322 million of film & TV investment in the city. The film and TV industry has driven significant economic growth in other parts of the South West as well – Somerset, for instance, saw more than £4 million in film and television production spend in the 2024/25 financial year, while Cornwall saw a record spend of £16.2million in 2023/24.