Unforgotten’s versatile London backdrop
The second series of crime drama Unforgotten starring Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar used London as a backdrop, with the capital playing itself and several other UK locations.
Filming ran for three months from last June; shooting on the Mainstreet Pictures show took place across Camden, Islington, Southwark, Haringey and Lambeth. The show’s creator Chris Lang described the merits of the location choices: “I thought we captured much more of the London I know in the second series.
“We went in to the West End much more, and shot a lot more at night, and for me that really started to capture the buzzy busy London I live and work in. So it felt more distinct this series - a less generic city.
“And alongside that, we also used London as we always do, as an incredibly versatile backdrop, that can allow you to shoot it as both itself, and as other cities – bits of Glasgow, Oxford, Salisbury and Brighton, were all captured in London.”
FillmFixer manages the film office service for the London boroughs used. FilmFixer director Karen Everett explained how the production team worked with residents to maximise co-operation and minimise disruption: “The approach that Unforgotten 2 took with this series really warrants praise… While working hard to reduce any impact, the production made donations to no less than 12 resident associations – ensuring all locals might benefit from the filming they’d hosted.
“This is the approach that keeps London open to the film business. The focus on community is appropriate to Unforgotten 2, given that the show examines the relationship between society and crime as its characters unravel the truth behind a historic murder.”
Central London locations used included The Enterprise Pub on Red Lion Street, Holborn, and a guild building on Queen Square where a police interview takes place. Greville Street in Hatton Garden is the backdrop when the detectives visit a jeweller in Leather Lane market.
Numerous other London locations were used including Camden Square, Woburn Walk, Trinity Church Square and Tanner Street.
Location photos via Kelly Jones at FilmFixer.
Also on The Knowledge
Studios Spotlight – Behind the scenes at The Bottle Yard Studios
The latest spotlight in our Studios series shines on Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios, the largest film and TV studio in the west of England.
Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent to film Alan Bennett feature in Yorkshire
A new film that reunites Alan Bennett and Nicholas Hytner will shoot in Yorkshire this May.
James Norton leads starry cast on period drama King & Conqueror
Filming is underway in Iceland on UK period drama King & Conqueror, starring James Norton and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
Saoirse Ronan begins filming Bad Apples
Filming is due to get underway this week (w/c 18 March) on Bad Apples, a satirical thriller starring Saoirse Ronan.
Martin Compston, Anjli Mohindra film thriller in Glasgow for Prime Video
Filming is underway in Glasgow on Fear, a new, three-part thriller for Prime Video.
Netflix UK agrees writers remuneration deal
Netflix UK has reached a landmark remuneration agreement with the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) and agency body the Personal Managers Association (PMA) for writers on live-action scripted series, Broadcast reports.