Magpie Murders filmed in Suffolk for Britbox
Suffolk provided multiple locations for new Britbox detective drama Magpie Murders when filming took place last year.
Eleventh Hour Films produced the 6 x 60 series, adapted from the book of the same name by Anthony Horowitz. Lesley Manville, Daniel Mays and Tim McMullan star.
Screen Suffolk assisted with all the locations within the county, including Kersey Village, Woodbridge, Monks Eleigh and Ipswich.
The series is a murder mystery within a murder mystery, spanning two time periods. Kersey Village in Babergh, Suffolk, was transformed into 1950’s Britain in the late spring of 2021. The film office worked with the locations team, residents, and councils to ensure that the two-week road closure caused minimal disruption.
.jpg)
Image via Screen Suffolk
Rachel Aldridge, operations and business development manager, said: “The locations team from Eleventh Hour Films approached us looking for the quintessential Suffolk village. Babergh/Mid Suffolk was our first port of call and after a few days of looking at several villages Kersey was chosen.
“It’s such a lovely village with so many period features, and once the art department had painted houses and placed period cars you feel transported to the 1950’s.”
Image via Screen Suffolk
Jill Green, who executive produced the show, added: “Suffolk is at the centre of Anthony Horowitz’s book and also close to my heart as a place I know well and have always wanted to film in more often.
“The village of Kersey became a dream location for us as every resident there really welcomed us and aided a complete takeover so that we could achieve smooth filming . Some villagers even appear in the drama…”
Image via Britbox
Ipswich also doubled as London in many key scenes with driving and walking shots taking place at various locations across Suffolk’s county town.
Jim Horsfield, operations and development manager at Screen Suffolk, said of the portrayal: “The use of Ipswich as London shows just how versatile Suffolk is for productions who are looking to film in the area. It’s great to have the local knowledge to be able to pinpoint exact streets that look just like North London as well as villages that can be morphed into period streets.”
Image via Britbox
Other locations that were used across Suffolk were Woodbridge Train Station and Suffolk One College which was dressed as a modern-day hospital. Screen Suffolk worked with the locations team to set up the filming and a group of students benefited from a talk by the location manager.
Director of Screen Suffolk, Karen Everett, commented: “Screen Suffolk is committed to building a strong workforce in Suffolk for the film and television industry, and the knowledge passed on by the team to the students at Suffolk One is just one of the ways to help.
“Screen Suffolk knows the importance of grassroots education and frequently delivers information sessions at schools and colleges across the county.’
Also on The Knowledge
Studios Spotlight – OMA V
The latest in our Studios Spotlight is OMA V, due to be fully open at the end of this month. We speak to Location Collective’s MD Becky Butler about the new facility, the company’s studio portfolio and the plans for the future.
Sustainability system launches with new Sky comedy
With sustainability at the top of the agenda for production, managing the eco credentials of your film or TV project is becoming more important every day.
Emma Thompson, Ruth Wilson to star in Mick Herron drama for Apple TV+
Ruth Wilson and Emma Thompson will star in Down Cemetery Road, based on the book by Slow Horses author Mick Herron, for Apple TV+.
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.
