And, Action!… Filming locations on the Isle of Wight

Did you know that the Isle of Wight has played host to a wide range of film crews over the years and has been the location for several TV shows, films and docuseries?

Read our guide to some of the places you can spot on the TV…

Perhaps the most famous and most star-studded was Victoria & Abdul starring Dame Judi Dench as Queen Victoria and Eddie Izzard as Bertie. Filmed at Queen Victoria’s former summer holiday home, Osborne House takes centre stage in this period drama. You’ll spot the Billiard Room, the Drawing Room and, of course, the beautiful Indian-inspired Durbar Room.

The Cockfields starred Sue Johnston, Joe Wilkinson, Diane Morgan and Bobby Ball. The first series is filmed predominantly around the West Wight and you’ll spot footage of Compton Bay, The Needles and The Red Lion pub in Freshwater. Season two showcases more of the Island with scenes filmed at the instantly recognisable Appley, Ventnor and Bembridge.

The Beast Must Die was shot solely on the Isle of Wight and was Britbox’s first-ever original drama. Starring Jared Harris alongside Cush Jumbo, the majority of filming took place in the West around Tennyson Down, Alum Bay and Compton Farm, as well as scenes set in Newport town centre and even in Ryde swimming pool for the underwater shots!

Countryfile and Coast have both been filmed several times here on the Isle of Wight. The most recent filming saw Matt Baker stroll along Ryde Pier, the oldest pier in the UK, Ellie Harrison visiting the private beach of Osborne and Nick Crane from Coast taking part in the famous Round the Island Race.

Jewell of the South is currently in its second season showing now on Channel 5. The popular TV series shows people living and working on the Island and follows their story, including Xavier Baker of Mermaid Gin fame and Will and Amy Steward from Living Larder. The whole thing is narrated by Island resident Alan Titchmarsh.

It’s not just TV shows and movies, some music videos have been filmed here too. Most recently, ‘Island Band Done Good’, the Grammy and Brit-award-winning Wet Leg filmed several of their videos in various locations around the Island including St Catherine’s Lighthouse. Before them, Take That were making the most of the beautiful golden sands at Sandown Bay in their video for the hit ‘I Found Heaven’!