As we come to the end of yet another summer season, we explore some upcoming productions to look forward to in the coming colder months. All these productions visited the borough of Tower Hamlets to fill their filming desires at a range of our fantastic locations. Check them out..!
Sweetpea
Sky’s latest tv drama ‘Sweetpea’ is a dark coming-of-‘rage’ story, based on the 2017 C.J. Skuse novel. Ella Purnell stars as Rhiannon, a usually quiet wallflower who on a darkly comedic journey of self-discovery faces deadly consequences. Sky Tv/Cinema productions are regulars in the borough of Tower Hamlets with productions such as Gangs of London(2020-), Breeders (2020 – 23) and feature film, Lee (2024) to name but a few visiting our locations in the last few years, so to have another choose to return to the borough is a delight!
Last year, the production shot at Whitman Road in Mile End with scenes taking place outside the Cherry Pub and along the Canal which involved collaborative with both the owners of the pub and the Canal & River Trust. Sweetpea also used our vacant school location as a tech and crowd base for 3 days across their filming period. The use of this building is a great example of how film productions can generate money for the council by using empty buildings for meanwhile use. Using these spaces for tech parking, cast & crew holding, hair & makeup, and catering helps councils generate revenue from otherwise unused buildings while reducing the impact on public filming locations.
Sweetpea comes to our screens on October 10th, so for now – check out the trailer below!
Slow Horses Season 4
Yet another season of the hit ‘Slow Horses’ is upon us! The fourth instalment to the franchise starts with a bomb detonation at a shopping centre that catalyses the spilling of personal secrets that shakes the already fragile foundations of Slough House. Slow Horses are regular visitors to the borough of Tower Hamlets for filming, and it is always welcomed when they wish to return. Here at the Tower Hamlets Film Office, managed by Film Office, we have hosted Slow Horses at over 30 locations in the borough with shoots from high-impact stunts in markets, arrests on residential roads and scenes in some of the boroughs most loved parks.
For series 4, one shoot in particular stands out as a shoot in which both us and the locations team had to go above and beyond to make it happen. Taking place on Wentworth St with a cast and crew of 300 people, the production dressed the street to look like the iconic Petticoat Lane Market that usually runs there 6 days a week. This location shoot was a feat of coordination and creativity, transforming the street into it’s usual market set up – but this time – for a film set. Over 20 market stalls were constructed to recreate the bustling atmosphere of a busy market day, with the actors weaving through the crowded aisles in the scene which culminates in a dramatic moment where a character is thrown through a shop window. Filming on location presented unique challenges, requiring extensive planning and careful liaison with local authorities and businesses. Liaising with council departments was essential to ensure the logistics of the shoot were handled smoothly, while maintaining strong relationships with shop owners helped minimise disruption to the area. The result was an authentic, high-energy scene that really captured the essence of the location – keep your eyes peeled for it in the series!
The first epsiode of Slow Horses aired on Apple TV on September 4th and has been dropping weekly since so get your teeth stuck into it now! You can also watch the trailer below…
Blitz
We were thrilled to welcome Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen into the borough for his upcoming Apple TV feature film Blitz which he has written and directed. The film follows a defiant 9-year old boy as he escapes from the countryside where he has been evacuated to, on a journey through London in the Blitz to be reunited with his Mother, played by Saoirse Ronan. Location filming took place on Fournier and Wilkes Street, two streets off of Brick Lane which are very popular with period productions for its grand 18th century terraced houses. The ambitious shoot involved over 300 cast and crew members, necessitating road closures to accommodate the scale of production. Various scenes were shot with dressing taking place across the streets to recreate the period look of WW2 London. Blitz also filmed at St John’s Churchyard for a funeral scene, involving 60 background artists, 90 crew, and the churchyard dress with prop headstones.
The sheer volume of cast and crew of the sets of Blitz presented numerous challenges, primarily revolving around logistical coordination and crowd control. Dominic Reeve-Tucker, the Director at the Film Office said, “Managing equipment, vehicles, and crew members in open areas requires meticulous planning, as the unpredictability of public environments can disrupt shooting schedules. Ensuring the safety of both the public and the crew becomes a top priority. With all planning in place, the shoots for Blitz went ahead without a hitch and we can’t wait to see what it looks like on the big screen!”
Blitz is out in cinemas on November 1st and streaming on Apple Tv from November 22nd. Keep your eyes peeled for Tower Hamlets streets in the trailer!
The Outrun
Yet another starring role from Saoirse Ronan – this time in independent feature film ‘The Outrun’ in which she stars as main character Rona and acted as Producer too! The Outrun follows Rona as she moves from London where has recently been released from rehab, back to her hometown of the Orkney Islands in Scotland and tries to face her tumultuous past. The production filmed at both interior and exterior locations across the borough before moving to shoot up in the beautiful Isles!
The production planted themselves in popular areas within the borough such as Mile End, Bow and Shoreditch. One shoot took place in the Parkview Estate, where they filmed scenes of the movie’s hero seeking treatment for alcoholism. Over the course of 4 days, they used the Glasshouse Community Centre to capture footage of Rona attending Art Therapy, Group Therapy and settling into her surroundings, as she got to know her peers in more depth. Directly after wrapping up at Parkview, Production moved over to the heart of Shoreditch, on the Dorset Estate, where they filmed iconic footage from the film’s trailer of Rona roaming her home environment, taking in its setting. The film beautifully showcases a flat within the Estate, as well as the Estate’s walkways and communal spaces.
On the same day, the production also found themselves at Columbia Road Flower Market, Mile End Park and Victoria Park – three locations which are amongst the most sought-after within the borough. Alongside a key stakeholder of ours, the Canal and River Trust, we helped to facilitate scenes which encapsulate the East-End lifestyle – friends basking in the colours of the flower market, enjoying a summer gathering on a canal boat, and cycling through the urban nature together.
The Outrun is out in cinemas now!
