A sign of just how lucky we are is when we regularly see Swanage and the local area on TV and Film so often. There is barely a month when we don’t see somewhere local appearing on prime-time television.
There have been so many that we thought it would be good to put them all together on a blog here on our website before we forget, we also know this won’t be them all so we’ll add things as and when we see them or remember.
Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch – BBC One / iPlayer
Arne RSPB Reserve, just a 20-minute drive from here, is often the main base for the whole series and goes to show the full diversity of this area. Studland Heath is the only place in the U.K. where you can find all of our native reptiles (Adder, Grass Snake, Smooth Snake, Common Lizard, Sand Lizard and Slow Worm). Durlston Country Park, Brownsea Island, Studland Beach etc. all featured heavily, in fact the program was primarily based in Arne for 3 years 2022 to 2025 underlining its significance as one of the best nature reserves in the whole of the UK.
Wild Isles – Sir David Attenborough – BBC One / iPlayer
The opening scenes for the whole series were filmed at Old Harry’s Rock. There are undoubtedly many beautiful places in and around the United Kingdom but they chose here, just a short hike from Swanage away, to start this amazing series off.
Attenborough and the Sea Dragon – BBC One / Player
Dorset is world famous for its fossils and less than half an hour from Swanage is Kimmeridge Bay, somewhere that we have visited since childhood and somewhere that we always find a fossil! However, just recently a very large fossil was found and is exhibited in the Etches Museum in Kimmeridge, Sir David Attenborough made an hour-long program all about its discovery and excavation etc.
Ben Fogle – New Lives in the Wild – Channel 5
Ben Fogle met a former paratrooper who has spent the past 5 years walking the coast of Great Britain and he spent a week here, right on our doorstep, filming this episode. Studland, Winspit, Lulworth, Chapmans Pool, this is a really good way to see most of our local coastal beauty spots all in one program, all places within walking distance of our guest house.
Antiques Roadshow – BBC One / iPlayer
Maybe the most famous of all the programs listed, Antiques Roadshow is one of those programs that everyone in the UK knows and loves. This episode was filmed right here in Swanage at Prince Albert Gardens and on Swanage Pier and as always (honest) it was a sunny day so Swanage Bay looked lovely.
And lots more…..
Robson Green – Worlds most Amzing Walks, Bill Bailey – Perfect Pub Walk, Alan Titchmarsh – Dorset: Coast and County, Great Railway Journeys, Songs of Praise and Digging for Britain.
There’s also a long and rich history going back over the years including Songs of Praise, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, Star Wars Andor, Nanny McPhee, Howards End, Nuts in May and Dunkirk (the final scenes on the railway were all filmed here, you could see it from the rear room windows and our niece got to see Harry Styles!). And one final mention Cliff Richard filmed his music video for Saviours Day at Durdle Door.