Written by Tom Deehan on Dec 22, 2015. Posted in Production News

BBC’s New Year’s Day Sherlock special filmed in Bristol and The Bottle Yard Studios

The upcoming one-off special of BBC’s Sherlock series was filmed on location in areas of Bristol and at The Bottle Yard Studios. During its filming the production used the Studios’ Tank House 2, marking a change for the series as Sherlock is usually filmed in London and at Upper Boat Studios.

This is not the first time Bristol has doubled for London and over the series 17 locations have been used.

The special episode, entitled ‘The Abominable Bride’ is set in Victorian London in homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes novels which were based in the same time period.

Sherlock’s Producer, Sue Vertue explains: “The Bottle Yard was a great studio to work in and as we had set this special in Victorian times, the surrounding area was perfect for many of our locations.”

Natalie Moore of the Bristol Film Office adds: “Sherlock’s presence in Bristol always creates a great buzz across the city and we are delighted to have been able to offer this high profile production such a rich variety of Victorian settings. This is not the first time Bristol has doubled for London and over the series 17 locations have been used including Arnos Vale Cemetery, Queen Square and King Street, which all look spectacular on screen. The Sherlock special joins another Christmas favourite, the Doctor Who special, in the festive schedule to have been filmed in the city.”

The Bottle Yard Studios have worked with the BBC in the past, having already catered for the filming of Poldark and Wolf Hall. High-end shows such as these are encouraged to film in the UK via an available 25% tax rebate for television productions that meet an eligible 10% minimum spend.