Written by Shona Smith on Apr 24, 2019. Posted in On Location / Production News

The Trial of Christine Keeler used the largest number of Bristol locations by a single drama in recent years

Set in 1960’s London, a plethora of Bristol’s locations were used to double for the British capital over the seventeen-week shoot. The production was based at Bottle Yard Studios.

Sophie Cookson (Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Gypsy) will star as Christine Keeler, the nineteen-year-old girl at the heart of the Profumo affair. James Norton (McMafia, War and Peace) and Ellie Bamber (Les Miserables, Nocturnal Animals) star opposite Cookson in the series which tells the human story about sexual and cultural politics behind the British political scandal. A co-production between Ecosse Films and Great Meadow, the six part series was commissioned by BBC One.

Kate Triggs, Executive Producer commented that Bristol’s “locations have been inspiring for the whole team”. More than ten historic locations in Bristol doubled for London during extensive filming. Bristol Central Library (pictured) doubled for the exterior of Marylebone Police Station, offices above St Nicholas Market played the role of the War Office and MI5, the Wills Memorial Building took the role of the House of Commons and the Lord Mayor’s Mansion House played an upscale Mayfair restaurant and hotel room. City streets in the historic centre such as Corn Street and Broad Street will also feature in the series. Eight days of the seventeen weeks schedule were spent filming at Bath’s Guildhall.

Interior sets such as Marylebone Police Station were purpose-built at Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios, where 15,000 square feet of space was put to use.

Natalie Moore of Bristol Film Office highlighted the fact that “The Trial of Christine Keeler will feature the largest number of Bristol locations used in a single drama for years, which is fantastic to see” and noted that “We’ve worked closely with the production team and the many properties involved to make sure filming was a smooth process for everyone, including the public”.

Image Credit: Bristol Film Office