With incredible scenery from rugged mountain ranges to gorgeous coasts and bustling cities it is no surprise that many popular TV shows have been filmed in Wales. From gritty dramas to flagship sci-fi series to hit comedies Wales is the perfect place to film it.
While more obvious shows like Gavin & Stacey and Doctor Who, which are known for being filmed in Wales, returned in 2024 there have also been a few series which you might be surprised to find out were filmed in Welsh locations. For the latest TV & Showbiz news sign up to our newsletter.
Here are some of the biggest shows which have been filmed in Wales in 2024.
Until I Kill You
One of the more recent dramas to hit screens, and quickly becoming very popular, Until I Kill you starring Anna Maxwell Martin was filmed in Swansea. The drama was filmed in the city because of its resemblance to 1990s London.
Executive producer Simon Heath said: “The whole series is shot around Swansea. Partly this was a cost decision but partly it’s based on the fact that north London, where Delia’s story took place, no longer resembles the north London of the 1990s, which I knew very well. The locations were extremely convincing, to the point where I couldn’t believe the location pictures weren’t actually taken in north London. It’s amazing how the architecture matches up and has the right period feel.”
Key filming locations include near Dylan Thomas’ former home and the streets in and around the Uplands area of the city, which doubled for Delia’s flat and house in Hampstead. Producer of the show Ken Horn said: “The streets around there are very kind of regency Edwardian streets.”
Other locations include The Strand, which was used to replicate Camden high street, with London buses and London taxis added to the set, and Wind Street. Swansea bars Kon Tiki and No Sign Wine Bar were also used in the drama. Swansea Coroners’ Court was used as the Old Bailey with panelling added onto the walls. You can read more here.
The Guest
Eve Myles was spotted filming in Cardiff
(Image: Steven Clarke)
Keeping Faith star Eve Myles was spotted filming a new BBC drama in the heart of Cardiff. Also known for starring in Torchwood and Broadchurch, Myles will now take a leading role alongside fellow Welsh actress Gabrielle Creevy, who won a Bafta Cymru award for her role in BBC’s In My Skin, in the new thriller The Guest.
The Guest, for BBC, is a four-part series described as an “addictive, fast-paced story that centres on the toxic and beguiling relationship between a successful business owner, Fran, and her employee, Ria”. Announcing the show the BBC confirmed that filming would be taking place in and around Cardiff starting in October 2024 and Myles was spotted filming on The Hayes in the city centre. You can read more here.
The Witcher
Film crews descended upon the village of Llanberis at the foot of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) for the third series of The Witcher in September 2024. The village was transformed with fake boulders and a “fake” forest being assembled in the Gwynedd village and black screens erected at Y Glyn, a popular beauty spot more commonly known as The Lagoons.
Dolbardarn Castle was also closed off. You can read more here.
The War Between the Land and the Sea
Cardiff has been used many times during 2024 to film the Doctor Who spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea. The spin-off is set to star Russell Tovey who is known for his roles in Being Human, Gavin & Stacey, and Sherlock.
The War Between the Land and the Sea has been penned by Russell T Davies and takes place within The Whoniverse, the banner that unites Doctor Who and its many spin-offs. The five-part series, which is being directed by Dylan Holmes Williams, will feature the classic Doctor Who monster the Sea Devils who first appeared in the 1972 Jon Pertwee story of the same name.
On October 20 both Park Street and Scott Road in Cardiff city centre, right next to gate five of the Principality Stadium, were overtaken by a big set. Featuring crushed cars, actors with debris stuck to them, rubble, London buses, and taxis the scene looked like something had gone very wrong in the Whoniverse with a lot of destruction.
Among the red double-decker buses and London black cabs, one eyewitness said there were “cars racing up and down Park Street”. You can see the best pictures from the scene here.
Young Sherlock
Filming for Young Sherlock took place in Monmouth
(Image: None)
Filming for Young Sherlock, which tells an origin story of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective, took place at several prominent locations in Monmouth. Extras in Victorian garb filled the town centre as some businesses had their shopfronts temporarily replaced to evoke the period setting with pallets of fruit and veg stacked in front of a greengrocer’s façade.
Buildings used by the crew included Shire Hall, the Punch House pub, and Oxford Coffee shop. A Punch House worker said extras prepared for scenes and had their make-up done in the pub.
A horse-drawn carriage was seen near the Punch House and a scene appeared to be filmed in the Beaufort Arms Court courtyard. You can read more here.
Generation Z
Generation Z, created by Ben Wheatley, sees a group of naïve teenagers battling against an army of zombie baby boomers. This intergenerational conflict serves as a grotesque metaphor for the societal divisions and tensions that afflict modern society.
Generation Z was filmed in Cwmbran and Pontypool. They also filmed around Torfaen including Llanyravon, Fairwater, Coed Eva, Ponthir, and Pontypool.
The Forsyte Saga
The Forsyte Saga was filmed in Cardiff
(Image: WalesOnline/ Rob Browne)
Filming crews for The Forsyte Saga were spotted in Cardiff diligently working on the upcoming reboot of the series. Based on John Galsworthy’s novels the series will chronicle the lives of the affluent Forsyte family in 1880s London.
The new adaptation will feature a more diverse and inclusive cast than ever before including Francesca Annis, Jack Davenport, Tom Pritchard, Millie Gibson, Tuppence Middleton, Stephen Moyer, and others. The new series is also expected to delve into themes of social change and the evolving role of women in society, mirroring the world we live in today.
Filming took over the Civic Centre in Cardiff in July. A number of the show’s already-announced stars were seen on set including True Blood star Moyer, This Life and Pirates of the Caribbean star Davenport, and relative newcomer Owen Igiehon. You can see some of the best pictures here.
The Seven Dials Mystery
Agatha Christie’s The Seven Dials Mystery, written by Broadchurch’s Chris Chibnall, promises to deliver a thrilling murder mystery set against the backdrop of 1920s England. The story revolves around a seemingly harmless prank gone horribly wrong at a lavish country house party.
When one of the guests is found dead, and with only seven alarm clocks remaining, the stage is set for a perplexing investigation. The new Netflix adaptation features an all-star cast including Martin Freeman, Mia McKenna-Bruce, and Helena Bonham Carter. Much like it had been by The Forsyte Saga Cardiff city centre was transformed in August 2024 with onlookers spotting 1920s cars and period dress on set.
Adolescence
Stephen Graham, known for Line of Duty and Pirates of the Caribbean among many other starring roles, teamed up again with Boiling Point director Philip Barantini for a new series titled Adolescence. This gripping four-part drama centres around a family whose world is turned upside-down when their 13-year-old son is accused of murdering a classmate.
The drama, produced by Graham’s Warp Films, boasts a star-studded cast including Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty. The latter, recognised for her role as Princess Anne in The Crown, will play a clinical psychologist assigned to the case.
Death Valley
Death Valley is an upcoming BBC comedy-drama that promises to offer a fresh perspective on the crime genre. Set in Wales, the series explores the unlikely partnership between retired actor John Chapel and detective sergeant Janie Mallowan. Chapel, portrayed by Timothy Spall, is a national treasure known for his role as the fictional detective Caesar.
His life takes a surprising turn when his neighbour is murdered, drawing him into the world of real crime. Enter Mallowan, a grounded Welsh detective sergeant played by Gwyneth Keyworth. With their contrasting personalities and problem-solving methods the pair form an intriguing duo. The series has been shot all over south Wales with Spall and his co-stars being spotted in locations such as Penarth with filming taking place outside the Brod branch there as well as Cardiff and Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is often filmed in Wales
(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
Since 2004 popular science-fiction drama Doctor Who has called Wales home. The country has seen multiple Time Lords, Daleks, and other monsters come and go and now that Russell T Davies is back in the hot seat as showrunner it doesn’t look like the Tardis will be going anywhere. In 2024 they were spotted filming in Penarth and in Cardiff city centre. You can see the best pictures here.
Casualty
For more than a decade Cardiff has provided the backdrop for countless dramatic and heart-wrenching storylines on BBC continuing drama Casualty. It is primarily filmed at BBC Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff Bay, which is also the set of Welsh language soap-opera Pobl y Cwm.
While Casualty is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital, elements of Welsh culture and identity often permeate the show’s narrative. The programme has successfully showcased the diversity of Wales to a national audience.
Gavin & Stacey
Gavin & Stacey was back filming in Barry
(Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE)
When it was announced that the beloved BBC comedy series Gavin and Stacey would be returning for one final episode it seemed like the entire country breathed a sigh of relief. The show enjoys immense popularity not just in Wales but across the whole of the UK.
It is filmed extensively throughout Wales and most notably in Barry Island, which has served as the backdrop for many unforgettable moments. Other key locations include Trinity Street (Gwen’s house), Dinas Powys (the Shipmans’ home), and St Cattwg’s Church where Gavin and Stacey tied the knot. There was lots of filming going on for Gavin & Stacey in September and October 2024 and you can see the best pictures here.