Hastings Old Town was once again flung back into wartime Britain when the cast and crew of Foyle’s War returned to the town in April to film a fourth series.
Croft Road was quickly transformed into the home address of one of the nation’s most well known sleuths, Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, played as ever by Michael Kitchen.
Foyle and his driver, the feisty Sam, played by Honeysuckle Weeks, return to Hastings to solve a brutal murder over two feature length episodes to be screened in November.
But what about the logistics of filming in a busy seaside town? Access to roads needs to be restricted without causing a major headache for drivers, shoots on the beach need to be organised and the crew needs somewhere to stay.
The job of organising cast and crew is made ten times easier by the fantastic reception from the people of Hastings and St Leonards. In the words of creator Anthony Hororwitz:
"Shooting here is a joy - we love being here."
One of the most technical filming arrangements this time round involved an all-night shoot on the beach.
Council staff, from the traffic management team to the beach inspection team, were involved in making sure things ran smoothly. The cast and crew all stayed locally in various hotels around Hastings and St Leonards, bolstering the economy and raising the town’s profile. As well as Croft Road, other featured sites have included St Clements Church, Post Office Passage, Hill Street and Maze Hill.
Each episode attracts around nine million viewers and is as popular abroad as it is at home, with fan bases in the States and Australia.
We can’t give too much away about the fourth series, but we’ve heard whispers about a dramatic car chase, a fight and of course murder most foul...
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This page last updated: 22/06/2005