New Bristol movie map takes you in the footsteps of 'The Outlaws'

Loved The Outlaws? Love location spotting? Why not combine the two this Summer! Bristol Film Office has partnered with Visit Bristol and Bristol UNESCO City of Film to present ‘The Outlaws in Bristol’ Movie Map, featuring some of the city’s best filming locations used in the making of the BBC comedy-thriller, so that fans of the show can walk in the footsteps of Stephen Merchant’s unlikely gang of lawbreakers.

Made by Big Talk Studios and Merchant’s own company Four Eyes, The Outlaws is a co-production between the BBC and Amazon Studios that follows a group of strangers from different walks of life forced together to complete a community payback sentence in Bristol. Series one of the Bristol-made show burst onto our screens in 2021, followed by series two in 2022 and most recently series three, which aired earlier this year. Alongside Merchant, the show’s core cast stars Oscar-winner Christopher Walken, Gamba Cole, Eleanor Tomlinson, Darren Boyd, Clare Perkins, Jessica Gunning and Rhianne Barreto. All three series were filmed at The Bottle Yard Studios and on location across Bristol with assistance from the city’s Film Office.

Laura Aviles, Head of Film, Bristol City Council, says: “The Outlaws has been an incredible show for the city of Bristol. Over three series aired across BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video, the show has beamed Bristol’s distinctive culture and identity around the world, both through the twists and turns of the plot and the varied visual backdrop of the city. Bristol Film Office’s Movie Maps always prove popular, and this addition to the collection presents a selection of the most prominent filming locations featured across The Outlaws’ 17 episodes. With film tourism and ‘set-jetting’ becoming increasingly popular, we hope this map will give residents and city visitors who are fans of the show a fun insight into the real-life locations they have seen on screen.”

Commenting upon the release of series three in May 2024, Creator, Executive Producer & Showrunner Stephen Merchant said: “We really wanted to make sure we showcased Bristol in every light. I think we’ve done a good job of that. When people approach me when I’m out and about, they talk about how much they love the show, and they always mention the roads that they recognise, the buildings they recognise, the art on the walls that they love. I think that’s really nice, because we wanted to make sure that the whole of Bristol felt a part of this story, it didn’t belong to the Outlaws, it belongs to Bristol.”

Luke Alkin (Executive Producer, Big Talk Studios) added: “For a proudly Bristol-set show, the range and variety of locations the city offers is unparalleled and was a key part of The Outlaws’ distinct identity. At all times, the Film Office were supportive and proactive with assisting the production. Our experience of shooting in the city could not have been more positive.”

Bristol Film Office Movie Maps are also available for ‘Sanditon in the South West’, ‘Skins’, ‘Sherlock’, ‘TV Favourites’, ‘TV Classics’ and ‘Feature Films’. The most recent Map to be added to the collection - ‘Doctor Who in Bristol’ - has been viewed more than 180,000 times since it was launched in December 2023 to mark the 60^th anniversary of the show.

View the full Bristol Film Office Movie Maps Collection HERE. 

View ‘The Outlaws in Bristol’ map HERE.