Two new shows filmed in Bristol to be released over the festive season

This Christmas, there are two new Bristol-made TV drama treats in store to suit viewers of all ages; The Famous Five: Mystery at The Prospect Hotel, launching on CBBC and BBC iPlayer on 23 December; and rom-com The Road Trip, streaming on Paramount+ from Boxing Day.

Mystery at The Prospect Hotel is the first of two new feature-length films in the second series of The Famous Five, the BBC’s reimagining of Enid Blyton’s iconic stories created for television and executive produced by Nicolas Winding Refn (byNWR) & Matthew Read (Moonage Pictures). It follows the highly successful first series which aired on the BBC in 2023 and 2024; its premiere, The Curse of Kirrin Island, became CBBC’s number one rated episode in 2023.

Whilst studio filming for series one took place in Cardiff, Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios hosted sets and production offices for series two. Filming took place on ‘Kirrin Cottage’ sets in the studio and at locations across Wales and the South West of England, including Gloucestershire’s Berkeley Castle, Chavenage House (which doubled for The Prospect Hotel) and Whitminster House.

Frith Tiplady, Moonage Pictures MD and Executive Producer, says: “We always jump at the opportunity to take a Moonage Pictures show to Bristol and the South West. The South West is blessed with extremely talented crews we love working with. This teamed with the abundance of fantastic filming locations and The Bottle Yard Studios who have already homed three Moonage shows, with another filming next year, makes Bristol one of the most film friendly cities and regions in the UK.”

Image: The Famous Five - Mystery at Prospect Hotel, credit BBC 

In Mystery at the Prospect Hotel, it’s summer 1940 and the Five are reunited at a grand hotel on Cragstone Ridge. An old foe, Thomas Wentworth, awaits them as he needs their help. Wentworth has had a vision of the future and thinks he has seen the murder of famous jazz singer Cab Vee, who is visiting the hotel. With a host of likely suspects, each with their own motive, can the Five figure out who is trying to kill him?

Diaana Babnicova returns as George, alongside Elliott Rose as Julian, Kit Rakusen as Dick and Flora Jacoby Richardson as Anne. Making up the fifth member of The Famous Five and the gang’s faithful furry friend, is Kip, the Bearded Collie Cross playing Timmy the dog. Joining the core cast are Jack Gleeson, Maria Pedraza, Amir Wilson, James Wilby, Rita Tushingham, Jonathan Aris, Jamie Andrew Cutler and Jemima Rooper. The Famous Five is a Moonage Pictures and byNWR production (2 x 90’) for the BBC in the UK, in co-production with The Mediapro Studio.

Mystery at The Prospect Hotel is available on BBC iPlayer from Monday 23 December. It airs on CBBC at 5.25pm, Monday 23 December and on BBC One at 10.20am, Tuesday 31 December. Episode two of series two, Big Trouble on Billycock Hill, will air in 2025.

Paramount+ original series The Road Trip is a contemporary romantic comedy about giving love another shot, based on the best-selling book by Beth O’Leary. The six-part series produced by 42 (makers of The Flatshare) filmed at The Bottle Yard Studios and on location in Bristol with support from the city’s Film Office.

Image: The Road Trip, credit Paramount+

Addie (Emma Appleton) and her sister Deb (Isabella Laughland) are on a road trip to a friend’s wedding in Spain when they are forced to offer a ride to Addie’s ex Dylan (Laurie Davidson), his irrepressible best friend Marcus (David Jonsson) and complete stranger Rodney (Angus Imrie). With nowhere to hide but a creaky campervan, the group must confront their buried history as secrets and revelations cause many a bump in the road. Peppered with spiky conflict, alongside surreal escapades, the journey to the wedding proves to be an unforgettable ride. Everyone in the van has one question on their lips – what exactly was the real reason behind Addie and Dylan’s breakup? Who was to blame? And will their journey back to where they first fell in love bring a happy-ever-after?

Studio filming took place at The Bottle Yard and Bristol Film Office assisted the shoot at numerous locations, including Totterdown (Richmond Street and St Luke’s Steps), Armada House (where characters load up their campervan for the trip), and various Clifton locations including Canning Road (where a car stunt was filmed using a spinning rig, with emergency vehicles arriving in the aftermath), private residences on Worcester Terrace and Berkely Square and street filming on Chandos Road. Bar scenes were shot at the Gallimaufry Pub on Gloucester Road and café scenes in the Harbourside Kitchen at SS Great Britain on Gas Ferry Road. Filming also took place in Gran Canaria, Spain.

Eight local industry entrants gained work experience with The Road Trip’s production team, arranged by The Bottle Yard Studios, shadowing camera, costume, make up, script supervision and art departments. Tyron (age 22) said “I genuinely had so much fun, meeting new people and being creative. I feel much more confident entering into the scripted TV world especially as a minority. I will definitely cherish this opportunity.” Grace (aged 21) said: “I enjoyed every second. I learned so much from everyone around me. I feel this experience has very much confirmed my decision to script supervise in this industry.” Students from Bristol Film School (boomsatsuma) also gained online work experience with the team.

The Road Trip is written and created for television by Ryan O’Sullivan and Matilda Wnek (Vigil) and lead directed by China Moo-Young (Everything I Know About Love). It is the second Beth O’Leary adaptation by Paramount+ and 42, following the global success of The Flatshare (also filmed extensively in Bristol) which premiered on Paramount+ in 2022.

The Road Trip is available to stream on Paramount+ from 26 December 2024.