News / television
Bristol-set and filmed psychological thriller to hit TV screens
A psychological thriller set and filmed in Bristol will hit the small screens on Sunday.
Gone, a six-part series starring seasoned actors Eve Myles (Torchwood, Keeping Faith and Belonging) and David Morrissey (Sherwood, The Long Shadow and Britannia), was shot at The Bottle Yard Studios and on location across the city with support from the Bristol Film Office.
Written by George Kay and directed by Richard Laxton, the drama centres on a respected headteacher who becomes the prime suspect when his wife mysteriously disappears.
Myles plays the determined detective investigating the case, triggering a tense cat-and-mouse battle as she attempts to uncover the truth.
Gone, six-part series, star veteran actors Eve Myles and David Morrissey – photo: James Pardon/ITV
Myles, who recently appeared on This Morning, teased that the ending is anything but predictable, telling viewers to expect “big twists”.
Set against the backdrop of a private school, nearby woodland and the wider city, the series also explores themes of trauma, trust and the legacy of elite institutions.
The story is partly inspired by the book To Hunt A Killer and the career of former Gloucestershire Police detective superintendent Julie Mackay, who served as a consultant on the project alongside ITV crime correspondent Robert Murphy.
Julie Mackay led the investigation that identified the killer of Melanie Road in Bath some 31 years after her murder.
Mackay’s work resulted in the conviction of Christopher Hampton, a 63-year-old painter and decorator living in Fishponds, bringing the long-standing cold case to a closure.
Produced by New Pictures and Observatory Pictures, the series was filmed around Bristol, with many school scenes shot at Downside School. The region’s architecture and wooded landscapes are used to great effect to create the drama’s brooding atmosphere.
Other locations include the Forest of Dean and Danby Lodge. All police interiors and set work were completed at The Bottle Yard Studios in south Bristol.
Sarah and Michael’s daughter, Alana is played by Emma Appleton (The Road Trip, The Killing Kind, Lola).
Gone also stars Jennifer Macbeth, Arthur Hughes, Nicholas Nunn, Elliot Cowan, Billy Barrett, Rupert Evan, Jodie McNee, Oscar Batterham and Clare Higgins.
The story is partly inspired by the book To Hunt A Killer and the career of former Gloucestershire Police detective superintendent Julie Mackay – photo: Julie Mackay
Writer George Kay also created and wrote the Golden Globe and BAFTA-nominated and Critics Choice award winner Lupin.
His other work includes BAFTA-winning series The Long Shadow and Litvinenko, which both aired on ITV. Kay also wrote the International Emmy nominated Criminal.
Bristol’s prominence as a film and television location has grown significantly in recent years, with productions including The Forsytes, Young Sherlock and Netflix’s The Seven Dials Mystery filming in the city.
All police interiors and set work were completed at The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol – photo: ITV
Meanwhile, the accalimed Apple TV+ series Down Cemetery Road, starring acting stalwarts Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson, was largely shot at The Bottle Yard Studios and locations around Bristol such as St Werburgh’s City Farm and Underfall Yard.
Down Cemetery Road recently won the British Film Designers Guild‘s Planet Positive Award, highlighting the studio’s commitment to sustainability.
The six-part series begins on Sunday at 9pm on ITV1.
Main photo: ITV
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