Anyone turning their televisions to BBC 4 this Thursday night may notice some familiar settings for a new six-part comedy drama.
Throughout July, a production crew and cast of actors – including big screen stars Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones – made the market town of Framlingham their temporary home for the filming of Detectorists, about a pair of obsessive amateur archeologists searching for a buried fortune.
The 30-minute show will follow two treasure-hunters Andy and Lance on a journey of ‘greed, betrayal, rejection and redemption’. Along the way, viewers will be able to spot recognisable landscapes and venues, including Framlingham’s Panorama gift shop – one of many locations in and around the town used as a backdrop for the series.
Other locations to feature are the nearby White Horse pub, the exterior of the Castle Inn, a flat in Double Street, the King’s Head in Orford, the Crown in Great Glemham, and parts of Parham, Fressingfield and Bentwaters.
The series is written and directed by Crook, famous for his portrayals of Gareth Keenan in The Office and Ragetti in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.
During filming, producer Adam Tandy told this paper that the local community’s support had been invaluable in making the shoot run smoothly. He said: “We wanted a town that was in itself a community but felt like it was removed from the big city – not just some industrial hinterland. We tried a couple of other places but couldn’t find anywhere more suited to what the show needed.”
Filmmakers also visited the St Elizabeth Hospice charity shop in Framlingham to grab some extra props for the series.
The two lead actors even agreed to sign copies of DVDs for films in which they have starred.
The cast also includes Rachael Stirling (Tipping The Velvet, The Bletchley Circle), Aimee-Ffion Edwards (Being Human, Luther) and Lucy Benjamin (EastEnders, Casualty).
Produced by Channel X and Lola Entertainment, the first episode goes out at 10pm on BBC 4 this Thursday.
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