Brighton on Screen: Famous TV and Film Locations

Brighton has a long history with the moving image, stretching back to Edwardian-era film pioneers like William Friese-Greene, Esmé Collings, James Williamson, and George Albert Smith. Today, the city remains a favourite backdrop for major television and film productions, offering a distinct mix of coastal scenery and historic architecture. If you have been watching television lately, you might have noticed some very familiar streets. The ITV crime drama Grace, starring John Simm as Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and based on the novels by Peter James, is filmed right on our doorstep. Its sixth season premiered earlier this year on 29 March 2026, and the production team has been spotted all over town, even transforming the former Popworld club on West Street into a set for Season 5.

If you want to trace the steps of the local detective, several key spots around the city feature heavily in the show. Brighton Palace Pier and the Royal Pavilion are regular fixtures, alongside Sydney Street, Brighton Marina, Devil's Dyke, and Madeira Drive. The production has also used locations in Ovingdean, Woodingdean, Peacehaven, the Van Alen building on Marine Parade, and residential streets in Hove like Ferndale Road and Silverdale Road. Beyond the drama of Grace, these locations have deep roots in cinema history. The Grade II listed Brighton Palace Pier, which opened on 20 May 1899, has appeared in classics like Brighton Rock (1947), Quadrophenia (1979), Mona Lisa (1986), and more recently in My Policeman* (2022). Entry to the pier now carries a small seasonal fee of £1 to £2 depending on when you visit.

Other historic landmarks have their own impressive screen credits. The Royal Pavilion, built as a royal seaside retreat between 1787 and 1822, has appeared in Richard III (1995), The End of the Affair (1999), and the fantasy series The Sandman (2025). If you want to wander through the palace yourself, adult tickets are £19.50, while child tickets for ages 5 to 18 are £11.75. Nearby, the Theatre Royal Brighton on New Road, which opened in 1807 and is managed by the Ambassador Theatre Group, was used as a concert hall in the first season of Bridgerton. Even the city's streets and transport hubs have played their part; Brighton Station was featured in Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), and the narrow passage known as Quadrophenia Alley off East Street remains a famous spot for fans of the 1979 mod classic.

While Brighton itself has plenty of filming spots, the wider Sussex coastline has also drawn major productions. Beachy Head has been featured in Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire and the James Bond film The Living Daylights, while the dramatic cliffs of Cuckmere Haven served as backdrops for Atonement and the musical film Wicked. Whether you are spotting local landmarks on television on a Sunday night or taking a walk past the old West Pier—which itself featured in Loot (1970) and Carry On at Your Convenience (1971)—the city's connection to the screen is visible almost everywhere you look.