Ellis series 2 filming locations: Detective drama is set in 'north of England' but filmed in another country altogether!
It's lush countryside a plane journey away for most
Ellis returns to Channel 5 with a much-anticipated series 2 and, once again, the filming locations take centre stage.
Like any decent detective drama these days, a beautiful backdrop is essential. And if you want moody and atmospheric, then it has to be in the UK. The brilliant Under Salt Marsh showcased Wales, as did The Guest, and current ITV thriller Gone has its home in Bristol.
Meanwhile some TV series pretend to be set in the UK, but are actually set abroad – such as The Game, Girl Taken, and The Couple Next Door.
Ellis IS filmed in the UK, however. But it’s not filmed where it says it is. Here’s everything you need to know about the filming locations of Ellis series 2 on Channel 5.
Where is detective drama Ellis on Channel 5 set?
Series 2 of Ellis once again follows tenacious cop DCI Ellis, played by three-time Olivier Award winner and BAFTA nominee Sharon D Clarke. Along with her right-hand man DS Harper, played by Andrew Gower, she is “parachuted into failing investigations across the north of England”.
The four-part crime drama sees the detective duo visit two villages with troubling murder cases. The first two-hander – going out on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 10 and 11 – see the pair visit Ashenham, while the final two instalments follows them in Elmsly.
Are Ashenham and Elmsly real places in England?
No, Ashenham and Elmsly are NOT real places in England or the UK. They are fictional villages created for the purposes of Ellis.
In episodes 1 and 2, the body of a respected local businessman is discovered in the tiny village of Ashenham. And the shock quickly turns to suspicion.
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The following two episodes see Ellis visit the village of Elmsly, which is shaken when university student is found crushed beneath fallen scaffolding at Quinn Artisan Stone – a construction firm and the area’s economic powerhouse.
What filming locations were really used for Ellis series 2?
Ellis series 2 was actually filmed in Northern Ireland. This is similar to Channel 5 detective drama Cooper & Fry, which was set in the Peak District but the accents throughout betrayed the fact it was actually filmed in Northern Ireland.
Both series were made with Northern Ireland Screen, the national screen agency for Northern Ireland. Cast and crew filmed specifically in Glenarm Marina, located in County Antrim along the Causeway Coastal Route. It’s a picturesque, sheltered harbour featuring 40–50 fully serviced berths for sailors and tourists. Glenarm Castle, and Forest Park were also used as backdrops.
Ellis episode 1 filming locations: Slemish Mountain and Glenarm
Ash Tor, the location where DCI Ellis first meets Avery, was shot on Slemish Mountain. It is said to be the first Irish home of Saint Patrick, who was brought to Slemish when he was enslaved. Legend says this is where he found God. On Saint Patrick’s Day large crowds hike to the top of the mountain as a pilgrimage.
Sharon D Clarke described the mountain as “brutal, but beautiful at the top”. She said: “You can see the cows grazing, and there’s wind farms, and it’s just beautiful emeralds and limes and olives. There’s all manner of greens.” Slemish Mountain is located near Broughshane in County Antrim, and offers panoramic views of the Antrim coast and surrounding countryside.
The coastal village of Glenarm was used for Ashenham Village. Glenarm is a historic village and famously home to Glenarm Castle.
Episode 2: Belfast, Downpatrick and Drumaness
Quinn Heritage Stone, the industrial site in episode 2, was filmed at a family run building supplies company on the outskirts of Belfast.
The production team shot the “hero village of Elmsly” across the real villages of Downpatrick and Drumaness. Downpatrick is said to be the burial place of Saint Patrick.
The exterior police station and the Quinn family home were shot in Downpatrick due to the village’s stunning Georgian brick buildings. Drumaness, a historical mill village, is where cast and crew filmed Abi Marshall’s house in a one shot sequence. Abi’s memorial was also filmed here.
Other key filming locations used in Ellis series 2
- Aerial shots in episode 1 of Ellis series 2 show Glenarm Harbour in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It’s famous for its historical structures, including St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland, which was built around 1759. This church is situated on the site of a Franciscan friary that was established in 1465. The Grade B+ listed building is located near the harbour and the mouth of the Glenarm River.
- Cast and crew also filmed in and around Belfast, the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland.
- Viewers will also get to see the Braid Valley area in Glenarm. It’s a scenic, rural area in County Antrim, centred around the River Braid near Ballymena. It is famously associated with the nearby Slemish Mountain, where St. Patrick is said to have tended sheep.
‘Beautiful filming locations’ used in Ellis series 2
Talking about filming in Northern Ireland, DCI Ellis actress Sharon D Clarke told us: “For series two, our audiences can expect MORE. More joy, more twists, more turns, more cases, more beautiful locations, more wonderful guests. Lots of red herrings, lots of clues to trip you up, but also things to make your head spin and make you think.”
She added: “We have more great filming locations coming up. That’s the beautiful thing about the show: it’s location-based, so you’re not in the same police station every week with the same colleagues. You get out and about and you see different people, and such beautiful, lovely creative talent have joined the Ellis family this year.”
Talking about filming across Northern Ireland, she continued: “Northern Ireland is glorious. Costa del Belfast! I’m not going to lie, the weather is still brutal. But it is so verdant. And the fact that you can get everywhere so quickly. So you can be in the city centre, and then you can be in rolling hillsides within moments. It’s been an absolute pleasure seeing this countryside in all its gloriousness.”
‘The landscape is amazing’
Andrew Gower, who plays DS Harper, also enthused about the Ellis series 2 filming locations. He said: “One of the nice things about the series is that we get to see the duo in different locations. This series unfolds across two distinct backdrops.
“Being back in Northern Ireland was special. The landscape is amazing. It gives you everything you need. You’ve got the hills, the beaches, the industry. So it’s an amazing experience. I had never filmed in Northern Ireland or even been here before series 1. So it was a great experience for me to get to know not only the amazing infrastructure that they have for filming, but also to get to know Belfast and the beautiful landscapes of Northern Ireland.
“We’ve got a lot to be proud of when it comes to our scenery, and Northern Ireland really offers that.”
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