Secret Service filming locations: Where ITV's globe-trotting spy thriller was filmed and its link to James Bond
Secret Service filmed in one country outside the UK
Secret Service, ITV’s new international espionage thriller, sees Gemma Arterton’s spy and her supporting cast travel all around the world – and this is everywhere the show was filmed.
The new series, based on a book by ITV News’ Tom Bradby, revolves around MI6 agent Kate (Arterton). She becomes suspicious that the Russians have an asset in the UK Government who could become the next prime minister.
This leads to some heated conversations and shadowy spycraft, whether it’s at home or abroad.
If you’re curious about exactly where Secret Service was filmed, we’ve rounded up all the main locations.
Where was Secret Service filmed?
Secret Service was mostly filmed between two locations: London and Malta.
Malta, a European country located between Sicily and North Africa, has become a hub for film and TV production. It’s hosted projects like Game of Thrones, Netflix’s How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, and The Madame Blanc Mysteries.
It offers substantial tax incentives, and given its climate and architecture, it’s often used as a double for other locations.
Where in Malta was Secret Service filmed?
Secret Service was filmed in three separate locations in Malta: Senglea, Dingli, and Rabat.
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Senglea is one of Malta’s historic Three Cities. Known for its fortified walls and maritime heritage, it offers sweeping views across the Grand Harbour toward Valletta.
Dingli, a village sitting on Malta’s western edge, is home to the island’s highest point and its best coastal views. Rabat, a small town in the west of Malta, is home to the catacombs of St. Paul and St. Agatha. Also, Steven Spielberg’s Munich was partly filmed there!
“We had a brilliant Maltese locations team who found the most incredible villa near the coastal cliffs of Dingli with an infinity pool and numerous outbuildings. We moved to the historic streets of Rabat for the approach to the important meetings in the church, in actual church we found in Senglea,” ITV said.
How Secret Service recreated the MI6 building
The MI6 headquarters’ iconic building sits on the Thames in London.
Despite its secretive nature, the production designers on Secret Service were able to build a whole new set based on existing knowledge of the SIS’ building’s interiors.
“We have some knowledge that the interiors are actually like so we decided that we would be best to build the interior and our locations team found an empty brutalist 1960’s building in Hayes,” ITV explained.
“Our wonderful designers and set decorators turned it into our very own SIS headquarters, built the tiger trap doors, and we used green screens behind the windows in order to drop in the views across the Thames.”
How the Secret Service filming locations connect to James Bond
Secret Service’s links to James Bond go beyond espionage.
Firstly, the MI6 building was the home base of the 00 section in the franchise, and it can be seen multiple times. Notably, it gets blown up in Skyfall.
Secondly, two Bond films were filmed in Malta: The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only. Ian Fleming, the author behind the series, also holidayed in Malta.
Fun fact: Gemma Arterton was a Bond girl in Quantum of Solace, too.
Where else was Secret Service filmed?
Given how Secret Service’s story involves the prime minister, you’d expect to see Number 10 at one point or another.
However, while the Old Naval College stood in for the cabinet office and governmental corridors, Harefield House in Uxbridge was used for the PM’s office.
“For our external shots of number 10, where characters might be making announcements… we used John Adam Street, which can be found around the corner from the real front door of Number 10,” the production team added.
Similarly, while RAF Northolt seemingly appears in the show, these scenes were actually filmed at Farnborough International.
“We needed an open, airport space, for a couple of scenes in the series and our locations team secured an area at Farnborough International – a location that holds an annual airshow which made it perfect for scenes to be captured without the noise pollution of real airport traffic,” ITV said.
Did Secret Service actually film in Moscow?
It may not surprise you (given the current geopolitical climate) that Secret Service didn’t actually film any scenes in Moscow.
Instead, in the team’s pursuit of an outdoor space that could pass as a quiet square in Russia’s capital, they ended up filming near the water fountain in Battersea Park in London.
Malta aside, Secret Service found creative ways to transport viewers to other countries without ever leaving the UK. For scenes based in Helsinki, the team found an apartment with a “Scandinavian feel” in Clerkenwell, as well as an Italian restaurant in Victoria.
For scenes on the Russian/Finnish border, the crew filmed in a beautiful Scots Pine forest in the Surrey Hills.
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