The Rapture on BBC One: Cast and crew set camp in 'unbelievably beautiful' filming locations in the UK
Who needs to travel overseas with scenery like this in the UK?
The Rapture is a thriller with a difference, combining big issues, with an edgy plot, brilliant female-heavy cast, and some seriously stunning filming locations.
Based on Liz Jensen’s novel of the same name, the new five-part crime drama is part whodunit, and part thriller, which tackles some “timely, important and deeply resonant themes”.
And, like all good dramas these days, The Rapture filming locations are a character in themselves. Recent series like Gone, The Guest, and The Dark all used some of the UK’s most stunning areas as a backdrop. And this BBC One series starring Ruth Madeley is no exception.
So where did the cast and crew film? Here’s everything you need to know…
Where is The Rapture set? Is Porth Hen real?
The Rapture, the 2009 novel by Liz Jensen, was set in London and a near-future world facing extreme climate change and a severe heatwave.
However, the new TV adaptation of the book has changed the setting. This is partly down to the BBC’s commitment to make their production less London-centric. TV series This City is Ours, The Hairdresser Mysteries, and The Cage have all filmed across the UK recently, including destinations such as Liverpool, Bristol, and the Midlands. Even Silent Witness has moved from London to Birmingham.
Like Death Valley, and The Guest, BBC One thriller The Rapture is set in Wales. Viewers meet Dr Gabs, a clinical psychologist for adolescents. She is a wheelchair user with an acquired disability following a spinal cord injury from a car accident and is now living in Wales after having spinal rehab.
In episode 1, we’re told Gabs lives in Porth Hen in South Wales. But this is a fictionalised town, made up for the purposes of the drama.
Where was the TV drama really filmed?
The BBC psychological thriller series The Rapture was filmed entirely on location in Wales. It was produced with support of Creative Wales and will be distributed internationally by ITV Studios.
The cast and crew of The Rapture used filming locations across south Wales in the summer of 2025, including Port Talbot, Swansea, and Cardiff. And, believe it or not, they filmed during a heatwave! Of course, this only helped bring some authenticity to the series theme of climate change.
Bolton-born Ruth Madeley, who plays Dr Gabs in the series, talked about the intense heat while filming. She said: “I want it on record that we were in Port Talbot in 33-degree heat. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t been there myself. When we knew that we were filming in Wales, and the script reflected that, weirdly, it seemed to all fit.
“It almost made the story make more sense. The nature of the locations are stunning, the scenery here is unbelievable. It looks so beautiful. You can only get that in Wales.”
Carmarthen-born actor Iwan Rheon, who plays journalist Dick Carwyn in the show, added: “It’s always nice to come back and film in Wales. There have been quite a variety of locations. Margam Park is really nice. We filmed a lot in Port Talbot, and it was like 35 degrees, which is bizarre. I don’t think it’s ever been that hot there! But yes, it’s quite nice to be in various locations all around South Wales. And Dragon Studios, of course. It’s been lovely. I love coming back here.”
The Rapture filming locations: What building was used as Oxsmith psychiatric hospital?
Oxsmith is the psychiatric hospital featured in The Rapture. This is where Gags works, and teenager Bethany is detained after allegedly killing her mum.
The building used as a filming location for The Rapture is actually a rather fancy apartment complex, with a fascination history. Now called Hayes Point development in Sully, Wales, the large residential development was built on the site of the former Sully Hospital situated on the Vale of Glamorgan coast just outside Sully. You can find it on Hayes Road in Penarth.
Hayes Point was originally a hospital which opened in 1936 to treat patients with tuberculosis. Builders began working on the project in 1931 and finally completed it in 1938. Taken over by the Welsh Hospital Board in 1948, the building was subsequently developed as a general hospital which played a significant part in treating wartime casualties including evacuees from Dunkirk.
The hospital originally known as Sully Hospital closed in 2001, and was later converted to residential apartments renamed Hayes Point. It’s now a Grade II listed estate with 236 apartments.
What key filming locations were used in The Rapture?
- Margam Park, specifically the ruins, was used as a filming location in The Rapture episode 4. Gabs and Dick visit the site after Bethany drew them in a vision. Margam Park is a Grade I listed garden, set within a landscape of beautiful trees, shrubs and seasonal flowers. The site contains significant historic ruins including the 12th-century Margam Abbey, and its iconic twelve-sided Chapter House.
- Dragon Studios, a TV and film production complex in South Wales, was used for some indoor scenes.
- Gabs’ house is situated in a residential area beside Port Talbot Steelworks in South Wales.
- In episode 2, Gabs and Dick meet for breakfast at Franco’s, a fish and chip restaurant on the Aberavon Beach seafront in Port Talbot. It’s known for its seaside views over Swansea Bay.
- In episode 3, Gabs and Frasier attend a posh function, which was filmed at Swansea Guildhall. The location was also used for the 2025 Netflix film Havoc. Percy Thomas designed the building in the classical revival style and was officially opened in 1934. It is famous for its white Portland stone and art-deco clock tower.
- Episode 4 shows an aerial shot of the M48 Severn Bridge illuminated at dusk. The bridge spans the River Severn, connecting England and Wales. It features two distinct main towers and suspension cables.
- The Church of St Andrew & St Teilo in Cathays, Cardiff – a Grade II listed building completed in 1913 – features in episode 4.
- The swish Trenmoor offices were filmed in the lobby of 71/72 Kingsway building in Swansea. The modern workspace was formerly the site of the Oceana nightclub.
- St Nicholas Church in the Vale of Glamorgan features in the closing scenes of episode 5.
‘Wales is unreal’
Queen Charlotte’s India Amarteifio, who plays Bethany, described the landscape as a major part of the production.
She said: “I’ve filmed briefly in Wales before. But this is the first time I’ve spent a longer period here, and it’s been unreal. I’m such a country girl, so it’s been perfect. I’ve been staying on a farm. So, after a really intense day, going back to see the horses, the cows, and the beautiful green meadows has been amazing. I’ve also loved learning more about Wales by being here and speaking to the crew and cast.
“I’ve heard there are a lot of projects filming here now, and it seems to be a place where you can film throughout the year because different locations are easily and readily available very close together. It’s honestly been perfect.
“We’ve really been able to home in on the beauty of the landscape, which is what the show is about. It’s about celebrating and looking after the planet. And Wales is a great place to show that.”
Talking about the filming locations, Game of Thrones actor Iwan Rheon added: “Because Wales has such a diverse range of locations, it offers so much to the filmmaker. For this, they wanted a variety – from a slightly run-down town to open forests and ruins – so you’ve got that real dynamism, which is great to see on screen.
“So, from a seaside town that has seen better days to nature and history, it offers filmmakers the opportunity to make a lot of different places look pretty much like anywhere.”
The Rapture filming locations: ‘Filming in Margam Park Ruins had a real energy about it’
Meanwhile, Sam Hazeldine – who portrays Bethany’s dad Leonard Krall – told us: “It’s always lovely working in Wales. I did another BBC show here called Requiem back in 2017, that was also filmed in Cardiff. The crew we’re working with are absolutely fantastic on this job. Tireless. And lovely and funny and warm. It’s just been great.”
He revealed his favourite filming location on The Rapture was Margam Park Ruins. He said: “I’d say filming at Margam Park Ruins. It’s a very popular location but it’s so beautiful. I didn’t actually get a chance to look around all the grounds and the main building, but we were filming in the ruins and it has a real energy about it.”
Jack Farthing, aka Frasier Melville, said about filming in Wales: “This is set in the middle of a heatwave but that’s not necessarily what Welsh weather is known for… We did get some sun, but there was definitely a lot of being very cold and pretending we weren’t. Wales is wonderful though. I’ve filmed a fair bit there and being in that landscape and on the south coast is always very lovely.”
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