Another filmed-in-Bristol TV drama gets underway this weekend as new figures from the city’s film office reveal it bounced back quickly from the impact of Covid on the industry last year.
Set in Bristol as well as being shot in the city, Showtrial was made by the production team behind Vigil and Line of Duty – two of the most-acclaimed TV dramas of the past year. 
Described as a gripping drama, Showtrial - which begins on BBC One on Sunday – was filmed in Bristol, including at the city’s Bottle Yard Studios, between March and June 2021 after pre-production began in January.
Filming for five part series took place on location around the city with support from Bristol Film Office.
It is the second drama set and filmed in Bristol to be screened is as many weeks, following last week’s first episode of Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws.
The two series of The Outlaws, which were filmed in numerous locations around the city as well as at The Bottle Yard Studios and employed scores of local people, helped Bristol’s film industry recover from the three-month pause last year caused by the pandemic.
Figures from Bristol Film Office show that despite this expected dip in the value of inward investment generated by film and TV production in the city last year, filming levels bounced back quickly.
Film and TV production contributed an estimated £12.6m to the city’s economy in 2020-21, down from £17m in the previous financial year. 
Senior Bristol film manager Laura Aviles, who oversees The Bottle Yard Studios and Bristol Film Office, said: “We fully expected to see a dip in Bristol TV and film production spend due to the pandemic forcing a pause in production between March and the end of June last year.
“What is heartening to see, is that once production resumed, Bristol went on to register similar quarterly levels of spend to previous years for the remainder of the financial year.
“This is clear evidence that the film and TV production bounced back incredibly quickly in Bristol, despite crew, companies and facilities having endured an incredibly uncertain and challenging period.
“The levels of production we’ve seen so far in the current financial year are exceptionally strong, and we forecast a healthy spend for 2021/22 that we hope will match, or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.”
The first production to film on location in Bristol in summer 2020 following the government’s greenlight and implementation of safety guidelines for the industry, was season two of War of the Worlds (Disney+) starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar Jones.
This was followed by period drama The Pursuit of Love (BBC One) starring Emily Mortimer and Lily James, while series two of Andy’s Aquatic Adventures (CBeebies) and popular gameshow Tipping Point(ITV) were among the first titles to kick back into action at The Bottle Yard Studios. 
Other titles filmed on location in the city with assistance from Bristol Film Office in the year included true crime series Manhunt The Night Stalker (ITV) starring Martin Clunes; crime thriller Before We Die (Channel 4) starring Lesley Sharp, season two of contemporary detective drama McDonald & Dodds (ITV) starring Jason Watkins and Tala Gouveia; the upcoming second series of teen spy thriller Alex Rider (Amazon Prime) starring Otto Farrant and Vicky McClure, upcoming action thriller Extinction (Sky) starring Paapa Essiedu and the upcoming third season of fantasy series A Discovery of Witches (Sky) starring Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer.
Bristol Film Office recorded a total of 653 filming days at Bristol locations and/or at The Bottle Yard Studios in 2020-21.
City locations used in Showtrial included St George’s Hall, which provided the location for courtroom scenes, and St Thomas’s Street in Redcliffe, where a police station exterior was created near The Fleece pub.
Filming for a student ball took place at the University of Bristol’s Ivy Gate area near Royal Fort House and the Physics Building on the main campus, which hosted fairground equipment.
Filming also took place outside Bristol Cathedral, at Ashton Court, Berkeley Square, the Corn Street area, Gloucester Road and nearby Cambridge Road.
The production used numerous locations on or near the Harbourside, including Avon Crescent, Nova Scotia Place, Cottage Inn landing and Brunel Lock.
Showtrial producer Christopher Hall said: “Showtrial was shot in its entirety in and around Bristol. We benefitted from the huge variety of available locations in and in close proximity to this very photogenic city.
“Bristol is extremely film friendly; terrific crews, a great production base at The Bottle Yard Studios, a thriving technical and creative community and easy access to a wide range of locations.
“It is no wonder that so many productions are finding their way to Bristol. I for one want to return as soon as possible.”
His comments echo those of The Outlawsproducer Nickie Sault, who said: “I would return to shoot in Bristol in a heartbeat” when discussing the merits of the city as a TV production location.
Two years ago TV executive Douglas Rae described Bristol as the best place in the UK to film a drama after spending four months in the city shooting the six-part BBC TV production The Trial of Christine Keeler. He had previously made three series of TV drama Mistresses in the city.
Laura Aviles added: “Bristol continues to attract the highest calibre of high-end TV dramas like this to its studio facilities at The Bottle Yard and versatile locations supported by our specialist film office team.”
Showtrial is a five-part drama written by Ben Richards (Cobra, The Tunnel, Strike) and directed by Zara Hayes (Poms, Dian Fossey: Secrets In The Mist).
Described as a timely drama full of dark humour, it explores how prejudice, politics and the media distort the legal process. It begins at 9pm on Sunday on BBC One and BBCiPlayer.
Bristol’s profile as a vibrant hub for film and TV production has soared in recent years and, since the last lockdown ended, the city has had its busiest ever schedule – underpinning its reputation as one of the UK’s most successful TV and film hubs outside of London.
More than 60 titles have been produced at South Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios since they opened 10 years ago in disused wine warehouses on a seven-acre site owned by the city council.
Productions have ranged from high-end TV dramas Poldark and The Trial of Christine Keeler to films such as Hellboy and The Festival and light entertainment shows The Crystal Maze and Tipping Point.
Pictured, top: Tracy Ifeachor & Celine Buckens in Showtrial (image courtesy of World Productions/Joss Barrett/BBC). Centre, clockwise from top left: The Outlaws (Image: BBC/Amazon Studios/Big Talk/Four Eyes), Lesley Sharp in Before We Die (image: Channel 4); Manhunt The Night Stalker (image: ITV); The Pursuit of Love (image: BBC One/Amazon Prime, image: Theodora Films Limited & Moonage Pictures Limited, Robert Viglasky). Bottom: McDonald & Dodds (image: ITV)
