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TV drama Whitstable Pearl, starring Kerry Godliman, to be filmed at famous Baggins book shop in Rochester

13:19, 15 February 2022

updated: 13:23, 15 February 2022

Scenes for TV crime drama Whitstable Pearl are being shot at a shop in Rochester.

Camera crews will be descending on Baggins Book Bazaar on Monday to film part of the second series, which is based largely around the seaside town.

Kerry Godliman as Pearl Nolan in Whitstable Pearl
Kerry Godliman as Pearl Nolan in Whitstable Pearl
Baggins book shop in Rochester to be used for filming
Baggins book shop in Rochester to be used for filming

Star of the show is Kerry Godliman who is also in the cast of Trigger Point, Jed Mercurio's ITV production featuring Line of Duty's Vicky McClure.

Whitstable Pearl sees the actress take on the lead role of Pearl Nolan, a restaurateur turned detective involved in a murder investigation.

High Street-based Baggins – hailed as "England's largest rare and second-hand bookshop" – will be closed for the day while it is transformed.

Manager Matt Clarke said: "It's the first time the shop has been used for something on this level.

"I suspect they spotted us and thought it would make an idea place to film.

Whitstable Harbour
Whitstable Harbour
Whitstable author Julie Wassmer
Whitstable author Julie Wassmer

"I don't know much about it, but I don't think they will be using the name, Baggins."

The first series, which screened on Apple TV, used Margate, Ramsgate and Tankerton beach as locations between October 2020 and January last year.

It's based on the Whitstable Pearl Mystery by Julie Wassmer, her first crime novel.

The writer, who lives in the town, worked on EastEnders for 20 years and is a keen campaigner on environmental issues.

Rochester was in the spotlight a year ago as one of the nation's most gripping murder mystery programmes returned to our screens.

High Street, Rochester. Picture: Alex Watson
High Street, Rochester. Picture: Alex Watson

Shots of the town, including the cathedral, castle and river, were featured for the opening episode of the fourth series of top-rated Unforgotten.

The ITV show saw two detectives DCI Cassie Stewart (Nicola Walker) and DI Sunny Khan (Sanjeev Bhaskar) try to solve a gruesome cold case which leads them to a prime suspect in Medway.

Chatham Historic Dockyard has become a popular location for film and television producers over the years.

The likes of Pierce Brosnam shot high-speed water chase scenes there for a Bond movie and Robert Downey Jnr, was spotted filming Sherlock.

And the stars have been known to venture off the set in between shoots.

On one occasion Hollywood A- lister Russell Crowe took time out from filming Les Miserables to enjoy a drink at the Ship and Trades at Chatham Maritime.

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