So you’re planning your trip to England. Flights booked, passports sorted, clothes suitable to cope with four seasons in one day are all ready, guide books have been consulted, accommodation is arranged. What to do now? How about watching some British TV shows sets in the locations you’ll be visiting to give you a flavour of what the country is all about. Here’s a list of locations and shows you might want to watch again…

London
House Of Cards (1990) is set in the fictional world of back stabbing politics at Westminster so perfect if plan to visit the Houses of Parliament.

Hustle (2004), a comedy drama about a group of conmen, is filmed in all the wonderful London locations. You’ll see the tiny winding alleys in the ancient city, the modern glass masterpiece that is the Gherkin Building, the spectacular London Eye, Trafalgar Square and the pubs and wine bars of this great capital city.
EastEnders (1985) is the soap set in the fictional working class area of Walford in the east end of London.

Liverpool
That iconic north-western port famous for the Beatles, the Titanic and its football (soccer) team.
Bread (1986) is a comedy about a working class family and their various exploits set in the streets of Liverpool.

Boys From The Blackstuff (1982) is a very grim drama written by Liverpool playwright Alan Bleasdale and highlights the poverty and unemployment of the area in the 1980s.
Liver Birds (1969) is a comedy about two girls who share a flat in city. Opening sequence shows the Liver Building, Albert Dock and the ferry over the river Mersey.

Manchester
This north-western city was the heart of the 19th century industrial revolution. Goods from the empire were brought here by canal or railway and manufactured in the mills and factories before being sold on again. It made Manchester fabulously wealthy.

Coronation Street (1960) is the most famous soap set in the fictional area of Weatherfield, Manchester. The show has been running for nearly 50 years and you can visit the actual set complete with cobbles where it is filmed.

Life On Mars (2006) is the brilliant time-slip cop show set in Gene Hunt’s beloved home city.
North And South (2004) a costume drama from Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel highlighting the grim reality for those who had to work in the mills in the 19th century.

Oxford
Legend has it that this university town was founded by King Alfred in 872. However, the city we now see dates from the 12th century. This beautiful town, known for its ‘dreaming spires’ has been the inspiration of several shows.

Inspector Morse (1987) drives his red vintage Jaguar car around the city then confronts many of his villains and victims within the hallowed halls of the Oxford colleges. The body count is pretty high whereas in reality Oxford usually sees about one murder a decade!

Brideshead Revisited (1981) has Charles Ryder meeting Sebastian Flyte at the Oxford college where they are both studying.

Lacock, Wiltshire
This lovely village in the south west of England is largely unchanged since medieval times so is the setting for many costume dramas.

Lacock can be seen as the town of Meriton in Pride And Prejudice (1995) when the Bennet girls venture forth and meet the soldiers and see Mr Darcy.

Cranford (2006) is also filmed in this village and it wonderfully recreated the town’s timeless and unchanging values.

Dorchester, Dorset and surrounding countryside
All Thomas Hardy’s novels are set in his beloved west country, called Wessex in his books.

Far from the Madding Crowd (1998), shows scenes in the beautiful countryside around Dorchester. Visit Hardy’s cottage at Bockhamton.

Bramham Park, West Yorkshire
There are too many stately homes in England to mention them all but the magnificent Bramham Park will be of particular interest. It was here that the delicious moment occurred in Lost in Austen (2008) where Amanda asks Mr Darcy, much to his confusion, to get into the fountain and get his white shirt all wet!

Cornwall
The most south-westerly point in England (Lands End) is famous for its scones and clotted cream teas, tiny winding lanes, rugged coast and Celtic heritage.

Doc Martin (2008), about a city doctor who is planted in the rural landscape of Cornwall, is filmed in Port Isaac.

18th century drama Poldark (1975) was a costume drama about a family living with the ships and seas of this remote area.

Turville, Buckinghamshire
This pretty village is acts as the fictional village of Dibley (Vicar of Dibley 1994), Midsomer (Midsomer Murders 1997) and St Mary Mead (Miss Marple stories 2004).