While Warner Bros Studios Leavesden is known for big-budget film sets, it isn’t the only place around Watford that has seen filming over 2023.

Spiral

In March, Kings Langley saw its Fred and Ginger Coffee shop turned into the set for a new film operating under the name Spiral at short notice.

Crew members remained tight-lipped on what the movie is about but curious fans have speculated it could be a new Ghostbusters flick.

Watford Observer: Filming in Kings Langley’s Fred and Ginger Coffee in March.Filming in Kings Langley’s Fred and Ginger Coffee in March. (Image: Newsquest)

Silent Witness

The BBC’s crime drama Silent Witness made two visits to Watford this year ahead of season 27, which will debut on January 8 2024.

Film crews recorded scenes on Market Street in May, including inside Jenny’s Café and Oana Hair Studio, as well as the Building Research Establishment estate in Garston for filming in September.

Big Boys

The Abbots Langley Village Café also had its 15 minutes of fame in June after it featured in a Watford comedian’s sitcom about his life as a local teenager.

Channel 4 sitcom Big Boys is loosely based on the life of local comedian, Jack Rooke, who grew up in Rickmansworth, and season two will air on January 14 2024. 

Slow Horses

After a week of speculation in July, Watford Borough Council announced that the mysterious TV show being filmed in West Herts College was the Apple TV spy thriller Slow Horses, featuring star Gary Oldman.

Filming for the third season, which debuted on November 29 2023, saw the college converted into a shopping centre at Christmas time with fake restaurants and shops.

Grantchester

In August, actor Robson Green was also spotted outside The Old Palace in Kings Langley.

The pub was renamed the 'The Hope and Anchor' and locals speculated that the ninth series of ITV detective drama Grantchester was being filmed nearby. 

This was later confirmed by ITV.

Here We Go

Back in September, a BBC production team took over a tattoo parlour in Croxley Green and a large modern house in Rickmansworth for the second series of BBC sitcom Here We Go, which features Katherine Parkinson.

Watford Observer: IT Crowd star Katherine Parkinson during filming in Croxley Green in September. IT Crowd star Katherine Parkinson during filming in Croxley Green in September. (Image: Tyson Taylor)

Forty Acres

The Swan pub in Bushey stirred up interest in July when it was covered by large black sheets and a film crew set up outside. 

In December, it was revealed that it was the pilot for a new Sky comedy called Forty Acres which stars Hugh Bonneville and Sarah Parish, who were both spotted on set.

Watford Observer: Sarah Parish (turquoise top) and Hugh Bonneville (suit jacket) were spotted outside The Swan in Bushey in July.Sarah Parish (turquoise top) and Hugh Bonneville (suit jacket) were spotted outside The Swan in Bushey in July. (Image: Newsquest)

The Acolyte

And finally, filming for Star Wars spin-off The Acolyte was rumoured to have visited Rickmansworth according to a Star Wars blog.

The Bespin Bulletin reported that actors had been spotted by locals performing lightsaber duels in a forest near the town for a few nights in late November and early December.