Film and TV locations in Newport and Gwent

­— City campus is home to Netflix smash

The former Caerleon Campus

When Sex Education premiered on Netflix in January 2019, viewers in South East Wales would have instantly recognised the location of the show’s fictional school.

The University of South Wales’ former Caerleon Campus, closed in 2016, became Moordale Secondary School, where Otis Milburn (played by Asa Butterfield) is charged by his classmates with passing on the wisdom of his sex therapist mother (Gillian Anderson of The X-Files).

USW students took part in creating the show, either on work experience in production or acting as extras.

“For the students who worked on the series it was genuinely a life-changing experience,” Tom Ware, USW’s director in production and performance, told the Argus ahead of the season one premiere.

A scene from Sex Education

“And for USW, it was fantastic to be associated with a top-quality production company and to have direct experience of working with one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative broadcasters.”

When the second season was released in January this year, there were more local sites for Gwent viewers to spot.

Indoor scenes were shot at The Spice Inn, Cwmbran and Newport’s International Sports Village; and outdoor scenes were filmed throughout Monmouthshire, including in Llandogo, Monmouth, and Tintern.

Aimee Lou Wood, Mimi Keene, Simone Ashley, and Chaneil Kular in Sex Education (2019) Picture: Sam Taylor/Netflix

­— Superhero struts stuff at military training camp

The Ministry of Defence’s training area in Caerwent was used for many of the war scenes in the 2011 Marvel film Captain America: The First Avenger.

The Monmouthshire base was the recommendation of the Wales Screen Commission, and filming took place there in the autumn of 2010.

The film follows Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, a plucky American GI who is transformed into a super soldier – Captain America – and tasked with stopping Hydra, a Nazi splinter group planning to dominate the world using mystical technology.

The First Avenger was one of the first films in the hugely successful Marvel Cinematic Universe series, in which Captain America would go on to fight alongside other superheroes including Iron Man, Thor, and the Hulk.

The Caerwent training area has also been used for location filming in several episodes of the BBC’s revived Doctor Who.

­— Hospital stars in NHS tribute

Hollywood star Michael Sheen surprised staff at Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital in 2018 during the filming of To Provide All People, a poetic tribute to the NHS made to coincide with the health service’s 70th anniversary celebrations.

Sheen – who has won plaudits for his portrayals of famous figures like Tony Blair, Brian Clough, and David Frost – played a hospital porter in the BBC film created by poet Owen Sheers, who was educated in Abergavenny.

Actor Michael Sheen with Amanda Watkins

The film also starred Martin Freeman (Sherlock, The Hobbit series) and Eve Myles (Belonging, Keeping Faith) and aired in late June 2018, with Wales’ health minister Vaughan Gething praising Mr Sheers’ “poignant” tribute to the NHS and to the Abergavenny hospital.

Nevill Hall staff, too, were delighted to meet Welsh actor Sheen when he turned up for filming.

Medical laboratory assistant Amanda Watkins was one staff member who met and had photographs taken with the star.

"I was a little bit starstruck,” she told the Argus at the time. "He was lovely.

"I waved at him and said could I have a photo and he was very accommodating.”

­— Time Lord makes regular visits to region

The long-running, ever-popular show Doctor Who has made use of many filming locations in Gwent, with showrunners BBC Wales making full use of the shooting opportunities on their doorstep.

Tredegar House has made several appearances in both Doctor Who and its spin-off Torchwood.

Other sites visited by The Doctor in the city include St Woolos Cemetery, where Cybermen attacked mourners at a 19th-century funeral in the 2008 Christmas special.

A Dalek in the 17th century stable block at Tredegar House in Newport. Picture: Becky Matthews

Speaking to the Argus at the time, one Glasllwch resident said she had seen the filming while out walking her dog.

"I was going past the cemetery walls and saw lots of white smoke. A security guard said they were filming Doctor Who – it was very exciting."

Cybermen in St Woolos Cemetery, Newport, during the filming of the BBC show Doctor Who

That episode also featured scenes shot in the city’s Victoria Place, and at Monmouth’s Shire Hall.

The cemetery was also used for a scene in Blink, an episode in which The Doctor first encountered the Weeping Angels – murderous stone statues that came to life as soon as their targets closed their eyes or looked away.

Other filming locations in Newport include Duffryn High School, in the 2006 episode School Reunion, starring Anthony Head as an evil headmaster.

­— Pupils join cast of family drama

Children from Lliswerry High School were among Newport locals cast as extras in 2018 drama Two For Joy, starring Oscar nominee Samantha Morton, Emilia Jones (Locke and Key), Billie Piper (Doctor Who), and Bella Ramsey (Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones).

Morton plays Aisha, a mother who sinks into depression following her husband’s death.

Filmed in Dorset and Newport, shooting locations in the city were mainly in the Spytty area.

Samantha Morton in Two For Joy

Speaking to the Argus at the time, the film’s producer Sadie Frost said: “Two for Joy is the story of a mother… and her two children, and she is suffering with bipolar disorder and it’s about how she deals with that.

“We have been working with a lot of locals and have cast people here, some of the children in Lliswerry High School.

“Everyone has been really welcoming and interested in what we have been doing.”

Two for Joy being filmed in Newport

A casting call was also put out for four-legged thespians, with Nelson – a Staffordshire Bull Terrier owned by St Julians resident Laura Upton, winning a part in the film.

“I saw an advert on Facebook and they were looking for a Staffy, and I think he’s going to be a thug dog in it,” Ms Upton said.

Laura Upton's Dog had a part in Two For Joy, filmed partly in Newport in 2018

“This is his first film, so he’s had a bath specially and then he sat in the mud. I’m not sure if he will play the hard dog. It’s been a really interesting experience.”

­— Extraordinary tale filmed in mining town

An upcoming film about the true story of a Welsh barmaid who bred a Welsh Grand National-winning racehorse was filmed in Blaenavon last year.

Janet Vokes was working in a bar in Cefn Fforest when she overheard a conversation about owning a racehorse.

She eventually brought together a syndicate of local people to breed Dream Alliance, which went on to win the Welsh National in 2009.

A scene from the film Dream Horse, starring Damian Lewis and Toni Collette, based on story of Welsh Grand National winner Dream Alliance.

Australian actress Toni Collette (Knives Out, Wanderlust) plays Mrs Vokes in Dream Horse, which is scheduled for cinema release this September.

The film also stars Damian Lewis (Billions, Homeland) and a healthy dose of Welsh actors, too.

Janet Vokes, who bred the racehorse Dream Alliance, and Damian Lewis, who will star in the film Dream Horse. Pictures: Christinsleyphotography.co.uk and Ian West/PA Wire

Speaking to the Argus ahead of filming, Blaenavon’s then-mayor Gareth Davies said: "Blaenavon is a popular location at the moment, and has been in the past, with Doctor Who, the Indian Doctor, Coal House and others being filmed in and around the town.

"Dream Horse will be a popular feature and will have the chance for local people who have been hired as extras to spot themselves, sure it will be popular at The Workmen’s Hall Cinema, when it’s out.”