ITV's The Bay has finally returned to UK screens, with the fifth instalment of the series seeing DS Jenn Townsend going back to work following the death of her father.
Set against the familiar and suitably atmospheric backdrop of Morecambe Bay, Daniel Ryan who takes on the role of DI Tony Manning said of the scenic coastline setting “What this show gets from Morecambe is the extraordinary location. It never fails to take my breath away when I get off the train. It always seems to be one of those days where the light is amazing and you can't believe how beautiful it is.”
He added, “When we contrast the characters in the series in the deepest of despair set against this extraordinary beauty, there's a kind of melancholy that we wouldn't get anywhere else.”
Marsha Thomason who plays DS Jenn Townsend echoed this, saying in an interview that “Morecambe is so picturesque. I know we say it every series, but it really is its own character and it adds to the drama. It just is beautiful.”
So where exactly is The Bay filmed? These are the ITV series 5 filming locations to know about.
The Bay is filmed in Morecambe, a seaside town in Lancashire known for its stunning natural beauty.
On the choice of Morecambe as the setting for The Bay, the show's writer Daragh Carville describes the location as “a place that [he] always liked”, explaining “It's a really interesting mix of things, because on the one hand it's very striking, it's beautiful, it's got extraordinary views out across the bay towards the Lake District. But it's also got that very distinctive British or Irish seaside town quality, because, as with many seaside places, it has slightly lost its raison d'être.”
Filming for The Bay season 5 specifically takes place at the police station, jetty, town hall and Midland Hotel in Morecambe, while other scenes were filmed at Sunderland Point, a village at the end of the tidal causeway. Northwich, West Didsbury, Oldham and Heysham also provide a backdrop for some of the scenes such as those on residential streets and in home interiors.
The beach
The beach that appears in The Bay is a five-mile sandy beach in the area, while other filming for the series centres on the Stone Jetty, a former station building with picturesque views across the bay.
On the beach scenes in particular, Ryan said in an interview with Radio Times “When I do leave the station, my favourite bits are when we film anything along the shoreline. It’s the sea, the coast, the view of the lakes, the sheer beauty of it all.”
The police station
The police station that features in The Bay season 5 is in fact a real working police station, though the interiors and exteriors are actually filmed in different locations.
While exterior shots are done in Morecambe, the interior scenes you see in the series are filmed in an old police station in Manchester which is no longer in use.
Sunderland Point
Certain scenes of The Bay season 5 take place at Sunderland Point, a small village of around 30 houses that sits on a peninsula between the River Lune and Morecambe Bay. Filming here was no doubt a challenge given that its location means that access to the area can get cut off by the tide, therefore making it inaccessible for up to four hours!
Glasson Dock
Filming for The Bay season 5 also takes place at Glasson Dock, another small village in Lancashire. Originally a fishing community, at its height the setting was the largest port in the northwest.
On the filming location, cast member Olwen May (DC Louise McClaren) said “A couple of times when I was out of the office, and out at places like Glasson Dock and Sunderland Point, it's just beautiful. We must have had the best green room view of any show ever.”
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