John Simm recently made his debut a Brighton-based detective Roy Grace, in the first ITV drama, adapted by Endeavour creator Russell Lewis from Peter James’ bestselling books. Of the casting, the author said:
“John Simm, who actually looks like the Roy Grace of my imagination, is inspired casting! With John in the lead, the brilliant scripting by Russell Lewis, and our wonderful production team, I’m confident that fans of my novels and of TV crime dramas in general will be in for a treat.”
One such treat is the sheer ammount of filming in Brighton.
“I knew Brighton fairly well before this because we’d visited many times,“ says Simm. “I’ve always loved Brighton and it was a lovely place to film. It’s a beautiful place which we see in these films, but Peter James also shows us a dark underbelly in his novels.”
His co-star Rakie Ayola, who plays ACC Alison Vosper, agrees.
“Brighton brings so much visual drama. The beauty of the South Downs, the sea, the pier and the architecture. Plus it’s such a vibrant place. It’s far from being a sleepy seaside town.”
Grace is currently available to stream on the ITV hub.
Locations included:
- Opening shots of the West Pier and prom
- Grace begins his jog in Braemore Road Hove
- Brighton Pier and unknown stag night bar, possibly Charles Street Tap Bar & Bistro or Legends
- Beach huts and prom just down from Home Lawns
- Mark lands at Shoreham Airport
- Grace visits an unknown pub for a disastrous date
- Grace and Glenn walk down Kensington Street in the north lanes
- Grace visits Mark’s flat in the Van Alen building
- There are scenes of the relatives of the crash victims at the Lewes Victoria Hospital
- There are several scenes on some scrubland off Shoreham New Road
- Grace visits a funeral supplier off Whitehawk Road (possibly)
- Several scenes of Michael buried in some woods
- Grace visits Michael’s fiancé Ashley’s flat off London Road
- Bentham Road
- Grace visits the medium Harry Frame near the cliffs at Peacehaven
- Ashley visits the church where her wedding was due to be held
- We see the Camelford Street below Mark’s flat and a hen group at the Legends B ar opposite
- The walkway east of Brighton Marina
- The episode ends outside Newhaven, ground earmarked for a new development called Beachlands Heights.
John Simms films ITV police drama Grace in Brighton