How a Norfolk hall doubled as Downing Street for new Boris Johnson drama

This England follows Boris Johnson, played by Sir Kenneth Branagh, as he grapples with Covid, Brexit and his own personal and political controversies.

Crews descended on Wolterton Hall in north Norfolk and Aylsham Market Place in April 2021 for filming.

Film crews put red carpets on the Wolterton Hall stairs to mimic Downing Street (Image: Chris Horwood)

The 18th-century hall was a key filming location for the drama, standing in as Downing Street and Chevening House.

Various rooms and external locations were dressed as sets for different scenes.

Peter Sheppard, the owner of Wolterton Park, said: “We’re looking forward to watching the drama and spotting scenes filmed around the estate.

Multiple rooms and locations in Wolterton Hall were used for filming (Image: Chris Horwood)

"We are always delighted to welcome film and TV productions.

“Wolterton Hall is a popular location because it’s readily accessible from London and we have a broad selection of rooms and buildings that are all furnished in period style.

"We particularly enjoyed having a red carpet on the Hall stairs for a while, to represent the interior of Downing Street.”

The series was also filmed in Aylsham at Coxford's Butchers, the Church of St Michael, Town Hall and Drill Hall.

Johnny Payne, who runs Coxford’s along with Jason Gibbons, said the crew was in the shop filming for about two hours.

“What an honour for us to host the scene in the shop," he said. "An opportunity like that doesn't come up every day.

“When they called us to ask a few weeks before we weren’t going to say no, although we didn’t know what it was about then.

“It was an honour to meet someone so big in Aylsham.”

This England, a six-part series, is airing on September 28 and will be available on Sky.

The director Michael Winterbottom said: "I don't think (Boris Johnson) will be flattered.

"But I hope he will watch it and see it's certainly not an attack on him.

"It's not intended as an attack."