Northumbria Mysteries' filming locations: All the standout places you might spot in the BBC drama

A new crime drama starring Robson Green and Liz White has just premiered on BBC One, featuring a detective duo investigating crimes against the backdrop of Northumberland.

First aired on 23 October, The Northumbria Mysteries stars Green and White as Joe Ruby, an ex-con who finds himself consulting for the police, and DI Rose O'Connell, respectively.

The show is set "along the coastline and in the countryside of beautiful Northumberland," confirmed Commission Editor for BBC Daytime Helen Munson, celebrating the landscapes of the northernmost ceremonial county in North East England.

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"Expect murder, intrigue, and a reluctant duo who just can't help getting in each other's way," Munson teased.

The Northumbria Mysteries filmed scenes across several towns in the titular region, including Morpeth, Holy Island, Rothbury, Bamburgh, Alnmouth, and Amble, as well as the historic fishing village of Seahouses.

Alnwick was a prominent location for the show, with episode 4 opening with an aerial view of Alnwick Castle.

The production team also used the 12th-century English Heritage site Brinkburn Priory and Neogothic, 19th-century Manor House as the locations for the priory where Joe volunteers at on the show.

"Northumberland is staggeringly beautiful," said The Northumbria Mysteries star Liz White.

"Every single location we visited took my breath away. There was one particular week where we filmed at Bamburgh Castle and Dunstanburgh Castle, one after the other. We were also extremely lucky with the weather.

"We were shooting a car chase, with Bamburgh in the background. The sun was cracking the flags, the clouds were dramatic landscapes in the sky, the fields of rape were glowing either side of the road. All the crew were local and the pride in where they came from was palpable. It is a beautiful place to film."

Star Robson Green talked about filming not far from where he lives.

"Yes my home! I've never had a job where I could just go back and forth from home before... it was just joyous spending so much time in the local area, it was such a nice familiar vibe," the Grantchester star said.

"We were wandering around and I thought, 'What's the catch?' - It was perfect. Did you know Hexham is one of the happiest places to live?"

Gurjeet Singh, who plays DS Raj Singh on the show, said he was "blown away by the majestic, natural beauty of the land and the warming strength of the locals in every part of Northumberland we had the pleasure of visiting".

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Singh continued: "I think the series really shows off just how incredible the natural landmarks are around the North East. I think we forget what we have here in the UK sometimes."

Speaking about his "standout locations" and the best experiences on set, the actor cited "standing on the sea floor of Holy Island and watching the sunrise and filming on the turrets of Dunstanburgh Castle".

"The real joy was having Robson there with his extraordinary knowledge of the land and natural wildlife. Like the North East's David Attenborough."

Simon Callow, who plays Father David, admitted being "a Northumberland virgin" prior starting working on the series.

"It was breathtaking to discover the beauty of its landscape and the depth of its history," he said. "I stayed in Alnwick, an extraordinary town, the seat of the Duke of Northumberland, whose castle is crammed with historic items, not least an art collection to rival any of the great palaces of Europe."

The Northumbria Mysteries is part of the BBC's North East Creative Cluster, a programme designed to strengthen production and skills in the region.

The Northumbria Mysteries airs on BBC One and streams on iPlayer.

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Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).