Midsomer Murders Buckinghamshire filming locations inspire tourists to visit

The homes of Doc Martin, Downton Abbey and Poldark ranked highest in a study of 2,000 adults to find the TV shows that are driving tourism this summer, but Bucks came in at number 13 because of its association with popular detective drama Midsomer Murders.

It seems the suspiciously high death rate in the fictional village of Midsomer is not enough to put off TV fans from visiting the county. 

Over the years, beautiful Bucks towns and villages like Amersham, Beaconsfield, Ballinger Common, Black Park, Bledlow, Burnham Beeches, Chalfont St Peter and St Giles, Chenies, Chesham, Coleshill, Denham, Penn, Frieth, Forty Green, Great Missenden and Hambleden have all featured on the show, so it's not hard to see why people want to visit. 

Meanwhile, Barry Island (Gavin & Stacey), West Bay (Broadchurch) and the city of Bath (Bridgerton) are also popular locations for people to visit after watching them on telly.

Brits are also exploring Cardiff on the Doctor Who trail, and the Scottish Highlands to spots where Outlander was filmed.

The research found more than half (56 per cent) have already been inspired to visit a new part of the UK after it appeared in a TV show.

A spokesperson for Virgin Media O2, which commissioned the study to launch TV Mapper, an interactive online tool that maps UK filming locations of the nation’s favourite shows, said: “TV became a lifeline in lockdown and during the periods when travel wasn’t possible, we were only able to escape to these destinations through our screens.

“With some of the world still cut off from us due to travel restrictions, there has been a rise in UK TV tourism as many want to follow in the footsteps of their favourite characters or discover new staycation locations they’ve seen in shows.”

Other areas adults have taken it upon themselves to visit after tuning into a series include Chatham Dockyard in Kent in honour of Call the Midwife, and the Peaky Blinders tour of Birmingham.

London, meanwhile, was a top city destination for TV tourism with its streets seen in The Bodyguard, Black Mirror, and Luther.

A quarter of Brits have even headed further afield to different countries in their quest for the ultimate TV travel snap.

More than a fifth (22 per cent) have travelled to Dubrovnik in Croatia to get a sense of where Game of Thrones was filmed.

Another 17 per cent have taken the opportunity to visit Melbourne, Australia, to see the set of Neighbours.

For eight in 10, visiting a location they’d seen on TV was ‘everything they’d hoped for’, according to the OnePoll research.

More than four in 10 have spotted a TV or film crew at work in their city and taken time to stop and watch the action.

Just under half (48 per cent) of respondents believe the UK has some of the most scenic filming destinations in the world.

Three in 10 even feel proud to be British when they see cities or locations from the UK used in TV shows and movies.

Virgin Media O2’s spokesperson added: “It’s natural to feel a bit of home pride when we see somewhere we recognise in a big-budget production.

“Our TV Mapper tool lets people plan the ultimate fan route, and walk the streets of their favourite shows, either virtually or in person.

“We’ve also boosted our mobile network in a number of TV tourism hotspots, including Barry Island and thousands more – making it even easier to share that selfie or plan a staycation route on-the-go.”

TV fans can discover where their favourite TV shows are filmed by visiting www.virginmedia.com/blog/tv/filming-locations

Here's the top 50 UK destinations Brits have visited – or would like to visit – as a result of TV:

1. Port Isaac – “Doc Martin”
2. Highclere Castle – “Downton Abbey”
3. Truro – “Poldark”
4. Holmfirth – “Last of the Summer Wine”
5. Bath – “Bridgerton”
6. Scotland – “Outlander”
7. Barry Island – “Gavin & Stacey”
8. West Bay – “Broadchurch”
9. London – “The Bodyguard”
10. Cardiff – “Doctor Who”
11. West Yorkshire – “Happy Valley”
12. County Clare – “Father Ted”
13. Buckinghamshire – “Midsomer Murders”
14. Margate – “Only Fools and Horses”
15. Belfast – “Line of Duty”
16. Birmingham – “Peaky Blinders”
17. London – “Black Mirror”
18. Scotland – “Behind Her Eyes”
19. Thetford – “Dad’s Army”
20. Bristol – “Skins”
21. London – “Luther”
22. Lyme Park – “Pride & Prejudice”
23. Derry, Northern Ireland – “Derry Girls”
24. Chatham Dockyard, Kent – “Call the Midwife”
25. Oxford Street – “I May Destroy You”
26. Glasgow – “The Nest”
27. Manchester – “The Stranger”
28. Lancaster House – “The Crown”
29. Halifax – “Last Tango in Halifax”
30. Kent – “Gangs of London”
31. Wye Valley – “Sex Education”
32. St James’ – “Killing Eve”
33. Lancashire – “The English Game”
34. North Gower Street – “Sherlock”
35. Birmingham – “Man Like Mobeen”
36. Lacock – “Cranford”
37. Hertfordshire – “The Inbetweeners”
38. Laugharne – “Keeping Faith”
39. Sligo – “Normal People”
40. Craiglang, Glasgow – “Still Game”
41. Dartmouth Park, Kentish Town – “Fleabag”
42. Hitchin – “Dr Foster”
43. Hackney – “Top Boy”
44. Larchfield Estate, Northern Ireland – “Marcella”
45. Hertfordshire – “After Life”
46. Burpham – “Unforgotten”
47. Paton Street – “It’s a Sin”
48. Southmere Lake – “Misfits”
49. Northleach – “This Country”
50. Rousham House – “The Pursuit of Love”