People moving through the city centre of Norwich today may have noticed television production activity as filming for a crime drama takes place in public spaces.
Filming for the crime series Strike is underway in Norwich with a production crew of up to 70 people working in the city. The BBC crime drama stars Holliday Grainger as Robin Ellacott and Tom Burke as Cormoran Strike. The series is adapted from novels written by JK Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.
The shooting in Norwich follows recent filming in Cromer, where scenes were recorded last week. The current production relates to the seventh novel in the series, The Running Grave, which centres on an investigation into a unsettling religious cult.
Producer Alex Rendall said to the BBC: “I didn’t know Norwich particularly well, so I’ve enjoyed spending some time in Norwich. I love it – I’m a big fan of Norfolk.”
The Strike series first appeared on television in 2017 with a three-part adaptation of The Cuckoo’s Calling. That story was based on the first book in the series, originally published in 2013.
Explaining the current storyline being filmed, Rendall said: “They basically come to Norfolk to investigate a cult which Robin infiltrates, so we are doing some scenes today where she is in disguise working with the cult.
“So actually, [Cormoran] Strike’s not around at all today.
“The main cult place is in Norfolk. While we would love to come to Norfolk for longer we are only really here for eight days to film some exteriors but the rest of it will be filmed in and around London.”
Within the narrative, Cormoran Strike travels to Norfolk to gather evidence aimed at discrediting the fictional Universal Humanitarian Church. The group is portrayed as having recruited a character called Will and drained his trust fund. As part of the inquiry into allegations of ill-treatment and abuse, Robin Ellacott goes undercover at the cult’s remote headquarters.
Strike filming in Norwich includes locations such as Norwich Market and the Royal Arcade. Rendall said the day’s shoot began early and was expected to continue until nightfall.
Reflecting on his personal connection to the county, he said: “We used to bring our kids here for summer holidays. I have been crabbing on the pier in Cromer several times so I really like Norfolk.”
It is expected that the latest Strike serial, filmed in part during Strike filming in Norwich, will be broadcast by the end of the year.
