Debra and Andrew Binns, of Evergreens
The boss of a production company which this week shot part of a new national TV series in Keswick and the North Lakes is issuing a personal thank you to the local community for their support which enabled it to complete the filming schedule despite lockdown.
Scenes for a four-part mystery thriller Innocent and starring Katherine Kelly, who played Becky McDonald in Coronation Street, were filmed in Keswick’s Market Square, Station Street and outside the George Fisher store on Wednesday.
More action for the second series of Innocent, which will be screened on ITV1 next year, was captured through the week at Derwentwater, Ashness landing stage, Honister, Buttermere and Crummock Water as well as on the A66.
Jeremy Gwilt is executive producer with TXTV, which made the first series, attracting seven million viewers when screened in 2018.
Speaking at his company’s makeshift base at Keswick Rugby Club, he thanked the mini army of local people who had helped provide everything from catering to security and film crew runners.
“It has been fantastic. I have got some amazing people locally supporting us and working with us in this community. They have been so resourceful, friendly, welcoming, enthusiastic, supportive. The superlatives go on and on.
“It is terrific the way the facilities have been opened to us at the rugby club and that we have been allowed to base ourselves here to coordinate everything and run the operation from here. I have met some wonderful people.
“I feel extremely fortunate to have the benefit of their help and support for extraordinarily complex problems we had to solve over the full week. It has been a great pleasure to meet them. It has been remarkable,” said Jeremy.
The film crew has been on the road for eight weeks, shooting most of the series in Ireland despite it being set in the Lake District. Crew and local staff have had to wear face coverings and observe social distancing throughout. So too have actors when not in front of the cameras.
Debra and Andrew Binns, of Keswick-based Evergreens online florist business, are set to make a brief appearance in Innocent after being filmed running a flower stall in Market Square.
Debra said: “They gave me a photo of a market stall and said they wanted me to provide everything to duplicate it. They provided the umbrella but I supplied the wooden crates and I had to borrow the table from Keswick Scouts!”
Andrew added: “I am definitely looking forward to seeing the show. It is quite exciting.”
After filming, the couple gave all the flowers away to the extras on the set and sent the rest to local care homes and Keswick hospital.
