Written by new-contact on May 22, 2015. Posted in On Location

BBC to film Second World War TV drama on location in Northern Ireland

The BBC will film the Second World War TV drama My Mother And Other Strangers on location in Northern Ireland. Belfast is a popular filming location for UK TV productions and also hosts the huge international hit Game of Thrones.

Set in 1943, My Mother And Other Strangers will follow a family in rural County Tyrone adapting to life when 4,000 American servicemen and women are suddenly stationed on a nearby airfield.

The commission is the first to be announced since the BBC and Northern Ireland Screen Partnership was agreed in March. In signing the agreement, the BBC agreed to support Northern Ireland’s screen industry more closely, and at least 2.9% - or GBP 200,000 – of the corporation’s network TV spending for 2016 will be invested in Northern Ireland.

“A Second World War love story set in Northern Ireland with 4,000 American service men and women as the backdrop,” said Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen.

“That is the perfect historically-based premise to produce strong drama set here but for international audiences as well as UK and Irish audiences. It is therefore perfect for our internationally focused partnership agreement with the BBC.”

“I'm delighted that the BBC has commissioned the series,” added writer Barry Devlin: It's really great to be part of a story about Northern Ireland that is entirely originated and filmed here.”

Northern Ireland Screen wants to turn Northern Ireland into the biggest UK production centre outside London within a decade.

Game of Thrones is certainly the highest-profile production based in Northern Ireland, but otherwise the region mainly attracts UK shoots. Recent action feature Dracula Untold (above) was another exception, doubling Belfast and others parts of Northern Ireland for Eastern Europe.

(Image: Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures)