The Outlaws season two filming locations in Bristol

Wholly set and filmed in Bristol, the second series of Stephen Merchant’s hit comedy thriller The Outlaws begins on BBC One in the UK on Sunday 5 June, 2022, after an extensive shoot that took place at The Bottle Yard Studios and on location across Bristol assisted by the city’s Film Office.

The Outlaws was crowned BBC’s biggest comedy launch of last year after it was streamed 11 million times. Made by Big Talk Productions and Merchant’s own company Four Eyes, the production team behind the BBC One and Amazon Prime Video series based its headquarters at The Bottle Yard Studios whilst filming series two back-to-back with series one. Sets were built at the Studios for key interiors and on location, Sea Mills Community Centre served as the central setting where the seven ‘outlaws’ are tasked with completing the community service sentences that first brought them together.

• READ MORE: The Outlaws bing Bristol back to your screens

Bristol Film Office facilitated filming at a host of city locations throughout season two’s shoot which ran from June to October 2021.

Joking that series two’s launch date (5th June) means that The Outlaws is “up against the Queen”, Stephen Merchant added: “Bristol is a very visual city, with its hills and the harbourside. It has so many angles which gives you a lot of depth and texture when you’re filming. We really tried to capture the DNA of the city in the show. Filming through the pandemic meant that we were like a team in the trenches at times, I’m very proud of what we achieved. In this series, we just keep trying to turn the heat up on our characters as the series progresses.”

Actor Jessica Gunning, who plays Diane in the series, said that Bristol had become “the ninth character of the show.”

Where did The Outlaws series two film in Bristol?

Sea Mills Community Centre

The disused building stars once again as the community centre that the outlaws are tasked with fixing up as part of the Community Payback scheme.

Stunt scenes

Series two will feature plenty of action scenes, including a vehicle chase filmed in the Broadmead area, from Merchant Street towards the Horsefair. Another action scene was filmed at the Cumberland Basin on Hotwells Road and Brunel Bridge. Stunt filming also took place on waste ground beneath the M5 flyover.

Buffet car

Perhaps you spotted the unusual sight of a train carriage on a flatbed lorry parked at Lloyds Amphitheatre last summer? Filming of scenes set in a train buffet car took place right there.

Lady Gabby’s house

The grand setting of Lady Gabby’s house was a private property on Apsley Road in Clifton.

Casino

Look out for the Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel on College Green; it features as the casino visited by Christopher Walken’s character Frank in episode one.

Filming took place at numerous other Bristol landmarks and streets, including:

Central Bristol

Moon Street (beside Lakota)

Armada House and Carolina House, Dove Street

Somerset Street and Dove Street, Kingsdown

Park Street

The Bear Pit

Whiteladies Road

Redcliff Street

Bridge Street

Broad Street corner with Wine Street

Redcliffe Wharf

Redcliff Back

Properties and premises

Pennywell Project, St Jude’s (doubles for a police station exterior)

Bambalan, Colston Street (the setting for ‘Bar Revelation’)

Four Wise Monkeys, St Nicolas Street (night club exterior)

Wool Hall, above The Fleece, St Thomas Street (the setting for the ‘Bristol Justice Collective’)

Flour House, Park Row (doubles for a vegan café)

Inn on the Green, Filton Road (features in a ‘date night’ scene)

Gin and Juice, Great George Street (features as an exclusive bar)

Jafra Café, Midland Rd (doubles for a vegan café)

EFI Factory, Bonville Road, Brislington (features as a brake pad factory)

Bristol streets

Ladies Mile, Clifton

Alfred Road, Windmill Hill

Winterstoke Road, Ashton

Shirehampton Road, Sea Mills

Wedmore Vale, Bedminster

Goulston Road, Bishopsworth

Hillyfield Road, Headley Park

Hengrove Way

Temple Way

M32 Foot Bridge

The Bottle Yard Studios

Bristol’s biggest studio facility in Hengrove was home to sets including:

- The home of Margaret (Dolly Wells), daughter of “twinkly-eyed small-time crook” Frank (Christopher Walken). Finally free of his tag, Frank faces a familiar choice — fly the coop, or stand still for once in his life?

- Lawyer Greg’s flat. Played by Stephen Merchant, Greg is described by Merchant as an "awkward, six-foot-seven gangly nerd" whose legal chicanery is once more put to work by the outlaws.

- Myrna’s flat. Played by Clare Perkins, Myrna is a Black Bristol civil rights veteran who finds she hasn’t buried the bones of the past.

- Offices of ‘Halloran & Son’, run by businessman John Halloran (Darren Boyd). John has grand plans to modernise the family firm, but his father has emerged from retirement with his killer instinct intact.

- Gang member Malaki’s basement. Played by Charles Babalola, Malaki finds that the illusory promise of a life on the straight-and-narrow eludes him at every turn, as he’s forced to contend with the consequences of his past crimes.

- Police cells, interview rooms and probation offices

Please note that The Bottle Yard Studios are not open to visitors.

You might also like:

• Film & TV in Bristol
• Bristol UNESCO City of Film
• Cinema and Film Events in Bristol

All images credit: BBC, Amazon Studios, Big Talk, Four Eyes.