Best film and TV studio tours to take in 2023: from Call the Midwife to James Bond
Can’t get enough of your favourite TV show? Not to worry. We’ve compiled a list of the best behind-the-scenes tours for any obsessed movie fan
Whether you’re a casual viewer or a full-blown Netflix binger, it’s natural to want to get more out of your favourite film or TV show. Most series leave us wanting more, and the best movies get us interested in how they were made. So, how do we cope with this feeling of longing once the credits roll?
Well, one way is to completely step into the world of your screen heroes and take a studio tour of where the show was filmed. From the renowned Warner Bros studio in north London to a local bus tour of a programme’s filming locations, there are plenty of ways to find out more about the actors in and the production of your favourite world.
Luckily, RadioTimes.com is here to show you all the best film and TV studio tours taking place across the UK, because what better place to come to than a site dedicated to TV? We’ve got you covered for everything from big-budget blockbusters to classic soap operas, with costs ranging from under £10 to over £150.
So, for a list of TV and film studio tours you might want to try in 2023, look no further.
For more top tours, take a look at the best London bus tours and great upcoming Easter trails in our best Easter activities list.
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Jump to:
- Best film and TV studio tours to take in 2023
- Cheapest ways to travel across the UK
- Top places to stay in the UK
Best studio tours to take in 2023 at a glance:
- Iconic Notting Hill: Walking Exploration Game, £8.49
- Film & TV Location Tour at the Old Royal Naval College, £13.50
- Paddington Bear Walking Tour for Four, £59
- Doctor Who Walking Tour of London for Two, £30
- Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour of London for Two, £30
- Call the Midwife Tour at The Historic Dockyard Chatham for Two, £64
- Coronation Street: The Tour for Two, £70
- Emmerdale: The Village Tour for Two, £70
- Only Fools and Horses Bus Tour for Two, £70
- Liverpool Peaky Blinders Bus Tour for Two, £75
- James Bond Themed Bus Tour of London for Two, £75
- All Creatures Great and Small Locations Tour for Two, £154
Best film and TV studio tours to take in 2023
Coronation Street: The Tour for Two
Step into the world of the UK’s longest-running soap opera with this walking tour of Coronation Street. Matched up with an expert guide, visitors will get an inside look at the best the Street has to offer. Highlights include a stroll past Roy’s Rolls Café, Webster’s Auto Centre and even the Rover’s Return.
Buy Coronation Street: The Tour for Two for £70 at Virgin Experience Days
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Emmerdale: The Village Tour for Two
After more than 50 years on screen, Emmerdale fans will be pleased to know that the village is open for visitors. During a 90-minute walking tour in Leeds, soap lovers will see where all the drama happens at this historic set. From a visit to The Woolpack to a look at David’s shop, this tour has everything.
Buy Emmerdale: The Village Tour for Two for £70 at Virgin Experience Days
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Call the Midwife Tour at The Historic Dockyard Chatham for Two
Doubling as the dingy streets of Poplar is the historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent. With your very own midwife as a guide, visitors can explore the streets where the nuns of Nonnatus House go to work and learn a load of behind-the-scenes titbits from the beloved BBC drama.
Buy Call the Midwife Tour at The Historic Dockyard Chatham for Two for £64 at Virgin Experience Days
Paddington Bear Walking Tour for Four
According to VisitBritain.org and the British Film Institute, 29 per cent of Brits have said a film or TV location was the main reason for selecting a holiday destination - and with plenty of iconic locations on home soil too, there are lots of options to choose from.
If, like us, you're a fan of the Paddington Bear films, head on down to London this month to visit neighbourhoods and sites which feature in the film, plus make a visit to the Paddington statue and Paddington shop.
Buy Paddington Bear Walking Tour for Four for £59 at Activity Superstore
We love Paddington Bear on the RadioTimes.com team, and have included the Paddington Bear afternoon tea bus tour on our best Mother's Day experiences list.
Only Fools and Horses Bus Tour for Two
If you’re craving a behind-the-scenes look at one of Britain’s most-loved comedies, then head over to Bristol for the Only Fools and Horses tour. The coach will take you to filming spots from over 10 episodes of the sitcom, including a look a Nelson Mandela House, Sid’s Café and the road where Batman and Robin scared off those muggers.
Buy Only Fools and Horses Bus Tour for Two for £70 at Virgin Experience Days
Liverpool Peaky Blinders Bus Tour for Two
Sadly, Peaky Blinders is not filmed in Birmingham (we understand if you feel lied to), but that doesn’t mean that fans won’t love a day out in Liverpool visiting the show’s grittiest locations. Hop on a bus tour to see the homes of Polly and Field Marshal Russell, as well as Garrison Lane and much more. Plus, visitors will hear all about the real history of the Peaky Blinders gang from an expert guide.
Buy Liverpool Peaky Blinders Bus Tour for Two for £75 at Virgin Experience Days
If you like the look of Virgin Experience Days, be sure to check out how to buy a Virgin Experience Days gift card.
All Creatures Great and Small Locations Tour for Two
Fancy a more rural day out? Then step into the country life of James Herriot with a tour of the locations from All Creatures Great and Small. On this trip, you’ll meander through the Yorkshire Dales and visit the pubs, fields and churches that inspired the show. Highlights include a lunch at The Drovers Arms and even a visit to James’s veterinary practice.
Buy All Creatures Great and Small Locations Tour for Two for £154 at Virgin Experience Days
Doctor Who Walking Tour of London for Two
The average Doctor Who fanatic will know that most of Britain’s favourite sci-fi show is filmed in Wales, specifically Cardiff - but over the past few years, the TARDIS crew has often disappeared and re-materialised for a spot of shooting in London. Who could forget the iconic shot from the classic series of Daleks trundling along Westminster Bridge, or the time the Doctor met Shakespeare at the Globe Theatre? Well now you can visit these spots too with an expert tour guide to show exactly how and where they were filmed.
Buy Doctor Who Walking Tour of London for Two for £30 at Virgin Experience Days
For more exciting things to do in the Big Smoke, be sure to take a look at the best London theatre shows, top London comedy shows and Just For Laughs London tickets.
Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour of London for Two
Get clued up on this walking tour with an inside look at the great detective. This two-hour tour around London will cover the famous sites of some of Sherlock’s best brainwaves. From Jeremy Brett’s classic series to locations used by Robert Downey Jr and Benedict Cumberbatch, this day out promises to be an exciting puzzle - plus dress-up is encouraged.
Buy Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour of London for Two for £30 at Virgin Experience Days
If you're a fan of period dramas check out our guide to the best Downton Abbey tours across the UK.
James Bond Themed Bus Tour of London for Two
Fiction meets reality on this London tour as James Bond fans will be able to take a look into the world of actual British spies. Kicking off with a visit to the real MI6 building, this coach tour treats its guests to a look at locations from Goldeneye, The World is Not Enough, and Spectre.
Buy James Bond Themed Bus Tour of London for Two for £75 at Virgin Experience Days
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Iconic Notting Hill: Walking Exploration Game
If you fancy more than listening and picture-taking, try out this walking exploration game set in London’s iconic Notting Hill. The home of scenes from Paddington, Love Actually and, of course, Notting Hill, visitors can learn all about the neighbourhood’s star-studded history, all the while solving tricky riddles and cracking codes.
Buy Iconic Notting Hill: Walking Exploration Game for £8.49 at Fever
Film & TV Location Tour at the Old Royal Naval College
Movie buffs will have spotted this building in the likes of Les Misérables, Cruella, The Crown, Bridgerton and much more. In just one hour, you can explore one of the most popular filming locations in the world and walk the same paths as dozens of actors and production crews. Tickets include a look inside and outside the College, where you can enjoy the gorgeous views Greenwich has to offer.
Buy Film & TV Location Tour at the Old Royal Naval College for £13.50 at Fever
Cheapest ways to travel across the UK
In our best list of film and TV studio tours, we've included tours from various places in the UK, such as London, Manchester, Leeds and Kent, because after all, great telly isn't limited to one city, it's UK-wide! If the tour isn't on your doorstep, however, you'll need to travel there. Driving isn't usually the best option — traffic jams are enough to ruin anyone's day, and petrol isn't exactly cheap — so we'd recommend taking public transport. Here are the best and cheapest ways to travel across the UK.
By coach. National Express and Megabus are two of the top coach companies in the UK, with their services operating between a multitude of UK cities. Travelling by coach is almost always cheaper than catching a train, however, it'll take you longer.
For example, if you travelled from Nottingham to Manchester (let's say you were visiting the Coronation Street tour) via National Express, a one-way journey would cost £14.40 and take five hours five minutes. However, using the exact same time and date but with a train, it would cost £29.60 and take two hours two minutes.
By train. If time is of the essence, and it usually is with day trips, we recommend travelling by train. Although it's more expensive than taking a coach, there are ways to keep the cost down, for example, with a Railcard. A Railcard will save you 1/3 of the train fare and, on average, a Railcard user saves £140 per year. For more top tips on how to get cheap train tickets, take a look at our guide.
Top places to stay in the UK
If you're travelling to a film or TV studio tour outside of your hometown, you might want to book an overnight stay. After all, it can be tiring to make the journey there and back in one day, plus, it gives you the opportunity to explore more of the city.
For the top places to stay in the UK on a budget, we recommend taking a look at deal of the day site, Wowcher. The site boasts deals on four star hotels UK-wide, many of them coming with offers on breakfast, evening meals, and even bubbly.
Check out our Going Out section for more activities to get up to around the UK, such as the best UK candlelight concerts, best UK Harry Potter experiences and tours, and best Edinburgh ghost tours.
