Channel 5’s latest psychological thriller has enraptured audiences with the story of a man who’ll do whatever it takes to keep his family together.

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Jason Watkins leads the cast of The Catch as naval officer-turned-fisherman Ed Collier, who finds his life spiralling out of control and his family being torn apart after his daughter Abbie (Poppy Gilbert) brings her new boyfriend Ryan (Aneurin Barnard) into their lives.

But it’s not just the gripping plot that has captured viewers’ attention, with many fans noticing the arresting coastline against which the series is set.

So, where was The Catch filmed? Read on for everything you need to know.

The catch: Where was the Channel 5 drama filmed?

The Catch is "set against the hauntingly beautiful coastline of south-west England', but the series wasn't filmed there.

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, Belton revealed that they shot the drama in Dublin, "around Bray, north and south of the city".

Balbriggan harbour was one of the spots they used, said Watkins. "It's surprising because you think Dublin is a city but it's actually sort of a seaside resort in some respects," he added. "It's surrounded by beaches, so when it was extraordinary weather it was 10 degrees hotter than it normally is at that time of year and it was sort of tropical.

"You did feel like you were in a capital city by the seaside, which I think is a really well-kept secret. I think most people think that you'd go and have a weekend as a cultural thing but actually when you spread out, there's the beautiful coastline, so we made the most of that in this."

Belton also revealed the history behind the house where the Collier family are based.

"Phyllis's house was where the president of Ireland Paddy Hillery used to live many years ago," she said. "It's now empty and is used for various film projects.

"That was filmed on one side of the city and the set designer put sand up by the door and around the house. And we shot all the beach scenes in the other side of the city. It was all around Dublin."

Watkins went on to discuss what it was about The Catch that first drew him in.

Aneurin Barnard and Poppy Gilbert in The Catch.
Aneurin Barnard and Poppy Gilbert in The Catch. Channel 5

"One of the reasons that I wanted to do this, there's a film called Three Days of the Condor with Robert Redford and he's this guy who's suddenly put in an extreme situation," he said. "And Redford's character is quite cerebral. He's a good thinker. He's got a clear brain and he's able to work his way out of this thing.

"Ed hasn't got a clear brain because he's got all these pressures, this emotional stuff, very real emotional stuff in the past and still in the present. So his thought processes are not perfect. He makes a lot of bad mistakes because he's under pressure to deal with financial difficulties, the loss of their first child and the fear of losing their present child to someone else.

"And all these things are piling on top of us. He's often just banging his head against the wall because he can't see clearly."

He added: "It's a thriller and an emotional family drama at the same time."

The Catch airs on Channel 5. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what else is on.

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Authors

Abby RobinsonDrama Editor

Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.

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