Silent Witness Southbay location explained as final episode airs

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Silent Witness returned to BBC One for the last of the two-part finale which saw the local CID in disarray as evidence mounts against the accused police officer. The final two episodes were set near Southbay bridge and viewers are keen to find out more about the location. 

Where is Silent Witness Southbay filmed? 

The final episode of the series reminded viewers that Kate Freeman (played by Leo Hatton) was concerned for her missing police partner, PC Fred Woods. 

Bridget Laing (Sarah Woodward) explained: “His car was found at Southbay bridge, you know how many people go over the side there every year?”

Kate then explained how Fred had received a threat to life from DS Ray Palmer (Shane Attwooll). 

Jack Hodgson (David Caves) also mentioned having to run Bill Burnett (Richard Cordery) back to Southbay, as Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) warned him to be careful. 

Viewers saw scenes of the bridge throughout the episode and it led them to wonder where the series was filmed. 

The final two episodes saw the team must travel to Southbay Island as their latest investigation involved a whole family of serving police officers.

Viewers were keen to know if Southbay is a real place and where the final episodes were filmed.

They may be interested to hear Southbay Island is not a real place, it is a fictional location made for the series.

Filming actually took place on the Isle of Sheppey near Kent.

The island sits on the south side of the Thames estuary, opposite Southend-on-Sea in Essex.

One of the central locations is the Laing family home, which can be found in The Leas in Minster on Sea. 

Other locations are Sheerness seafront and the iconic Kingsferry bridge which connects the Isle of Sheppey to mainland Kent.

This is what the characters refer to as Southbay bridge throughout the series. 

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Kingsferry bridge was also featured in the 2021 ITV drama Too Close. 

The bridge was opened in 1960 and replaced an original structure from 100 years earlier.

The island also has a bigger Sheppey Crossing, which was opened in 2006 to provide a faster route across than the two-lane Kingsferry bridge.

There was some backlash from local residents after the name of their town was changed for Silent Witness. 

The BBC told Kent Online “no offence was meant in anyway” but Phil Crowder, who chairs the Sheerness Town Team, vowed: “I’m going to write a strongly-worded letter of complaint to the producers.

“Earlier in the series they went to Dartford and had no trouble saying where they were. But for some reason they changed the name of Sheppey to a place called Southbay.

“I know it is a fictional story but if Dartford can get a name check in the same series then I don’t understand why Sheppey can’t. It’s really frustrating. We need all the help we can get these days to attract tourists.

“There were some lovely shots of the Kingsferry Bridge and the beaches at Minster and Shellness but no one will know where they are.”

Silent Witness is available to watch on BBC iPlayer 

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