SOUTHEND seafront and Adventure Island have been transformed into a TV set with film crews, actors and cameras taking over for two days. 

A new comedy drama, set to be aired on Sky Atlantic, has had a series of scenes filmed in Southend yesterday and on Tuesday.

The new show is an eight-episode drama called Sweetpea, described as “American Psycho meets Fleabag”.

Scenes were filmed at Pier Hill Observation Tower, Western Esplanade’s Cliff Lift and theme park Adventure Island.

Echo: Filming - crew on the Pier Hill Observation TowerFilming - crew on the Pier Hill Observation Tower (Image: Vecteo)

The city has been the scene of many productions this year, including Anne-Marie’s SAD B!TCH music video at the Stockvale-owned park back in February, and the final series of The Crown last December.

Echo: Spotted - crew in Adventure IslandSpotted - crew in Adventure Island (Image: Newsquest)

One extra for the show told the Echo: “Sweetpea is going to be a really good watch when it comes out.

“It’s based on the 2017 novel by C J Skuse, which is a funny and outrageous darkly thriller.

“The cast and crew have been amazing, and it’s a pleasure being able to be a part of it.

“I’m looking forward to its release next year.”

Multiple huge Pixipixel vans, which is a London-based camera and lighting rental house, carrying all the equipment for the production, also lined the seafront.

Echo: Pixipixel - filming equipment vansPixipixel - filming equipment vans (Image: Newsquest)

The show has been written by BAFTA nominated Scot Kirstie Swain, who was also responsible for writing Channel 4’s Pure and working on BBC Three’s Clique and CBBC drama Eve.

It stars Nathan Hall, who was the VE Day accordion player in Netflix’s The Crown, Mark Rainsbury, who played a security guard in Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, and Lee Byford, who was an extra in Netflix’s The Witcher.

Speaking about having film crews in the city, Rory Coase, the owner of the Southend Angling Centre fishing shop, in Pier Hill, said: “It’s good when film crews come down because it helps draw more people to the city.

“However, when large vans line the seafront, it makes it a little bit more difficult for people to find parking spaces.

“But other than that, there’s no harm in it.”

Another Southend resident added: “It’s exciting when Southend is the location for productions as it’s an opportunity to showcase our great city to huge audiences.”