BBC’s hit drama The Gold is back with Season 2—and it’s bigger and bolder. Based on the real events of the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery, the new season continues to follow the aftermath of one of the UK’s most notorious crimes. If you’re wondering where The Gold Season 2 was filmed, you’re in the right place.
At NetFilming, we’ve broken down all the filming locations—across the UK and Spain—to help you explore the real places behind this gripping crime drama.
What Is The Gold Season 2 About?
The second season of The Gold dives deeper into the world of organized crime and international money laundering. After the daring theft of £26 million in gold bullion, Season 1 explored how the crime shocked Britain and sparked a major investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
Season 2 is now about what happened to the remaining half of the gold that was never found. This season covers the long and complicated path of dirty money, showing how the stolen gold was melted down, sold, and cleaned up through networks around the world. As the investigation expands across borders, the show evolves into a high-stakes international manhunt.
Because of this wider scope, production moved to multiple filming locations—both in the UK and overseas—to show the true scale of the operation.
Where Was The Gold Season 2 Filmed?
The production team of Gold Season 2 primarily worked in the UK and Spain. These locations were deliberately picked to show how the story takes place all over the world while yet being easy to film. Let’s now take a closer look at each of the main filming locations.
UK Filming Locations for The Gold Season 2
1. Firle, East Sussex
One of the most important places was the small village of Firle in East Sussex. It was a great stand-in for rural scenes in the novel because it was placed in the typical English countryside. The local council and the production team worked together to make sure that filming didn’t get in the way of everyday life, such as by controlling traffic and access.
The crime story is tense, yet Firle’s tranquil landscape adds dimension to the program.
2. Hastings and St Leonards, East Sussex
Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea, two coastal towns in East Sussex played a big role in February 2024 filming. These spots were used to represent the Isle of Man in the show, with scenes featuring actors munching on fish and chips by the windy seafront. The production team brought in 1980s props like a red phone box and an old police car to nail the period look.
Key filming spots include:
- Warrior Square
- George Street in Hastings Old Town
- The White Rock Hotel
- The blustery seafront of St Leonards
Interestingly, this area also has a real-life link to the Brink’s-Mat case. Police explored portions of Hastings in 2001 because they thought some of the stolen gold might have been buried there. Despite the lack of discovery, this connection adds historical interest to the show’s location choices.
3. Dorchester Prison, Dorset
Dorchester Prison was first used in Season 1; however, it will probably be used again in Season 2. This ancient prison, which closed in 2014, stood in for HM Prison Long Lartin, which is crucial to the tale.
While they were filming, the production team even helped fix up elements of the structure. This not only made the set better, but it also helped the local economy.
4. Edgware and Other London Areas
The series filmed some sequences on the outskirts of London, such as Edgware, where a scene involving the excavation of a car yard took place. The series also filmed at:
- Swakeleys House in Uxbridge (used as a stand-in for Downing Street interiors)
- The Black Prince pub in Kennington
- Private homes in Reigate
- Ravenscourt Park
These London-based locations helped give authenticity to the show’s backdrop, especially during scenes involving political and police-related settings.
5. Surrey: South Downs & Reigate Caves
The South Downs were chosen to film wide landscapes of the countryside that looked like the story’s Cornish moorlands. The Reigate Caves, on the other hand, were once tin mines, which made for a visually rich and historically accurate setting.
Spain Filming Locations for The Gold Season 2
The production team went to Spain, mainly the Canary Islands and areas of Madrid, to show the international money-laundering operation. These places helped make different countries look like they were real while also providing beautiful and cheap backdrops.
1. Tenerife, Canary Islands
Tenerife was the main setting for the show’s international filming. It stood in for places like the Caribbean, Costa Rica, and even Tenerife itself. The island’s varied features, like green valleys, dry deserts, and busy beach resorts, make it a wonderful stand-in for the story’s locations around the world. Some important places were:
- Villa Bahia, El Sauzal: This beautiful private mansion made scenes about John Palmer, a real person who was involved in melting the stolen gold, more glamorous.
- El Teide National Park: Its dramatic, mountainous terrain helped create the illusion of far-off locations.
- Parque Rural de Anaga: This green, wooded environment also served as tropical locations like Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
- Santa Cruz: The capital’s beautiful old town was used for sequences in the 1990s, giving the movie a lively city setting.
Filming in Tenerife wasn’t without challenges. In a bustling hotel in southwest Tenerife, where visitors were walking about, they filmed one pursuit scene. The crew had to be very careful not to bother the guests, which added a lot of intensity to the sequences. Tenerife was a suitable choice due to its historical significance in the arrest of John Palmer.
2. Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
They also recorded several sequences in Las Palmas, which is the capital of Gran Canaria. The colonial architecture and views of the seashore helped the show replicate international business centers where money laundering may happen.
3. El Molar & Madrid
Back on the mainland, El Molar and several locations in Madrid were used to represent various European settings, including institutions and other parts of the criminal network. These urban environments added a sharp contrast to the island scenes and countryside views shown elsewhere.
When Did Filming Take Place?
Filming for The Gold Season 2 kicked off in January 2024, with key scenes shot in Hastings and St. Leonards in February. Filming in Tenerife and other parts of Spain probably happened at the same time. After filming was over, the team spent 34 weeks at Gravity House in post-production, polishing the visuals and complicated plot to become the finished series we see today.
The Gold Season 2 Behind The Scenes
Filming for The Gold Season 2 began in January 2024, with director Patrick Harkins and producer Charlie Leech returning to continue the fascinating study of the Brink’s-Mat case. There was a mix of seriousness and friendship on set. The cast and crew worked hard to make the 1980s look real, from the antique cars to the costumes and items that were true to the time.
Hugh Bonneville, one of the actors, talked about his character as DCI Brian Boyce:
“Gold is a mysterious metal. It’s been around forever… So, when a huge robbery involving gold takes place, your imagination is immediately sparked… In series two we see the ripple effect of even more gold being smelted and even more money being laundered.”
Bonneville’s words hint at the depth and complexity actors brought to their roles, immersed in the evolving narrative of wealth, crime, and consequence.
Sam Spruell, who portrays criminal mastermind Charlie Miller, also reflected on the transformation of his character:
“Charlie Miller… ends up… in possession of half the gold… this series is more about laundering money internationally. I think Charlie certainly has aspirations to be a more legitimate businessman.”
Behind the scenes, the production faced logistical challenges, especially during location shoots in both the UK and Spain. The team handled period detail meticulously—from repainting police vehicles in Hastings to transforming Dorchester Prison into HM Prison Long Lartin. In Tenerife, the cast filmed across environments as varied as Santa Cruz city streets, volcanic landscapes in El Teide National Park, and lush greenery in Anaga, all to highlight the story’s global reach.
The Gold Season 2 Official Trailer
Stay tuned with NetFilming for more updates on your favorite TV shows and where they’re filmed.
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