The Guest is a four-part British thriller series that is very interesting and was made for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The drama stars Eve Myles and Gabrielle Creevy and follows the complicated, often toxic relationship between Fran, a rich business owner, and Ria, her employee. What starts out as admiration quickly turns into a dangerous mind game full of secrets and lies. The show officially started on September 1, 2025 and the trailer hinted at a story that would be both visually stunning and suspenseful.
This guide from NetFilming shows where the series was filmed and how Wales became the main filming location.
Where Was The Guest Filmed?
The show was mostly filmed in South Wales, where real places and staged ones at Dragon Studios were used. Key areas include Cardiff, Newport, Rhossili (Gower Peninsula), and selected spots like Winstanley House in Leicestershire.
Cardiff, Wales
Cardiff served as the production hub for The Guest. Multiple urban backdrops were used, including pubs, arcades and well-known landmarks. Filming took place in autumn 2024, highlighting both the polished and gritty sides of the city. This visual contrast helped emphasize the differences between Fran and Ria’s lives.
Fun fact: Cardiff has been a popular place to film for a long time. Doctor Who, Torchwood and Netflix’s Sex Education are just a few of the shows that have been filmed here, making it a well-known place for UK television drama.
Newport, Wales
Newport had both city streets and country settings, which gave the production a lot of options. Whitson Court, a grand Grade II* listed manor house that looks like Fran’s lavish Maybury Court on screen, was one of the best filming locations. The series was perfect for it because of its beautiful grounds and historical charm.
Fun fact: Newport has been in several BBC shows, such as His Dark Materials and Casualty. This shows how closely it is linked to Welsh television production.
Rhossili, Gower Peninsula, Swansea
The stunning coastline of Rhossili Bay and Worm’s Head (also called Devil’s Bridge) made the show feel like a movie. These dramatic landscapes made for a great setting, contrasting the power of nature with the city.
Trivia: Rhossili Bay is often ranked among the most beautiful beaches in the world and has been used in Doctor Who and The Third Day starring Jude Law.
Winstanley House, Leicestershire
Although Wales was the main filming base, the trailer revealed exterior shots of Winstanley House, a Grade II listed Georgian mansion near Leicester. Today, the building operates as a boutique hotel and events venue, but its stately appearance added an extra layer of grandeur to the series.
Trivia: Leicestershire has hosted filming for productions such as Pride and Prejudice (2005) and The Secret Garden.
Dragon Studios, Llanilid (near Bridgend)
For interior sequences, the crew relied on Dragon Studios, one of Wales’ largest production facilities. Known as “Valleywood,” the studio allowed the team to construct complex indoor sets while remaining close to outdoor filming sites. The production also benefited from Creative Wales, which provided regional support and encouraged the use of a mostly local crew.
Trivia: Dragon Studios has been home to global productions like Ironclad, Da Vinci’s Demons, and The Bastard Executioner.
The Guest Behind The Scenes
Putting together “The Guest” was a real adventure for everyone involved, from the script to the screen. I love how the team drew from classic thrillers to make it feel fresh and exciting.
Director Ashley Way explained the core relationship between the characters: “Ria and Fran’s dynamics are interesting because they both come from similar backgrounds initially, then Fran has gained this wealth, status and power throughout her life, which she uses to manipulate Ria. It’s a tale of the master and servant, but it becomes so much more than that.”
According to the BBC, he also shared about the visual style, saying, “We started to set the look by looking at other female lead thrillers, things like Gone Girl, lots of work by David Fincher and psychological thrillers. That lent us a certain style and aesthetic, as we wanted it to be very cinematic.”
Working with the stars was a highlight for Way. He praised Eve Myles and Gabrielle Creevy: “What’s similar between Eve Myles (plays Fran) and Gabrielle Creevy (plays Ria) is that they’re both very intuitive. What they feel is all immediate and real, they both need to process things in that way, so working with them together was a delight because they were both completely on the same wavelength.”
On casting, he added, “Gabi’s name came up straight away, she had the right intensity. She was from a similar background to her character Ria, so for her, it was something that she wanted to play.”
Executive producer Davina Earl talked about the show’s origins: “We’ve been working with Matthew Barry for a while now, we’d seen lots of middle-class thrillers on television with beautiful houses and affluent, aspirational worlds, but we thought it’d be interesting to see the point of view with a cleaner and access the world through someone we could relate to.”
She highlighted the tone: “Matthew has a brilliant talent for understanding dialogue and stories, which’ll appeal to audiences – they’re very inviting, you’ll never feel left out of his scripts or storytelling.”
Earl also touched on themes like class disparity: “I think we all are aware we’re in a time where there’s a huge polarisation between rich and poor. It is so universal, so it is important and pressing that we talk about it, but we do it in a way that doesn’t feel like homework.”
The filming in Wales added a special touch, with Way noting, “It looks beautiful, and it feels fresh for a Welsh-based drama.” Actors raved about locations too—Eve Myles called Whitson Court an “oasis of otherworldliness,” while Gabrielle Creevy described it as “magical, like stepping into a fairy tale.”
Emun Elliott praised Rhossili’s coastline as “one of the most stunning locations I’ve ever seen.” With support from Creative Wales and a focus on local talent, this production really showcased what Welsh filmmaking can offer. If you’re into thrillers with heart, these insights make watching even more fun.
BBC’s The Guest Official Trailer
Want to dive deeper into The Guest or plan a trip to its filming sites? Check out BBC iPlayer to stream it now, and let us know your favorite scenes!
FAQs
Q1: Where was BBC’s The Guest (2025) filmed?
A: The show was filmed all over Wales, but mostly in Cardiff, Newport, Rhossili (Gower Peninsula) and Dragon Studios near Bridgend.
Q2: What is Whitson Court in Newport used as in The Guest?
A: Fran’s fancy home, Maybury Court, is actually Whitson Court, a historic Grade II* manor.
Q3: When did filming for The Guest take place?
A: The movie was shot between September and November 2024, with some scenes shot on location and others in a studio.
Q4: Was The Guest filmed entirely in Wales?
A: Most of the filming took place in Wales, but some outside scenes in the trailer were shot at Winstanley House in Leicestershire.
Q5: Who are the lead actors in The Guest (2025)?
A: Eve Myles plays Fran, Gabrielle Creevy plays Ria, and David Morrissey and Julian Lewis Jones play important roles in the show.
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