News / Doctor Who
Bristol plays starring role in Doctor Who episode ‘The Giggle’
When members of the Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District paid to have dozens of white flowers painted on Clare Street as the UK came out of lockdown, they could never have imagined that a couple of years later these designs will soon be seen by millions of people across the world.
A more sedate Clare Street than seen in ‘The Giggle’ – photo: Martin Booth
At 6.30pm on Saturday evening on BBC One, Bristol will play a staring role in new Doctor Who episode The Giggle, with Clare Street being the location where the Doctor, played for the last time by David Tennant, meets legendary villain the Toymaker, played by Neil Patrick Harris.
Little else is known about The Giggle but what a new trailer for the episode does not show are any of the scenes that were also shot around the Old City in June 2022, including nearby on Broad Street where Chez Marcel creperie was turned into Mr Emporium – thought to be the Toymaker’s shop but from a different time.
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Bristol will double for London in The Giggle, with St Stephen’s Avenue, St Stephen’s Church and Marsh Street all featuring in the episode.
Filming also took place in the alleyway connecting Broad Street to Small Street, where the Tardis was spotted.
Bristol City Council head of film, Laura Aviles, said: “As an iconic production that has been successfully made in Wales since its reboot 20 years ago, Bristol’s neighbouring locations are easily accessible, appealing and convenient to Doctor Who’s production team.
“Bristol Film Office has been proud to assist with locations support on many occasions over the years – but last summer’s shoot in the busy central streets of Bristol’s Old City was by far the biggest and most ambitious Doctor Who shoot we have ever hosted.
“The Film Office team did a superb job of working with the production to ensure all necessary preparations were made and filming ran smoothly.
“With the Tardis, David Tennant, Catherine Tate and Neil Patrick Harris featuring in the action-paced scenes, the spectacle definitely attracted the crowds and it’s fair to say the city was buzzing!
“It will be a joy to see Bristol feature on screen in The Giggle when it airs on 9th December.”
In June 2022, Chez Marcel on Broad Street became Mr Emporium, thought to be the shop of the Toymaker played by Neil Patrick Harris – photo: Martin Booth
Main photo: James Pardon / BBC
Read next:
- Behind the scenes of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary special
- Doctor Who’s Tardis appears in Bristol
- Interactive map launched to celebrate 60th anniversary of Doctor Who
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