Just had an amazing week! Richard E Grant reacts to filming in the Scottish Borders - but reveals one thing he missed...
Last updated 12th May 2024
Filming on a new superhero comedy in the Scottish Borders has been wrapped up following an eventful week.
Richard E Grant was among the stars pictured on set at the Leaderfoot Viaduct, near Melrose, shooting scenes for new HBO series The Franchise.
It took production teams more than a week to set up all the staging and pyrotechnics on the banks of the River Tweed, which was bathed in sunshine most of the time the cameras rolled.
The Borders beauty spot is no stranger to star-studded casts, having welcomed Harrison Ford and co for filming of scenes for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny three years ago.
Temperatures of more than 20 degrees Celsius this time around might have made things more uncomfortable for the actors in costume - with the main cast expected to wear dry robes to hide their outfits.
But Richard E Grant has taken to X - formerly known as Twitter - to rave about his time here to his more than 340,000 followers.
"Never imagined I'd get sun-tanned in Scotland," the London-based actor exclaimed.
"Been shooting at the incredible Leaderfoot viaduct all week, but nothing beats coming home and sleeping in my own bed."
In a video accompanying the post, he adds: "Just had an amazing week shooting on location at the Leaderfoot (viaduct) on the Scottish border. Oh my God, so wonderful to be home again, to sleep in your own bed."
Much of the production team set up base on Charlesfield Industrial Estate, near St Boswells, along with huge trailers and a giant marquee - with a flurry of vehicles transporting teams back and forth.
Warner Bros, Maximum Studios, Jettison Productions, Film Edinburgh and Scottish Borders Council were all involved.
However, filming got off to an eventful start after a four-vehicle crash on the A68 at Leaderfoot on Wednesday.
It happened just as atmospheric smoke was pumped onto the filming site, which was lit up by bright stage lights - but it's unclear what caused it.
A man was taken to Borders General Hospital as a precaution and later released. Police say enquiries are ongoing.
The road between Gattonside and Leaderfoot has reopened as work to dismantle the film set continues over the coming days.
The Franchise is expected to reach TV screens in the New Year.
WATCH: Follow us on TikTok to view some behind the scenes footage from the filming location...
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