News

Welsh county’s iconic locations take starring role in BBC thriller

09 Aug 2026 2 minute read

Nation.Cymru Staff

A Welsh county is once again taking centre stage on national television, with well-known locations featuring in new BBC psychological thriller, ‘The Rapture’.

Based on the bestselling novel by Liz Jensen, the six-part drama stars Ruth Madeley, Iwan Rheon, Ruth Jones and India Amarteifio, and Neath Port Talbot played a significant role in bringing the story to life.

Key locations features in the show include Margam Country Park’s historic ruins, Port Talbot town centre and Aberavon Beach, as well as coastal landscapes selected to provide a dramatic backdrop.

Executive Producer of The Rapture, Rebecca Durbin, said: “Having grown up in south Wales it felt very special to be in Neath Port Talbot to film The Rapture. The locations the area offered us were so wide ranging in terms of scale and visual interest.

“Port Talbot Town Centre worked excellently as our fictional seaside town of Porth Hen, the sweeping costal vistas and the Forge Tavern, where our episode one finale takes place.

“The people of south Wales could not have been more welcoming and accommodating and the crew in Wales are some of the UK’s finest!”

The production adds to a growing list of high-profile television and film projects choosing Neath Port Talbot as a filming destination.

Margam Country Park has previously featured in productions including Doctor Who, His Dark Materials and Death Valley.

Michael Sheen also chose Port Talbot as the backdrop when directing TV Drama ‘The Way’, further cementing the county borough’s reputation as a versatile filming locations.

To meet this growing demand, a new Neath Port Talbot Film Office website will soon be live, providing a ‘one-stop-shop’ for industry enquiries and production needs, including a comprehensive interactive location library.

The Rapture’s final episode will air on Sunday 9 August 2026. The series is available to watch on BBC iPlayer here.

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