Downton Abbey to King’s Speech – Popular movies in Bradford

A study by Wheelwrights York has revealed the best-performing movies filmed at Yorkshire locations including a number from the Bradford district.

Colin Firth, second from left, with extras at Odsal Stadium for the filming of the King's Speech in 2009 (Image: Newsquest)

King's Speech - 2011

Partly filmed at the Bradford Bulls stadium in Odsal, The King’s Speech is about the unorthodox relationship between England’s reluctant king, King George VI – the father of Queen Elizabeth – and an Australian speech therapist. It stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter.

Keira Knightley in one of the scenes in Official Secrets (Image: PA Photo/Classified Films Ltd/Robert Viglasky)

Official Secrets - 2019

The film, the cast of which included Kiera Knightley, Ralph Fiennes and Matt Smith – tells the true story of British Intelligence whistle-blower Katharine Gun who, during the run-up to the 2003 Iraq invasion, leaked a top secret National Security Agency memo exposing a joint US-UK illegal spying operation against members of the UN Security Council.

It was filmed at City Hall, Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and Shipley.

Filming in Little Germany for the first Downton Abbey movie (Image: Newsquest)

Downton Abbey - 2019

Scenes for the TV show's first movie were filmed in Bradford’s historic Little Germany.

Burnett Street was closed to traffic and lighting was visible on adjoining Cater Street, blocked to the public.

A scene from Monty Python's Meaning of Life, which was partly filmed in Bradford (Image: PA)

Monty Python’s Meaning of Life – 1983

Footage from the funny men’s movie was filmed in Lister Park. The grounds of Cartwright Hall was used as a location for the dancing nurses singing ‘Every Sperm Is Sacred’.

It was the last film to feature all six Python members before Graham Chapman's death in 1989.

Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters in a scene for Channel 4's National Treasure series (Image: PA)

National Treasure - 2016

It may not be a film, but TV drama National Treasure, which was partly filmed in Bradford’s City Park and City Hall, makes the list.

The four-part drama, starring Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters, about a popular celebrity facing sexual assault allegations, was Channel 4's most watched drama of 2016.

A picture which appeared in the Telegraph & Argus from The Wall filmed at Worth Valley Railway (Image: Newsquest)

Pink Floyd: The Wall – 1982

Locomotives from Keighley-Worth Valley Railway were featured in the movie alongside hundreds of extras drafted in from throughout Yorkshire to help add that 1940s flavour.

The partially-animated film starring Bob Geldof, told the story of Pink, a man disturbed by living in a stressful society.

Jane Ayre – 2011

The list’s top 20 ends with Jane Ayre, which starred Michael Fassbender and Dame Judi Dench, which was filmed in Howarth, Keighley and Bradford among other locations.

There are, of course, a number of movies filmed in the Bradford district which were missed off this list including 1987’s Rita, Sue and Bob Too and the yet-to-be-released Netflix Second World War drama Six Triple Eight, filmed in Little Germany in February 2023.