Doctor Who filming locations: where were 60th anniversary specials filmed in UK including Wembley Stadium

The Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials were filmed across the UK last year, with series favourites David Tennant and Catherine Tate exciting fans when they were spotted shooting their scenes.

Bernard Cribbins, who played Donna’s granddad Wilfred Mott in the sci-fi series, was also confirmed to return and reportedly completed filming his part before his death in late July 2022, aged 93.

Doctor Who is one of the UK’s most well known series and most popular exports, and filming for the show has always been based in the UK, usually around London and Cardiff. For the specials celebrating Doctor Who’s 60th birthday, the series has kept to its roots, and many recognizable locations in England and Wales feature in the upcoming episodes.

Where were the Doctor Who 2023 specials filmed?

Filming for the three 60th anniversary specials began in May 2022 and wrapped just over two months later. Doctor Who’s budget has been increased from the previous season, though Russell T. Davies debunked the rumour that it had spiralled to £10 million per episode.

Still, the bigger budget does mean grander sets, cooler visuals, and a wider option of filming locations. The first anniversary special, The Star Beast, was filmed at locations across the south of England. Viewers will have recognised Camden Market, London as the location where the Doctor lands his TARDIS before bumping into Donna and her daughter, Rose.

Interior scenes set at the UNIT headquarters were filmed underground at Wembley Stadium, and other locations featured in The Star Beast include Axminster Road, Cardiff, and a new studio base.

Since 2012, Doctor Who has been filmed at Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff, but for the 2023 specials, filming moved to Bad Wolf Studios, also in Cardiff. The studio, which opened in 2015, boasts six stages totalling 125,000 square feet of space. Other projects shot at Bad Wolf Studios include Industry, I Hate Suzie Too, and His Dark Materials.

Most of these locations also feature in the next two specials, Wild Blue Yonder, and The Giggle. An interesting Bristol setting also features in The Giggle which sees the return of an old Doctor Who menace, the Celestial Toymaker.

Neil Patrick Harris, who plays the Toymaker, and David Tennant were spotted filming at Baldwin Street and Clare Street in Bristol. A property in Broad Street, Bristol, where the crew were also filming, was transformed into Mr Emporium, a magic shop and the Toymaker’s base.