Where Was ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ Filmed?
Anatomy of a Scandal finally dropped on Netflix on April 15, and it quickly became the streamer’s top TV show. Many fans want to learn everything they can about the making of David E. Kelley’s drama series, including its filming locations. Here’s everything to know about where Anatomy of a Scandal takes place and where it was filmed.
Where does ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ take place?
Anatomy of a Scandal is set in Britain. The story follows James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend), a parliamentary minister who becomes entangled in a scandal involving an alleged sexual assault. James’ wife, Sophie (Sienna Miller), wants to stick by him and prove his innocence. However, as the scandal unfolds, Sophie finds herself confused about the truth. On the other side of the scandal is barrister Kate Woodcroft (Michelle Dockery), who will do anything she can to prove James’ guilt.
The thrilling drama takes place in areas Oxford, England, and its surrounding areas. Some scenes feature flashbacks to a younger James’ days attending the University of Oxford. Meanwhile, James and Sophie’s home is in London, which is about 52 miles away from Oxford.
‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ filming locations
Anatomy of a Scandal was filmed in London and Oxford, but some on-screen locations weren’t what they seemed. For example, the show recreated the famous Old Bailey courtroom at Shepperton Studios in Shepperton, Surrey, England, as well as on location at Freemasons Hall in London, according to Metro. The House of Commons scenes also used two different locations — Charterhouse School in Surrey and John Rylands Library in Manchester.
While the shots at Oxford University certainly looked beautiful, it actually wasn’t Oxford University. Instead, these exterior scenes featured an all-boys school called Winchester College.
The Whitehouse residence unfortunately does not exist in real life. As Anatomy of a Scandal director S.J. Clarkson told Metro, they couldn’t find a fitting location for James and Sophie’s home, so they built their own.
“We couldn’t find the exact house/footprint,” she said. “Equally, with all the COVID-19 restrictions we faced, we decided a build would give us the scope and scale to stage the family/marriage scenes to give them the movement and energy as well as give us a controllable set to keep everyone safe.”
Other Anatomy of a Scandal filming locations included Wadham, Radcliffe Square, New College Lane, and Brasenose Lane.
The drama series features landmarks from all over London
While some of the show’s landmarks were recreations, others were the real deal. Netflix’s Tudum shared the history of some Anatomy of a Scandal locations in a recent blog post. For example, fans can see the famous Big Ben tower clock in London. Restaurants called Terrence Bar and The Delaunay are also featured.
All six episodes of Anatomy of a Scandal are now streaming on Netflix.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
