Buckler's Hard features in new BBC series Great Expectations starring Oscar winner Olivia Colman
THE tiny village of Buckler’s Hard takes a starring role in the BBC’s new adaption of Great Expectations, due to hit TV screens this weekend.
Part of the filming for the series, based on the Charles Dickens novel, took place at the former ship-building community near Beaulieu.
Visitors to the spot last summer were thrilled to see a ship dating from the era in which the book is set sailing down Beaulieu River.
Oscar-winning actor Olivia Colman stars as the tragic Miss Havisham in the series, with Pip played by Fionn Whitehead and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Estella.
They also saw sets being built for scenes for the series which is being hailed as one of the most lavish productions the BBC has produced.
Suzanne Payne, from Lymington, snapped photos of the crew transforming Buckler’s Hard back to the 1800s.
She told the A&T: “I was visiting last year and found the BBC had taken over Buckler’s Hard as a film set for their new TV drama starring Olivia Colman.
“I didn’t see any actors as they were still building the set.
“But it was interesting to see what the crew were doing. The village was closed down the next day for filming.
“I am looking forward to seeing the series.”
A trailer for Great Expectations, which will be broadcast from Sunday, has already revealed the look of the series.
Great Expectations is the coming-of-age story of orphan Pip who lives with his sister Mrs Joe Gargery and her blacksmith husband Joe, but yearns for a greater lot in life.
The bitter Miss Havisham, who was jilted at the altar, engineers a meeting between the young Pip and Estella with a view to having him fall in love with her so she can break his heart.
The script has been penned by Bafta-winning Steven Knight, the writer and creator of Peaky Blinders.
Top Boy actor Ashley Thomas appears as lawyer Jaggers and The Split star Rudi Dharmalingam plays Jagger’s assistant Wemmick. This Is England’s Johnny Harris portrays escaped convict Magwitch.
