Across the UK, sports film fans can explore the real locations behind their favourite on-screen triumphs. Laura Sedlak discovers the places that have helped to bring sporting stories to life
Sport is woven into the fabric of the UK’s culture, history and identity. The drive of athletes and the passion of fans have been a rich well of inspiration for TV series and movies. From real-life Olympic victories to lighthearted tennis romcoms, cinematic sports fans can visit the stadiums, tracks and fields that portray iconic moments on screen.
Champions in the city
Unsurprisingly, a lot of sporting history has happened in London, home to many of the largest national stadiums. But the city’s streets and neighbourhoods have also played their part in bringing sports stories to the screen. Bend It Like Beckham follows Jess, an 18-year-old girl defying her Sikh parents’ traditional expectations to chase her football dreams like hero David Beckham.
In the West End, Jess is shown secretly buying football boots from Soccer Scene, once on iconic Carnaby Street. Yeading FC in Southall is the ground where Jess trains, and Barra Hall Park, to the west of Hayes, is the park where she proves she’s more than a match for the boys. In Notting Hill, the golden Central Gurdwara temple on Queensdale Road is the scene of the lively wedding.
Follow the scent of strawberries and cream to Wimbledon, the setting of incredible tennis and a classic English romcom. Wimbledon tells the tale of tennis ace Peter Colt, who is inspired to one last victory by the love of an American woman, Lizzie. The tennis action is filmed at the real All England Lawn Tennis Club, but strangely, the film’s Wimbledon gate isn’t really at the club, as it’s the entrance to ZSL London Zoo in Regent’s Park.
Fans will remember a scene between love rivals in a London Eye pod on the South Bank. If you want to recreate it, or just check out the views, book ahead as queues can get long.
Ted Lasso, a big hit for Apple TV+, tells the tale of an optimistic American coach who takes on a struggling English football team. While AFC Richmond might not be a real team, Richmond, just outside central London, is very much open for fans. Full of cosy cafes, green spaces and English charm, it’s easy to catch the Tube to Richmond station. Stroll the high street to Paved Court, the setting of Ted’s flat and now a brand-new Ted Lasso merchandise shop. The Prince’s Head pub on The Green plays The Crown & Anchor on the show and you’ll find AFC memorabilia inside.
Fans will recognise Richmond Hill while five minutes’ south, beautiful Richmond Park is a huge green space with free-roaming deer and a golf course. The real-life AFC Richmond Stadium is Selhurst Park, home to Crystal Palace FC – try to score tickets to a match for a true English sporting experience.
Rowing to glory along the Thames
A short train ride from London takes you to Windsor & Eton Riverside station in Berkshire, home of the prestigious boarding school Eton College. The historic school’s purpose-built Dorney Lake appears in The Boys in the Boat, which tells the true story of the University of Washington’s rowing team who defied the odds to win gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Henley-on-Thames – one of England’s most iconic riverside towns – is also used to show the final stretch.
The production team built a true-to-life clubhouse at the Cotswold Country Park near Swindon, which also became the stage of the Berlin Olympics race with grandstands, pontoons and officials’ towers. The George Clooney-directed movie succeeded in turning rural England into a transatlantic time capsule.
There’s only one Wrexham
One of the more surprising stories from 2020 was Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creator Rob McElhenney taking over the North Wales football club Wrexham AFC. The Hulu series Welcome to Wrexham showcases the passion of community and the deep-rooted history of a once great team that has fallen on hard times.
Key locations include the Racecourse Ground, the club’s historic stadium, where you can visit the team shop. The Turf pub, next to the stadium, is a community hub, and the landlord Wayne Jones will be recognisable from the series. Other places of interest in the town are the Wrexham Lager Shop and the Wrexham Miners Project, which tells the history of the mining tradition of Wales.
Going for gold in Scotland
Chariots of Fire ran away with the 1982 Best Picture Oscar and tells the true story of Harold Abraliams and Eric Liddell, competing in the 1924 Paris Olympics. Abrahams, a Jewish Cambridge student, battles prejudice to win the 100-metre race.
The iconic slow-motion beach run of the opening scenes was filmed at West Sands in St Andrews on the Fife coast of Scotland, where the ‘Carlton Hotel’ is actually the famous clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. Assembly Hall on the mound in Edinburgh appears as the setting of a religious meeting and, afterwards, the characters look out over the city from Holyrood Park.
F1 across the UK
The Netflix show Formula 1: Drive to Survive converted a new wave of F1 fans to the sport and Silverstone, in Northamptonshire, is the UK F1 mecca. Visit for a Grand Prix weekend or the Silverstone Museum, which is packed with F1 cars, simulators and trackside views.
Motorsport Valley is where most F1 teams such as Mercedes (Brackley), Red Bull (Milton Keynes), Aston Martin (Silverstone) and Williams (Grove) – are based. While the factories are rarely open to the public, they are central to the sport’s UK dominance. For a more accessible taste of the fast lane, head to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. F1 DRIVE is an electric karting track under the stadium and London’s longest indoor track – 500 metres with 17 turns designed to mimic F1 circuits.
Please like, share and comment below and see if we have anything else to inspire your next visit to London.
