The new BBC drama Two Weeks in August, which follows a group of university friends on a Greek island holiday that turns into a nightmare, was actually filmed in Malta. Creator Catherine Shepherd explained that filming in Greece was not feasible, but Malta proved an excellent substitute.
Shepherd described Malta as a stunningly beautiful place that serves as a character in its own right. 'The island has a dramatic, rugged landscape and, like Greece, is steeped in thousands of years of ancient history,' she said. 'It is beautiful, but a bit dangerous.'
Cast members revealed challenging filming conditions. Jessica Raine, who plays Zoe, said she had 'never been so cold in my entire life' filming in Malta in early March, despite having previously worked in Iceland. 'There’s a birthday party scene we filmed early on where we’re all in summer clothes, but everyone’s secretly got thermals on underneath,' she added.
Key locations include Dwejra Bay on Gozo, used for dramatic cliff-side scenes and previously featured in Game of Thrones for Daenerys Targaryen's wedding. Mġarr ix-Xini, a small bay also on Gozo, appears in the first episode and is a popular tourist destination.
Shepherd drew inspiration from real-life group holidays, particularly a childhood memory of seeing gunfire across the water in Corfu while having dinner. 'It struck me as the blackest of comedy that we continued to have dinner while that was going on,' she said.
