By David Craig

Published: Wednesday, 04 May 2022 at 12:00 am


Tom Hiddleston gives viewers a behind-the-scenes tour of the impressive The Essex Serpent set, in a new video released exclusively to readers of RadioTimes.com.

The new period drama is based on Sarah Perry’s novel of the same name, in which a widow from London moves to Essex in search of a mythical serpent, only to strike up an unexpected bond with a local pastor.

Hiddleston and Homeland star Claire Danes take the lead roles of Will Ransome and Cora Seaborne respectively, while Frank Dillane (Fear the Walking Dead), Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake) and Clémence Poésy (The Tunnel) also star.

The six-part miniseries was filmed on location during the winter, as Hiddleston explains that a “wintry atmosphere” was needed, but the production moved to an indoor soundstage as the weather brightened up.

The Enfield-based studio is a sight to behold, including a detailed reconstruction of the Essex home and landscape used in the initial weeks of filming. Hiddleston has more fascinating insights to offer in the video below: