Where Was The TV Show Merlin Filmed?

Ever since I binged the BBC series, Colin Morgan's portrayal of Merlin has lived rent-free in my head. There's this boyish charm he brings to the role, mixed with just the right amount of vulnerability and wit. The way he balances Merlin's secret magic with his bumbling servant persona is pure gold. I love how Morgan's eyes practically sparkle when Merlin casts spells—like he's sharing an inside joke with the audience. What really gets me is how he evolves over the seasons. Early Merlin is all awkward elbows and nervous giggles, but by the finale? You feel the weight of destiny in his slumped shoulders. Also, shoutout to his chemistry with Bradley James' Arthur—their banter could power Camelot for a century. Honestly, it's criminal we never got that modern-day spin-off they teased!

I stumbled on one ages ago called 'The Witch's Peace' over on AO3, and it's stuck with me. It's a heavy, slow-burn political AU where Morgana doesn't turn evil out of pure malice but because Uther's persecution drives her into a corner. The redemption starts when Merlin, secretly, begins leaving her anonymous notes with historical accounts of magical leaders who ruled justly, trying to show her another path. It's less about a sudden switch and more about her slowly questioning her own methods, realizing her alliance with Morgause is built on shared trauma, not a shared vision. What sold me was the focus on her rebuilding trust with Gwen, which is painfully awkward and full of setbacks. The moment where she finally breaks down and uses her magic not to attack Camelot, but to heal a peasant child caught in the crossfire of a bandit raid, was the real turning point. It felt earned, not cheap.

The BBC fantasy series 'Merlin' ran for a total of five glorious seasons, and honestly, each one felt like a magical journey that ended way too soon. I binge-watched the whole thing last year, and it’s wild how much the characters grow—Arthur’s transformation from a pompous prince to a legendary king, Merlin’s secret struggles with magic, and their bromance that absolutely made the show. The final season especially hit hard; I still get emotional thinking about that ending. What’s fascinating is how the show balanced episodic adventures with an overarching plot. Early seasons had more standalone monster-of-the-week vibes, but by Season 3, the stakes skyrocketed with Morgana’s descent into darkness and the prophecy looming over Merlin. The production value improved noticeably too—dragon effects got sleeker, and the costumes became more detailed. If you’re debating a rewatch, do it. I caught so many foreshadowing moments the second time around that blew my mind.

The legend of Merlin has always fascinated me, especially how it blends myth and possible historical roots. While there's no concrete evidence that Merlin existed as a single person, many scholars believe he might be inspired by a combination of real figures and folklore. The Welsh poet Myrddin Wyllt, a 6th-century bard, is often cited as a potential prototype—his life as a wild man prophesying in the woods echoes Merlin's later depictions. Geoffrey of Monmouth's 'History of the Kings of Britain' further romanticized him, mixing Celtic traditions with political allegory. It's wild to think how a shadowy historical whisper evolved into Arthurian legend's most iconic wizard. What really hooks me is how Merlin's story shifts across cultures. In French romances, he's a courtly advisor; in Welsh lore, he's half-demon. This fluidity makes pinning down 'truth' impossible, but that's the magic of it—literally! Whether he was real or not, Merlin's enduring appeal lies in how he represents humanity's longing for guidance and wonder. My favorite version? The mischievous mentor from 'The Once and Future King'—T.H. White made him feel heartbreakingly human.

Here's a quick run-down of his on-screen debuts that I always tell friends about. I got hooked on his work because his timing and emotional weight felt older than his years. His major television breakthrough was on 'This Is Us', which debuted on NBC on September 20, 2016. He joined the show as the teenage version of Randall Pearson in later-season flashbacks and that role is what introduced him to a mainstream TV audience and made casting directors take note. Before that mainstream exposure he did smaller projects, shorts and guest spots that helped him build a reel, but nothing matched the visibility of 'This Is Us'. On the film side, his most widely recognized feature debut came with 'The Fallout', which premiered at the SXSW film festival in March 2021 and then rolled out to wider streaming and release windows afterward. That movie gave him a different kind of spotlight — more intimate, indie-driven, and emotionally raw — contrasting nicely with the network TV family drama that made him a household face. I still find it cool how he moved from quieter early work into these two very different kinds of projects; both shaped his trajectory in ways I didn’t expect but loved to watch evolve.

One of the coolest things about TV shows is how their filming locations can become characters themselves. Take 'Game of Thrones'—I still get goosebumps thinking about how Northern Ireland’s rugged landscapes doubled as Winterfell and the Kingsroad. Dubrovnik’s medieval walls transformed into King’s Landing, and Iceland’s otherworldly vistas became the Frostfang Mountains. It’s wild how these places added so much texture to the story. I actually visited Dubrovnik a few years back, and standing on those stone streets felt like stepping into the show. The locals even joke about tourists reenacting Cersei’s walk of shame! Then there’s 'Stranger Things,' which nailed the 80s vibe by filming in Georgia—specifically Jackson and Atlanta. The Hawkins lab? That’s the old Georgia Mental Health Institute. The Byers’ house is a real home in Fayetteville, though the owners had to put up fences because fans kept trespassing. It’s funny how filming spots turn into pilgrim sites. I love how production teams scout locations that don’t just serve as backdrops but amplify the mood. Like, 'The Crown' using England’s historic estates to mirror royal grandeur—it’s all about immersion.

I still get a little giddy whenever someone asks where the 'Harry Potter' films were filmed — it's basically a UK travel guide wrapped in nostalgia. Most of the heavy lifting was done at Leavesden Studios (now the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London), where they built massive sets like the Great Hall, Diagon Alley facades, and many interior classrooms. Beyond the studio, the filmmakers scoured England and Scotland for atmospheric real-world spots to stand in for Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and the surrounding wizarding world. If you want specifics: Alnwick Castle in Northumberland doubled as Hogwarts’ exterior in the early films (those broom-flying lessons are iconic), while Gloucester Cathedral and Durham Cathedral provided cloisters and corridors that feel unmistakably like Hogwarts stairways. Lacock Abbey and the nearby village in Wiltshire were used for several interior shots and hallways; Christ Church and the Bodleian Library in Oxford supplied inspiration and filming space for various study and dining scenes. In London, Leadenhall Market shows up as the entrance to Diagon Alley, St. Pancras and King’s Cross play parts in the platform/arrival sequences, and the Millennium Bridge gets its dramatic turn in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.' Out in Scotland, the West Highland Line and the Glenfinnan Viaduct provide the sweeping shots for the Hogwarts Express route, and Goathland station in North Yorkshire doubled for Hogsmeade’s platform in one of the early films. If you’re planning a pilgrimage, I’d start at Leavesden to see the actual sets, then pick two or three real locations (Alnwick, Oxford, and Glenfinnan make a lovely mix) so you don’t spend your trip sprinting across the UK. I’ve done parts of this route twice now, carrying a tiny thermos of tea and feeling like I’d slipped into a film shot — it’s a ton of fun and the places are even better in person.

I can confirm the filming locations are almost as magical as the story. The show used real-world spots that perfectly matched its gothic vibe. Oxford University steals the show with its ancient libraries and spires—those scenes where Diana researches magic? All shot in the actual Bodleian Library. The vampire council’s dramatic meetings happen in the stunning Gloucester Cathedral, which looks straight out of a medieval fantasy. Wales doubled for upstate New York, with Brecon Beacons National Park providing those misty forest scenes. Italy’s scenes were filmed in Venice, because where else would you set immortal drama? The production team nailed the atmosphere by picking locations that felt timeless.