Real life ITV Grace location hit by major blow as show makes huge return

Real life ITV Grace location hit by major blow as show makes huge return Newspoint | 07/04/2025 04:39:25

's gripping detective drama hasn't resulted in a surge in property prices in the area it is filmed, instead the market has suffered a huge decline. The show returns to tonight (March 6) for a fifth series. Starring , 54, as the titular Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, it is filmed primarily in and around and Hove, although they also use locations including the wider Sussex area such as Devil's Dyke, Shoreham Port and Burgess Hill.

But having 5.6million people using the show as a shop window has done nothing to entice buyers to the area. Speaking exclusively to , Kieran Carter of Sawyer and Co. Sales and Lettings in Brighton says the market is hugely in decline. He told us: "It hasn't had any effect on any house prices around here.

"The market is what it is.

It has been in a slow, gradual decline for the last two years in this city, 2023 and 2024 and right now it's sort of plateaued at the bottom.

"It's always so busy down here in the summer - manic down here in the summer - but the problem in this city right now is the volume of properties on the market.

"There's so many landlords selling because of the renters reform bill and that's pushing the prices down, because they will drop their prices in order to be the next sale. Grace has got nothing to do with the property market here. It's not affected it in the slightest," he confirmed.

According to Kieran, the average house price varies depending on the part of the city but a three bed family home can be purchased for between £600,000 to £700,000 for anyone who wants to soak up the atmosphere of the filming locations in their day-to-day life.

While the area may not be attractive to those buying a home, the show is a huge hit and millions are expected to tune in for the debut episode.

Leading man John Simm has . Appearing on on BBC One on Friday (4 April), Simm revealed the story begins a "bit further in time" and sees the devastating loss of a baby by Roy and Cleo Morey, portrayed by Zoe Tapper.

He explained: "It's a little bit further in time and sadly you discover that Roy and Cleo have lost their baby so it's a pretty traumatic start.

"They are also dealing with a son that they didn't know they had, who I think from the end of last series they confronted the hospital so they are dealing with that, so it's quite a traumatic beginning."