With Edinburgh black comedy drama Guilt returning for a third and final series this week, we’ve taken a look at other TV programmes that were set in the Capital. Although most of Scotland’s TV output has come from the west of the country historically, particularly Glasgow, more and more TV camera crews have been spotted out and about on the streets of Edinburgh in recent years, including ITV’s take on Ian Rankin’s Rebus series of novels and CBBC’s Teacup Travels.
5. The Grey Area
Pictured is Shaun Bhatti, one of the stars of The Grey Area, a gritty BBC Scotland drama filmed in and around Leith, particularly at the Banana Flats. The six episode series aired in 2019, focusing on a young rapper, a burnt-out addict and a teenage misfit each struggling to overcome the consequences of gang violence and drugs in present-day Edinburgh. Photo: Lisa Ferguson
6. The Omega Factor
Actor James Hazeldine is pictured in the Grassmarket during the filming of The Omega Factor TV series for the BBC in February 1979. The series centred on journalist Tom Crane, played by Hazeldine, who possesses untapped psychic powers that bring him to the attention of the scientists who comprise Department 7, a secret "need to know only" government organisation which investigates paranormal phenomena and the potential of the human mind. The 10 50 minute long episodes aired on BBC1 between June and August in 1979. Photo: Ian Brand
7. Trust Me
Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker played the lead role in the first series of Trust Me, a medical drama set in Edinburgh, which first aired in 2017. Whittaker starred as Cath Hardacre, a nurse, who loses her job following whistle blowing, steals the identity of a doctor, her best friend, to make a new life in Edinburgh with her daughter. In the second series, featuring an entirely new cast and storyline, followed Syrian tour veteran Corporal James 'Jamie' McCain as he recovered from spinal injuries and psychological trauma in the neurological unit of the fictional 'South Lothian Hospital' whilst facing a potential new enemy as patients unexpectedly die around him. In June 2019, the BBC confirmed that Trust Me had been cancelled Photo: Submitted
8. Case Histories
Case Histories was a crime drama series based on the Jackson Brodie novel series by Kate Atkinson.Starring Jason Isaacs (pictured above) the show ran for two series between 2011 and 2013. The main character is private investigator Jackson Brodie, played by Isaacs, a former soldier and policeman who lives on Victoria Street, and hides a deeply empathetic heart under his tough-guy exterior. Photo: Submitted