To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Forgive me if I’ve misunderstood but you seem to be saying that the building used to represent Thames House in Spooks was the real home of MI5 until 1995 when they moved to their current location on Millbank. This is not the case. The building used in Spooks is Freemason’s Hall and was built as such. MI5 were previously housed in various buildings across London.
https://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/thames-house.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_House
Apologies if I’ve misread your post which I enjoyed very much. I too will miss Spooks a lot!
Fascinating photo essay. When in London, I accidentally came across many of those sites without going on a mission to find Spooks locations. Here in New York City, we have tours that visit shooting locations of TV shows and movies. I wonder if there is anything like that in London.
@Kathryn, the Freemasons’ Hall is no longer the home of MI5. Part of MI5 was in Freemasons’ Hall , and it continued to be pictured in Spooks 7. MI5 moved to the building on Milbank in 1995, as shown in the second photo.
In that case I would be interested to know more about MI5’s use of Freemason’s Hall as I have been unable to find any reference to it online…I am probably looking if the wrong places 🙂 Thanks for the info though.
bccmee, I responded to you, but the site threw up errors. Let’s try again:
Many London location tours. There are Harry Potter walking tours, Sherlock Holmes, da Vinci Code! There is even a visit to “Downton Abbey”. I couldn’t find a Spooks tour – but there are private tour companies, so it might be possible to have a custom tour.
fitzg…I really enjoyed this piece as you tried to puzzle out my favourite BBC drama of all time…Spooks 7…I’d give my right arm to be a double agent just so I could jaunt across London, Moscow etc…knowing all the streets and underground without ever needing a map… The last time friends and I were in the city it was just like a scene from spooks with several of us running …me holding on to hubby’s shirt tails hobbling along like Connie James, nearly missed the theatre, no time for a quick G&T
Fond memories
Luv Jules
Jules, that was a terrific episode, probably my favourite of the three Armitage series. London is lovely for walking – a collection of distinct villages.
Intriguing detective work!
Can’t guarantee that they shot everything at those exact locations! But following the trail as per Malcolm’s communications was very interesting.
Great essay Fitzg!
Okay gals. If Miss Judiang will hold my hand on the flight over to London, then Fitzg can be our tour guide for a tour of our favorite Lucas North haunts.
I wonder? Might RA have visited any of his old Spooks location shootings while on his Hobbit holiday break? Or even if he just happened to pass by them on the way to somewhere else, might he have waxed nostalgic for the Spooks series and the character tof Lucas North who became so beloved by fans that we deny his character’s demise? Badly done Kudos writers, Badly done indeed. (to paraphrase Mr. Knightly in Emma). We can speculate “until the cows come home”–Ha!–but I like to think that RA has a bit of fondness for the character portrayals that we love so well.
Cheers! Grati ;->
Gratiana, I have to admit that I know London from underground – a mole’s pov. I was a schoolgirl when first living there. Later, in other circumstances, a working woman – hurrying to work on the Tube. Now is the time for a pure tourist vacation, devoted to walking the streets, including walking from the Tower to St. Paul’s, from Westminster to Bloomsbury…. Let’s go!
I was very interested in this post as I was looking for the MI-5 building when I was in London and nobody seemed to know where it was! I still need to do a post on my llittle excursion to find it! Yours is much more exciting though! 🙂
Phylly, I so much anticipate your post on that excursion – with photos! It could not possibly be dull compared with anything, it has the great gift of “you are here”. (You haven’t finished the accounts of that trip, you know.) How very odd that no-one could tell you where the Secret Service lives :D. I think I know where CSIS lives; then again, maybe not….