This is just a sample of some of the famous television stars and programmes known to have Hatfield connections or shot in the town.
Paddie Naismith – actress and member of the Stage and Screen Aero Club based at Hatfield, her face was reportedly used by TV pioneer John Logie Baird in early colour television experimental broadcasts.
Band of Brothers – Steven Spielberg's TV follow up to the film Saving Private Ryan used Hatfield as a location in a number of episodes.
Danger Man – Cold War action thriller series starring Patrick McGoohan. Colony 3 – the episode shot in Hatfield – is thought by some to be the inspiration for his later more even more successful series The Prisoner.
Diane Louise Jordan – former Blue Peter presenter, lived in the town.
Foyle's War – Hatfield was used as a location in Series 1 and 3 (Hatfield locations are more easier to identify in Series 3).
Grange Hill – BBC children's TV series. Series 12 was filmed in Hatfield.
Sanjeev Bashkar – star of the Asian comedy series Goodness Gracious Me and the chat show The Kumars at No.42 studied at Hatfield.
Songs of Praise – last programme for 2008 was shot at the University of Hertfordshire.
Tony Robinson – star of Blackadder and Time Team, filmed a sequence for his Channel 4 TV series Unexplained in Hatfield in 2008.
Griff Rhys Jones – filmed on the River Lee, which runs through the Hatfield House estate, for his five part BBC TV series Rivers, which was first aired on BBC1 in 2009.
Clark Todd – London Bureau Chief of Canadian Television and resident of Old Hatfield. Hit by shellfire while reporting in Lebanon in 1983, he bravely ordered the film crew to leave him and save themselves. He is commemorated in St Etheldreda's Church.
Antiques Roadshow – a programme for the 33rd series of the popular BBC show was recorded in the gardens of Hatfield House on Thursday, 15 July 2010. The presenter was Fiona Bruce, along with the panel of experts (included Eric Knowles – also in Antiques Master 2010, Paul Atterbury and John Sandon).
David Suchet – appeared in his signature role as Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. Hallowe'en Party, a feature length episode broadcast on on ITV on 27 October 2010, used St Etheldreda's Church, Fore Street and one of the Great North Road cottages in Hatfield as external locations.
Alan Titchmarsh – the celebrity tv gardener's series 'Alan Titchmarsh's Garden Secrets' started off with a programme featuring the gardens at Hatfield. The hour-long programme was first broadcast on BBC2 on 9 November 2010.
The Secret of Chimneys – feature length Agatha Christie Miss Marple (Julia McKenzie) murder mystery. Cast also included veteran film star Edward Fox, Michelle Collins (Eastenders), Mathew Horne (Gavin and Stacey), Ruth Jones (Gavin and Stacey), and Dervla Kirwan (Ballykissangel). Used Hatfield House and St Etheldreda's Church as locations. First broadcast on ITV1 on 27 December 2010.
Royal Upstairs, Downstairs – half hour episode focussing on Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's visit to Hatfield House in 1846, with Bargain Hunt presenter Tim Wonnacott covering the 'upstairs' and Rosemary Shrager covering the 'downstairs'. Broadcast on BBC2 at 18:30 on Tuesday, 22 March 2011.
Kate Bellingham – The Tomorrow's World presenter (1990-94) studied for a MSc at the University of Hertfordshire, and later became President of the Alumni Association. She opened the Express Yourself 2008 science fair at the university.
Helen Lederer – actress, comedian and writer. Making her name at the Comedy Store, she starred alongside Rik Mayall, and French and Saunders. Later, she played the role of Catriona in the hit tv series Absolutely Fabulous. She studied for a BSc in Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire.
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