TELEVISION producers are eyeing up picturesque Mole Valley as a possible location for future shows, following the success of BBC thriller Mayday.
The five-part murder mystery with a mystical twist was shot in and around Dorking over three months in summer 2012, airing in a primetime slot on BBC One over consecutive nights earlier this month.
Producer Chris Fry told the Advertiser the show – and, in particular, its eye-catching locations – had grabbed the attention of industry professionals as well as the viewing public.
"A lot of people have said to me how great it looked and how brilliant the locations were," he said. "Lots of people in the industry have asked me, 'Where was it shot?' and things like that.
"I think Dorking was perfect for Mayday, in terms of it being set in a valley, the hills surrounding it and the woods."
Mayday – which attracted an average of 6.3 million viewers across its run – was by no means the first screen entertainment to recognise the charms of the Mole Valley, with reality show Made In Chelsea, Hollywood blockbuster The Holiday, and forthcoming Simon Pegg movie The World's End all filming in the area.
Mr Fry, who also made the popular Spooks series for his company Kudos Productions, said Dorking's appeal extended beyond mere aesthetics.
"It's a really great place to shoot because it's not too big, it's not too small and you've got lots of variety in architecture," he said.
"It has that rural feel but it's close enough to London to be able to commute.
"From a TV, drama script point of view, there's pretty much everything there.
"I would happily use it again – it just depends what sort of scripts fall through my door. If a story needed somewhere like Dorking I would definitely go back there."
Hailing Mayday as "a real success", Mr Fry hinted at the possibility of a sequel.
He said: "If the BBC were to commission a second series, I think it would be a series on the same idea of what it is like to suspect someone you love of a serious crime, rather than using the same characters.
"They might bring some of the characters back but it is difficult for me to say. I don't know what the BBC and Kudos are discussing."
