You can fly there in under two hours – and Robson Green couldn’t get enough of it.
Channel 5’s tense four-part thriller The Game, starring Robson Green and Jason Watkins, is set in the fictional northern English town of Ripton. But the series wasn’t filmed in the UK at all. Instead, production headed across the Channel to the Basque Country in northern Spain – a location that clearly left a lasting impression on Robson.
Series 1 aired in May 2025, with series 2 following in September 2026. Both were shot on location in the Basque Country, continuing Channel 5’s successful relationship with the region (also used for The Teacher series 3 and Girl Taken).
Robson on the Basque Country: “A distinctive sense of place”
Grantchester star Robson Green has been open about how much he enjoyed filming The Game in Spain. Speaking about the region’s unique character, he said: “Oh my God, talk about a distinctive sense of place, identity, culture, history, and heritage that is still intact. It’s there in the Basque Country. When I arrived in Bilbao, I went to the Guggenheim straight away, then walked along the river and very quickly learnt about its identity and the language and what a proud people they are.”
He was equally taken with San Sebastián (where much of series 2 was filmed): “San Sebastián is just a magical, other-worldly place where its history is so well preserved. This beautiful time capsule of a life lived and how it used to be. I did walks around San Sebastián beach. I ate a lot of seafood. Vitoria was gorgeous. I had time at the weekends to get out and about and learn a lot about the place. The food is exquisite. I came away with four kilos of their ham. It was a wonderful experience that I will treasure. I took a load of photographs.”
For series 2, Robson spent nearly eight weeks in a beautiful apartment overlooking one of the most idyllic beaches in Spain, next to a string of seafood restaurants. He recalled walking to work along the beach thinking: “Nah, something bad is about to happen. It can’t be this good.”
Where was The Game actually filmed?
Series 1: Primarily Bilbao and Vitoria-Gasteiz
Series 2: Predominantly San Sebastián (and the surrounding Gipuzkoa province)
Gipuzkoa is the smallest province in Spain and home to dramatic cliffs, mountains, and beaches. One standout location is Itzurun Beach in Zumaia – previously used in Game of Thrones.
Key series 2 locations included:
- The university in San Sebastián was transformed by the design team into a prison for the tense scenes between Patrick and Huw.
- The historic Old Town’s narrow, cobbled streets are lined with bars serving traditional Basque pintxos.
What the rest of the cast said
While Robson’s enthusiasm is clear, he wasn’t alone in loving the location.
Jason Watkins (who has a longer history with the region, having filmed the cult movie Sabotage! there 25 years earlier) described Bilbao as “a post-industrial modern European city with the Guggenheim… and an amazing football team,” and Vitoria as “exceptional.” He even received a traditional red Basque beret (boina) at the end of the shoot and was named an “honorary Basque.”
Sunetra Sarker was equally smitten: “I loved it. I don’t think I had ever thought of the Basque country. It has literally been the biggest surprise of anywhere I’ve been in Europe. I will absolutely return… San Sebastián is like Paris by the sea.”
Why the Basque Country works so well
Jason also noted the practical side of filming there: “The dilemma of every production company right now is finding places to film where we can afford to shoot. Channel 5 and Clapperboard have a relationship with the guys in the Basque Country… I like to think of it as us defying Brexit.”
The region offers production value that would be hard (and expensive) to match in the UK, while delivering a strong sense of place that still feels grounded enough to stand in for a fictional northern English town.
For Robson Green fans, it’s clear the location was more than just a practical choice – it became a genuine highlight of the The Game experience. Have you watched series 1 or 2 yet? Which of Robson’s scenes stood out most for you?
