10 Doctor Who Moments IMPOSSIBLE To Watch The Same After This

Though many Doctor Who stories have been set in London, not all of them were filmed there.

In the revived series (which is based in Cardiff), it’s much more convenient and cost-effective to fake it. So, if a modern Who scene takes place in London, chances are, it was actually filmed in Cardiff.

That said, sometimes the production team has no choice but to head to the capital – usually when recognisable landmarks such as the London Eye, Big Ben, and the Shard are involved. This was the case for Rose, Aliens of London, and The Bells of Saint John, and again for Dark Water/Death in Heaven.

The epic Series 8 finale required a Cyberman set piece outside St Paul’s Cathedral, in tribute to 1969’s The Invasion. The cathedral also provided the backdrop to the game-changing reveal that Missy is the Master, but it wasn’t practical to shoot the continuation of this cliffhanger in such a public (and expensive) location.

The solution? To capture the first 20 seconds or so in London, then sneakily switch to Cardiff halfway through. In the opening scene of Death In Heaven (immediately after the titles) that's exactly what happens.

ever notice that halfway through the opening scene of death in heaven they teleport from london to cardiff (these two shots are facing the same direction) pic.twitter.com/5qU50uzlh3— katie (@capn_katie_) January 20, 2023

It’s such a well-disguised cut that you barely even notice. But once you have, you’ll never unsee it!