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Filming of the seventh season of TV sitcom “Benidorm” has been taking place in the Costa Brava resort this week, with the usual cast being joined by special guest star Joan Collins, who is playing Crystal Hennesey-Vaas, a hotel chain owner.

 

The 81-year-old actress is without a doubt the biggest name appearing in this series, and on Tuesday she was to be found shooting various scenes on the terrace of the Madeiro Centro hotel, where she also had time to receive a visit from local Mayor Agustín Navarro. 

 

The series continues to attract audience figures approaching ten million in the UK, and these figures will no doubt be boosted by the fact that Ms Collins is extending her role in the new series after a brief appearance last year.

 

Written by Derren Litten, the comedy has already received two National Television Awards and been nominated at the British Comedy Awards and the BAFTAs. The characters are also well known in both Germany and Holland, where their exploits are followed avidly.

 

Filming started in Benidorm on 23rd March, and will end on 27th June, based mainly in the Hotel Los Pelícanos but also in the Sol Pelícanos Ocas, the Buenavista and other locations in the resort.

 

From the point of view of the real Benidorm, the series is a great boost for tourism from the UK, which is already the resort’s largest market. The pull of TV is strong: for example, even the unpromising town of Brentwood now has a thriving tourist sector as a result of the success of The Only Way Is Essex. Many visitors are keen to see the locations where “Benidorm” is shot, and others make an effort to ensure that their stay coincides with filming.

 

Those involved in making the programme also contribute to the local economy: 40 people staying in hotels for three months, 50 local staff hired to support them, the catering operation, vehicle hire and extras for many scenes all provide a welcome shot in the arm before the full summer season gets under way. Take into account visits from friends and family members of those involved and other indirect effects, and it is estimated that for the municipality the filming is worth approximately two and a half million euros.

 

More than that, though, the importance of the series for the resort is that its name is known throughout the UK and most of the Commonwealth. When one thinks of the efforts made by other resorts to achieve this kind of brand recognition, it’s clear how important the visit of Ms Collins and the rest of the cast and crew really is to the continuing success of Benidorm as one of the leading beach resorts in Europe.