The Lake District, Cumbria, is hitting the small screen again this week with the launch of a new ITV drama, starring former Brookside and Marcella star Anna Friel.

With scenes shot around the Lakes, it once again puts the county in the media spotlight. However, it’s not the first time the county has been used as the backdrop for TV and film.

The Lake District is no stranger to media fame; it was also used for Hollywood blockbuster ‘Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens’.

One of the most eagerly awaited sequels of all time, the $2bn blockbuster combined the lakes of Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite to create the forested planet of Takodana, with iconic landmarks, including Skiddaw, featuring in the film and trailer.

Meanwhile, the hit STARZ show Outlander may be set mainly in Scotland but Carlisle was chosen as a key setting.

Based on author Diana Gabaldon’s historical time travel books, Carlisle Castle featured as the programme’s Wentworth Prison, alongside Bamburgh Castle and Linlithgow Palace in the series one finale.

Whitehaven’s harbourside was also famously used for a dramatic episode of Coronation Street in 2018.

It set the scene for the nail-biting final confrontation between Eileen (Sue Cleaver) and Phelan (Connar McIntyre) and gripped millions of viewers up and down the country.

Looking ahead, Peter Rabbit 2 will be hopping into the big screen in Spring 2020, following the huge success of the 2018 part animation, part live action movie.

James Corden is the voice of Peter, with Rose Bryne, Domhnall and David Oyelowo also starring. Again, locations around the Lakes have been used in both films.

Elsewhere, the area around Keswick and the Borrowdale Valley will be instantly recognisable to fans of the BBC drama The A Word about a family and their autistic son.The hit show has been back filming in locations around the Lake District this summer, including Thirlmere, Buttermere and Honister. Series three is due to reach our screens in 2020.

It all points to a growing boom in film tourism, with most recent figures showing that the wider North West region hosted 2,600 on-location shooting days over just 12 months. It’s estimated that this generated more than £28million for the north west economy.

Cumbria Tourism managing director Gill Haigh said: “We know that people often choose their holiday destination depending on what they have seen on TV or at the cinema. Just think of the extra interest that Northern Ireland has seen with Game of Thrones or Poldark has generated for Cornwall.

“It’s much the same in Cumbria. With our stunning and diverse landscapes, it’s no surprise that the county continues to attract big productions. Having a film or TV series featuring our area has fantastic potential for marketing to visitors all over the world and it’s something we will be continuing to champion for the future.”