Good Omens: Everything you need to know about the Amazon/BBC TV series as Edinburgh filming resumes

With cast and crews spotted filming a second series in and around Edinburgh, here’s everything you need to know about Good Omens.
Michael Sheen and David Tennant in Good OmensMichael Sheen and David Tennant in Good Omens
Michael Sheen and David Tennant in Good Omens

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What is Good Omens?

Good Omens and Good Omens 2 are Amazon/ BBC studios fantasy comedy TV series, written by Neil Gaiman and based on his and Terry Pratchett's 1990 novel Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch.

About the first series:Good Omens​ ​follows an unlikely duo, a fussy Angel​ called Aziraphale​,​ played by​ Michael Sheen,​ ​and a loose-living Demon​ called Crowley​​, played by David Tennant, who’ve become overly fond of life on Earth are forced to form an unlikely alliance to stop Armageddon.

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But they have lost the Antichrist, an 11-year-old boy unaware he’s meant to bring upon the end of days, forcing them to embark on an adventure to find him and save the world before it’s too late.

​The first series, comprising six episodes, first aired in 2019​. The episodes were titled: In the Beginning​, ​The Book​, ​Hard Times​, Saturday Morning​ Funtime, ​The Doomsday Optio​n and ​The Very Last Day of the Rest of Their Lives​.

About the second series:

On June 29, 2021, it was announced that Sheen and Tennant would reprise their roles for a second six part series, which will expand upon the Good Omens​ u​niverse and ​characters​ exploring storylines that go beyond the original source material to illuminate the uncanny friendship between Aziraphale and Crowley.

Having been on Earth since The Beginning and with the Apocalypse thwarted, ​they are getting back to easy living amongst mortals in London’s Soho when an unexpected messenger presents a surprising mystery.

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On location

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Currently filming in and around Edinburgh, Good Omens 2 will premiere on Amazon Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world at a later date.

A star spotting fan has already snapped Bathgate-born actor David Tennant filming the series near Fettes College and Inverleith Park. The former Doctor Who was seen wearing a green scarf with Crowley's trademark metallic red hair.

The fan told the Edinburgh Evening News, "I just wandered across and took a few shots of what I thought was a stand-in but it was only when I got home that I realised not only was this the case but in one shot it was clearly David Tennant."

P​rior to shooting, producers also revealed filming would take place in West Lothian when they advertised for 'paid trainees' to work alongside Tennant and Sheen.

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​Sharing the news on Twitter, director​ ​Mackinnon ​tweeted​: “We’re doing a pretty big training scheme…”​ as he appealed for ​​people​ who were​ "keen to be a part of the film and television industry.​"​

It is believed Stirling Castle will also feature as a location in the second series.

Gaiman has stated the story will happen, “all through time and space, solving a mystery which starts with one of the angels wandering through a Soho street market with no memory of who they might be, on their way to Aziraphale’s bookshop…”. That bookshop – A.Z. Fell’s – along with the whole Soho set is reported to have been recreated in an enclosed indoor set to cope with the vagaries of Scottish weather.

In their own words:

Neil Gaiman, ​writer, ​executive producer and co-showrun​ner​

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"​It's thirty-one years since Good Omens was published, which means it's thirty-two years since Terry Pratchett and I lay in our respective beds in a Seattle hotel room at a World Fantasy Convention, and plotted the sequel. ​I got to use bits of the sequel in Good Omens​ -​ that's where our angels came from.

"​Terry's not here any longer, but when he was, we had talked about what we wanted to do with Good Omens, and where the story went next. And now, thanks to BBC Studios and Amazon, I get to take it there."

Douglas Mackinnon​, director, co-showrunner and executive producer

"Taking Good Omens to my home country of Scotland to film a second season is an exciting dream come true for me. And with Michael Sheen and David Tennant returning as Aziraphale and Crowley, we really have an angel and a demon on our side.”

David Tennant​,​ Crowley

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"The return of Good Omens is great news for me, personally. As I get to work with Michael again, and I get to say Neil’s wonderful words once more. It’s probably less good for the universe as it almost certainly means there will be some fresh existential threat to its existence to deal with, but, you know​, ​swings and roundabouts.​”

Follow

You can keep up to date with Good Omens news via their social media channels, on ​Facebook: @AmazonPrimeVideo​, on ​Twitter: @PrimeVideo​ and on ​Instagram: @GoodOmensPrime​.​

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