You know that feeling when you're watching a thriller and the neighborhood itself feels like a character? That’s exactly what happened with Channel 4 and Starz’s hit series The Couple Next Door. It’s sleek. It’s claustrophobic. It feels like it could be anywhere in the "nice" part of suburban England, yet there’s something slightly off about the light and the architecture that keeps you guessing.
So, where was The Couple Next Door filmed?
The short answer is a bit of a geographical magic trick. While the show is firmly set in a high-end cul-de-sac in Leeds, West Yorkshire, the production team actually split their time between the North of England and the streets of Belgium. Specifically, Leeds and Antwerp. It’s a weird combo on paper, right? But once you see how those grey, moody Belgian skies mimic the British North, it starts to make perfect sense.
The Belgian Connection: Why Antwerp?
Most people assume a show set in a British suburb is filmed entirely in, well, a British suburb. Not this time. A massive chunk of the interior work and several key exterior shots took place in Antwerp, Belgium.
Why go through the hassle of moving a whole crew to Europe? It mostly comes down to the co-production deal with Eagle Eye Drama and the Belgian production company Happy Duck. There are also these tax incentives in Belgium that make it super attractive for high-end TV. But artistically, the Belgian suburbs have this specific, sanitized aesthetic that perfectly matches the "nouveau riche" vibe the showrunners wanted for Pete and Evie’s new life.
Antwerp wasn't just a stand-in for random streets. The production utilized Lint, a municipality just outside the city. If you’ve ever been to that part of Flanders, you know the houses have this very clean, slightly modernist edge. That "perfect" look is exactly what makes the drama feel so tense—everything is too tidy for the mess that’s about to happen.
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The interiors of the houses—the sleek kitchens where all that awkward flirting and tension happen—were largely built on stages in Belgium. This gave the directors total control over the lighting and camera angles, which you just can't get in a real, cramped semi-detached house in Yorkshire.
Back to Reality: Filming in Leeds and West Yorkshire
Even though Belgium did the heavy lifting for the "look," the show needed that authentic British grit to ground the story. That’s where Leeds comes in.
The production was spotted all over the city. If you’re a local, you probably recognized some of the street scenes. The show is explicitly set in Leeds, which is a nice change of pace from everything being set in London or Manchester. They used the city's unique mix of Victorian red-brick charm and modern glass developments to show the contrast between the characters' pasts and their new, aspirational lifestyle.
One of the most recognizable spots is Park Square in the legal district of Leeds. It’s this gorgeous Georgian square that feels very prestigious—exactly the kind of place a journalist like Pete would find himself working near.
Specific Yorkshire Locations
- The Woods: There are several scenes involving biking and tension-filled walks. Many of these were shot in the lush, green areas surrounding the outskirts of Leeds and into the Yorkshire Dales.
- The City Centre: Various shots of the skyline and the bustling shopping areas were used to establish the "Leeds" identity.
- Residential Streets: While the main cul-de-sac was a mix of Belgian sets and selective English locations, the "older" parts of town we see in flashbacks or B-roll are authentic West Yorkshire.
The Cul-de-Sac Mystery
The heart of the show is that claustrophobic street. Honestly, it’s where the magic of editing really shines. Most viewers never realize they are watching a blend of two different countries. The production designers had to be incredibly careful to ensure that the Belgian street furniture—the signs, the bins, the pavement style—matched what you’d see in a high-end Leeds neighborhood.
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Think about the driveway scenes. When Danny (played by Sam Heughan) is washing his bike or leaning against his car, that sense of being watched by neighbors is intensified by the way the houses are angled. By using a mix of real locations and controlled sets, the crew created a "hyper-reality." It feels more like a suburban nightmare than a real place you could find on Google Maps.
The Aesthetic Choice: Why the Location Matters for the Plot
Location isn't just a backdrop here. The show is about envy. It's about looking over the fence and wanting what your neighbor has.
By filming in places like Antwerp and Leeds, the directors (led by Dries Vos) captured a specific kind of modern isolation. The houses are close together, but the people are miles apart. The architecture is cold. The glass is reflective. You see a lot of scenes where characters are looking through windows—Antwerp’s modern residential architecture is famous for those large, floor-to-ceiling windows that offer zero privacy. It’s the perfect visual metaphor for a show about voyeurism and swinging.
Behind the Scenes: The Cast on Location
Sam Heughan and Eleanor Tomlinson have both mentioned in interviews how the dual-location shoot helped the "vibe" of the show. Moving between the two countries helped the actors feel that sense of displacement that their characters were going through.
Sam Heughan, in particular, seemed to enjoy the Belgian leg of the shoot. There’s a certain anonymity to filming in a place like Antwerp compared to the UK where Outlander fans might be around every corner. It allowed the production to move fast. It kept the energy high.
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Addressing the "Wait, I thought that was..." Rumors
If you’ve seen some people online claiming it was filmed in the US because of the "suburban" look, they're wrong. The show is a remake of the Dutch series Nieuwe Buren (New Neighbors), which explains why the production felt so comfortable utilizing those European locations. The original Dutch series was filmed in the Netherlands, so the "European Suburbia" DNA is baked into the story's bones.
There were also rumors that it was filmed in the outskirts of London. Nope. While many UK dramas default to the Home Counties, The Couple Next Door stayed loyal to its Northern setting. Leeds provides a very different light than London—it’s sharper, often grayer, and feels more industrial yet sprawling.
How to Visit These Spots
If you’re a superfan and want to do a "location tour," here is the most practical way to do it:
- Start in Leeds City Centre: Walk through Park Square and the Headrow. You'll recognize the "professional" side of the characters' lives immediately.
- Head to Antwerp: If you’re really dedicated, take the Eurostar. The areas around Lint and the outskirts of Antwerp will give you that eerie, quiet suburban feeling. Just don't go peering into people's windows—leave that to the characters in the show.
- Check out the Yorkshire Dales: For the exterior "nature" shots, a drive through the Dales north of Leeds will give you those sweeping, moody vistas that transition between the drama.
Actionable Takeaways for Location Hunters
To truly appreciate the cinematography and the answer to where was The Couple Next Door filmed, look for these subtle cues next time you rewatch:
- The Pavement: Notice the brickwork on the driveways. That’s a classic Belgian residential style.
- The Light: Notice how the outdoor scenes in the city feel slightly different in "temperature" than the scenes in the cul-de-sac. That’s the geographical jump between the UK and Belgium.
- The Architecture: Look for the flat-roofed, minimalist designs. That’s the Antwerp influence creeping into the "Leeds" setting.
Understanding these locations adds a whole new layer to the viewing experience. It shows how much effort goes into creating a fictional world that feels uncomfortably real. The blend of Belgian minimalism and British grit is exactly why the show looks so distinct from your average TV thriller. It’s a hybrid world for a story about people living double lives.