Bridport and West Bay households are set to be glued to their screens on Monday March 4 when the first episode of ITV drama Broadchurch hits the small screen.

The eight part series starring David Tennant was filmed at West Bay and locals are agog to see the finished programme, which features the Jurassic Coast in a starring role.

Writer and executive producer Chris Chibnall, who lives in Bridport, today thanked the audience at the sneak preview shown at Bridport Arts Centre.

The first episode was also shown to an audience at Bafta in London last night when Mr Chibnall joined David Tennant and other members of the cast and production team in a question and answer session.

“Big thanks to everyone at the preview screenings at Bafta and Bridport Arts Centre,” he tweeted.

“Two very special nights”.

Broadchurch is about the effects on a small Dorset seaside town when a young boy is found dead on the beach in mysterious circumstances.

Mr Chibnall said he wanted to write about when “a terrible thing happens in a beautiful place.”

The cast includes Olivia Colman, Pauline Quirke, Arthur Darvill, Andrew Buchan and Will Mellor.

The first episode will air at 9pm on ITV on Monday March 4.