Normally they report on the dramas taking place in their patch.
But on Friday, the team behind the Gazette and Faversham News starred in one of their own.

The newsroom became one of the locations for Channel 4 drama Southcliffe, with the news editor, reporters, sub editors and advertising team all appearing as extras alongside the stars of the show.

They include Skyfall and Quantum of Solace star Rory Kinnear, Sean Harris, who played Fifield in the Ridley Scott’s sci-fi film Prometheus, and Shirley Henderson, who who played Jude in Bridget Jones’s Diary and Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Editor Leo Whitlock said: “The team enjoyed taking orders from the director rather than me for the day.

“They were fascinated to see how things worked behind the scenes and the attention to detail was staggering.

“They were taken aback by the sheer number of people involved, which went some way to explaining why it costs £800,000 for one hour’s filming.

“Being extras was certainly an experience for them all and they found it a lot harder than it looks - it’s unlikely they will be appearing on any Hollywood casting couches in the near future.”

Southcliffe tells the story of a fictional English market town devastated by a spate of shootings which take place over a single day.

Seen through the eyes of a journalist returning to the small town of his childhood, the programme sets out to explore tragedy, grief, responsibility and redemption, and those closest to the victims of the tragedy.

Filiming has been taking place in Faversham, Canterbury and Whitstable in recent weeks.