Viewers in Watford will have recognised the location of a car-bombing scene when a hit TV show returned yesterday.

The first two episodes of Slow Horses season 4 premiered with a bang on Apple TV+ yesterday (September 4), as an attack at ‘Westacres Shopping Centre’ rocked London.

However, some might recognise the set, as it was really West Herts College in Watford.

Slow Horses stars Gary Oldman.Slow Horses stars Gary Oldman. (Image: Apple TV+)

The Hempstead Road building was reimagined as a Christmastime shopping centre with signs for fake restaurants and shops (such as 'Rozenzo’s') that were installed while filming took place in July, last year.

Slow Horses' location manager recently told the Evening Standard that, looking at the scene on the page, he thought “Christ, how are we going to achieve that” - but Watford was able to provide the space to do it.

Slow Horses scene filmed at West Herts College. (Image: Stephen Danzig)

Watford Borough Council said: “West Herts College, Watford Leisure Centre, and Hempstead Road set the stage for this major production, bringing lights, camera, and action to our town.

“Hosting a major production like Slow Horses helps put Watford on the map as an attractive destination for future film and television projects and helps boost the local economy.”

According to the streaming service's description, Slow Horses is a “quick-witted spy drama” following a dysfunctional team of M15 agents who defend England from "sinister forces".

It stars Gary Oldman, Olivia Cooke, Jack Lowden, Rosalind Eleazar, and Kristin Scott Thomas.

When the scene was being filmed, the production company confirmed that the location was being used for “stunts” but many of the “key actors” were not present in the town.

(Image: Stephen Danzig) (Image: Stephen Danzig) (Image: Stephen Danzig) (Image: Stephen Danzig)