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Go Behind the Scenes with Keith Dotson and Griff Rhys Jones Filming a TV Show in the American South
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Go Behind the Scenes with Keith Dotson and Griff Rhys Jones Filming a TV Show in the American South

Keith Dotson
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Now updated with broadcast details

Video: Watch as We Photograph Abandoned Places for “Griff’s Great American South,” a TV Travel Show Broadcast in England and Australia

In November 2024, Teena and I made a whirlwind trip to the Mississippi Delta where I appeared in front of the cameras filming an episode for a British / Australian television travel show focused on the American South.

The show is hosted by Griff Rhys Jones, O.B.E. (Order of the British Empire), a Welsh comedian and television personality who hosts travel shows for Britain and Australia. He was in the U.S. with a Sydney-based crew of four, traveling across the American South from Charleston to New Orleans.

Fine art photographer Keith Dotson on location in the Mississippi Delta with British television host and comedian Griff Rhys Jones, O.B.E.
Fine art photographer Keith Dotson on location in the Mississippi Delta with British television host and comedian Griff Rhys Jones, O.B.E.

About a month prior to filming, I received an email from a researcher for the production company in Sydney asking if I would be willing to meet Griff for a session making photographs of an abandoned location in Mississippi.

Luckily, the light was perfect on the day we filmed!

I won’t lie, shooting with a crew and a host was a little weird for me!

Watch the video to see what the day was like for Teena and I, working with the TV crew on location.

The show’s title card featuring Griff Rhys Jones. Copyright Perpetual Entertainment, 2025.

When and where will the show be on television?

The series, “Griff’s Great American South,” consists of six, one-hour episodes and my segment falls in the Memphis, Tennessee episode. My segment is brief, only about 2 minutes long, and it starts around the 32-minute mark of the Memphis episode.

This aerial drone shot from the episode shows Griff fand I arriving at the location. Here, we can be seen emerging from my personal vehicle. Image courtesy of Perpetual Entertainment, 2025.
This aerial drone shot from the episode shows Griff fand I arriving at the location. Here, we can be seen emerging from my personal vehicle. Image courtesy of Perpetual Entertainment, 2025.

Initial broadcasts were in the summer of 2025 in the UK on Channel 4 and in Australia on ABC. If Griff’s previous travel series serve as examples, this new series should eventually find it’s way to Amazon Prime or one of the other streaming services.

A few of my black and white photographs from the day were shown in the episode.

Behind-the-scenes photos from the day of filming in Mississippi

Me with Griff and some of the TV crew in a Mississippi Delta ghost town, discussing photographic composition and light.
Me with Griff and some of the TV crew in a Mississippi Delta ghost town, discussing photographic composition and light.
British comedian and travel show host Griff Rhys Jones closing out the filming with a final talk to the camera.
British comedian and travel show host Griff Rhys Jones closing out the filming with a final talk to the camera.
First time ever riding with a member of the Order of the British Empire in my car! The recording session started with a 20-minute car ride (in my car) where the show's host and I talked to a Go-Pro camera mounted on the windshield. I picked him up at his hotel in Cleveland, Mississippi and took us to the location.
First time ever riding with a member of the Order of the British Empire in my car! The recording session started with a 20-minute car ride (in my car) where the show’s host and I talked to a Go-Pro camera mounted on the windshield. I picked him up at his hotel in Cleveland, Mississippi and took us to the location.
One of the cinematographers recording b-roll while the rest of us were busy elsewhere.
One of the cinematographers recording b-roll while the rest of us were busy elsewhere.
A friendly local walked over to see what all the ruckus was about.
A friendly local walked over to see what all the ruckus was about.
Going low to get the shot.
Going low to get the shot.
It was weird for me to be on an abandoned places site with so many people around! I’m definitely more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it.
Here I was explaining some of the history I have learned about the location, which I had visited several times prior to reurning to film the television episode.
Here I was explaining some of the history I have learned about the location, which I had visited several times prior to reurning to film the television episode.
A new portrait of me on location in the Mississippi Delta, shot on new Polaroid i-type black and white film. Teena made this photo earlier in the day, before the Australian film crew arrived.
A new portrait of me on location in the Mississippi Delta, shot on new Polaroid i-type black and white film. Teena made this photo earlier in the day, before the Australian film crew arrived.

Above, Teena shot this Polaroid portrait in a small ghost town in Mississippi on new Polaroid i-type black and white film. I really like this new film — I think Polaroid is finally getting close to good on their materials. It commemorates our trip to the ghost town for filming of an Australian TV show about the American South.

Some of my black and white photographs taken on location

Many of these photographs are slated to appear in the Australian TV episode filmed in Mississippi.

Black and white photograph of an abandoned storefront from our filming location in Mississippi.
Black and white photograph of an abandoned storefront from our filming location in Mississippi.
A river running alongside the abandoned community where we filmed the episode.
A river running alongside the abandoned community where we filmed the episode.
Some of the historic brick walls are beginning to crumble. Black and white photograph by Keith Dotson.
Some of the historic brick walls are beginning to crumble. Black and white photograph by Keith Dotson.
Black and white photograph of an abandoned house overtaken by the forest in the ghost town where we filmed the abandoned places television episode.
Black and white photograph of an abandoned house overtaken by the forest in the ghost town where we filmed the abandoned places television episode.
Black and white photograph of a tree in a muddy farm field alongside Highway 61 in the Mississippi Delta.
Black and white photograph of a tree in a muddy farm field alongside Highway 61 in the Mississippi Delta.
Black and white photograph of tires left leaning against a utility pole in Mississippi.
Black and white photograph of tires left leaning against a utility pole in Mississippi.

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1 comment

  1. Joe says:

    Very Cool, Keith! Could end up with an invite to Down Under. 🙂

    Reply

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