THE Forth Bridge has been the backdrop for a TV series this week scouting for the best landscape artist in the country.

Filming has taken place in North Queensferry for the Sky Arts programme 'Landscape Artist of the Year', which will air on TV early next year.

It's the seventh series of the nationwide search filmed at picturesque locations around the UK.

Contestants paint some of the UK's most spectacular scenery for a chance to win a £10,000 commission for a well-known British institution.

Ali Brodie, from production company Storyvault Films, said: "We're filming the semi-final for Landscape Artist of the Year.

"The competition took place on Wednesday and we'd been setting up a couple of days before that.

"Six artists are involved in the semi-final and they've been set the task of painting the bridge.

"It's a beautiful place to film, there's some great colours and we should get some good paintings from the scene."

The show asked North Queensferry Community Trust for permission before filming.

The show is presented by Joan Bakewell and actor Stephen Mangan, who take the contestants through several rounds with winners going through to the semi-final and final.

Judging the competition are British art historian Kate Bryan, independent art curator Kathleen Soriano and artist Tai-shan Schierenberg.