We present the results of laboratory experiments that quantify the physical controls on the thickness of the falling film of liquid around a Taylor bubble, when liquid-gas interfacial tension can be neglected. We find that the dimensionless film thickness λ′ (the ratio of the film thickness to the pipe radius) is a function only of the dimensionless parameter , where ρ is the liquid density, g the gravitational acceleration, D the pipe diameter and μ the dynamic viscosity of the liquid. For , the dimensionless film thickness is independent of Nf with value λ′ 0.33; in the interval , λ′ decreases with increasing Nf; for film thickness is, again, independent of Nf with value λ′ 0.08. We synthesize existing models for films falling down a plane surface and around a Taylor bubble, and develop a theoretical model for film thickness that encompasses the viscous, inertial and turbulent regimes. Based on our data, we also propose a single empirical correlation for λ′(Nf), which is valid in the range 10−1<Nf<105. Finally, we consider the thickness of the falling film when interfacial tension cannot be neglected, and find that film thickness decreases as interfacial tension becomes more important.