List of television programmes set, produced or filmed in Manchester


The City of Manchester and its surrounding area has a strong heritage for television broadcasting. The city is home to the oldest television studios in the UK and the most successful ITV franchisee, Granada Television. Manchester's most famous television exports include Coronation Street, Seven Up!, Songs of Praise, University Challenge, A Question of Sport and Mastermind - all of which are still broadcasting to large audiences today. Granada's productions gradually waned in the 2000s, but it is hoped the BBC move to Salford Quays in 2011 will spawn a new era of television broadcasting in the area. Manchester also has a high correlation of successful television drama series, with many being produced and filmed in Manchester and the surrounding areas.
Television broadcasting in Manchester is currently undergoing a major transition with the famous Granada Studios and New Broadcasting House being demolished by 2013 to be replaced by MediaCityUK and The Sharp Project. Both the BBC and ITV have promised to invest more in the North and Manchester will be the base for these operations. MediaCityUK, located two miles from Manchester City Centre, will act as a new second home for the BBC and ITV away from London.
This is a list of television programmes that are/were either set, produced or filmed in Manchester. The Media in Manchester page provides a more in depth look at the history of broadcasting and media in Manchester.

Background

The city has had a long heritage of producing programmes at various studios, most notably at ITV's Granada Studios and the BBC's New Broadcasting House. Dock10 studios is located in MediaCityUK, Salford Quays, a couple of miles outside Manchester city centre. The Studios at Dock10 is now home to BBC North and ITV Granada since 2013, along with other departments transferred north.
Most television programmes produced in Manchester have been done so by Granada Television, the most successful ITV franchisee who are based at Granada Studios in Manchester. The BBC through BBC North also have a key influence in Manchester and the corporation sees Manchester along with Bristol and London as its main broadcasting centres.

Productions in Manchester

Fiction produced and/or set in Manchester

Manchester has two main production units in Granada Television at The Manchester Studios and BBC North at New Broadcasting House and both share a joint venture in 3SixtyMedia. Smaller Manchester based production companies such as Red Production Company and more recently RSJ Films led by writer Jimmy McGovern have consistently used Manchester and north as a background for drama.
Manchester has been used as a setting for many TV programmes with its industrial past, quirky cultural modern atmosphere or working roots. Some programmes are set in Manchester but weren't filmed or produced there, as in the case of Father & Son, a 2010 drama which was broadcast on ITV.
ProgrammeYearProductionBroadcasterNotes
The Army Game1957–1961Granada TelevisionITV
Biggles1960Granada TelevisionITVProduced at Granada Studios
Coronation Street

Coronation Street Live
Coronation Street Live 		1960-presentGranada TelevisionITVFilmed in at MediaCityUK in Salford. Longest running serial TV soap drama in the world
All Our Yesterdays1960–1973
1987–1989		Granada TelevisionITV
The Odd Man1962–1967Granada TelevisionITV
Pardon the Expression1965–1967Granada TelevisionITVSpin-off of Coronation Street
The Corridor People1966Granada TelevisionITV
Turn Out the Lights1967Granada TelevisionITV
The Caesars1968Granada TelevisionITV
Spindoe1968Granada TelevisionITV
Nearest and Dearest1968–1973Granada TelevisionITV
The Dustbinmen1969–1970Granada TelevisionITVProduced by Granada
The Lovers1970–1971Granada TelevisionITV
A Family at War1970–1972Granada TelevisionITV
Play for Today
Comedians		1970–1984BBCBBC
Crown Court1972–1984Granada TelevisionITV
Sam1973–1975Granada TelevisionITV
The Nearly Man1974Granada TelevisionITV
The Cuckoo Waltz1975–1977, 1980Granada TelevisionITV
Arrows1976–77Granada TelevisionITV
Strangers1978–1982Granada TelevisionITV
Brideshead Revisited1981Granada TelevisionITV
Wood and Walters1981–1982Granada TelevisionITV
Travelling Man1984Granada TelevisionITVSet and filmed in Manchester
The Jewel in the Crown1984Granada TelevisionITV
Sherlock Holmes1984–1994Granada TelevisionITV
Albion Market1985–1986Granada TelevisionITVA planned companion soap for Coronation Street but was met with indifference and cancelled after a year
The Practice1985–1986Granada TelevisionITVProduced, filmed and set in Manchester.
Lost Empires1986Granada TelevisionITVProduced by Granada in Manchester.
Watching1987–1993Granada TelevisionITVProduced by Granada in Manchester.
Red Dwarf1988–1999
2012–present		BBC ManchesterBBCProduced by BBC Manchester and BBC North at New Broadcasting House
Surgical Spirit1989–1995Granada TelevisionITVProduced at Granada in Manchester. The programme was set at an anonymous location.
Making Out1989–1991BBC ManchesterBBC One
Jeeves and Wooster1990–1993Granada TelevisionITV
Prime Suspect1991–2006Granada TelevisionITVSeries was produced by Granada Television in Manchester and set in London with the exception of series 5 which was set in Manchester
Cracker1993–1996, 2006Granada TelevisionITV
Common As Muck1994–1997BBCBBC OneFilmed in parts of Manchester
The Perfect Match1995Granada TelevisionITVWritten by Mike Bullen who later wrote Cold Feet
Children's Ward1989–2000Granada TelevisionCITVLocation filming at Bolton Royal Hospital with indoor scenes recorded at Granada Studios
Band of Gold1995–1997Granada TelevisionITV
Hillsborough1996Granada TelevisionITVDocu-drama produced by Granada in Manchester. Voted #54 in BFI 100 Greatest British Television Programmes in 2000.
Reckless1997Granada TelevisionITVSet in Manchester and London
Cold Feet1998–2003Granada TelevisionITVFilmed and set in Manchester. Won over 20 major awards in its 5 series
The Royle FamilyMain: 1998–2000
Christmas: 1999–		Granada TelevisionBBCProduced, set and filmed in Stockport at Vector Television, although later series were filmed at Ealing Studios and more recent episodes have been filmed at The Pie Factory, in MediaCityUK.
Dinnerladies1998–2000BBC Television CentreBBCSet in Manchester but produced and filmed elsewhere
Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll1999BBC DramaSet and filmed in various places around Greater Manchester including the City of Manchester
The Last Train1999Granada TelevisionITVProduced in Manchester by Granada
Queer as Folk1999–2000Red Production Company
Clocking Off2000–2003Red Production CompanyBBCProduced, set and filmed in Manchester
Bob & Rose2001Red Production CompanyITVProduced, set and filmed in Manchester
Linda Green2001–2002Red Production CompanyBBCProduced, set and filmed in Manchester
Having It Off2002Red Production CompanyBBCProduced and set in Manchester
Doctor Zhivago2002Granada TelevisionITVProduced in Manchester at Granada Studios
The Stretford Wives2002BBCBBC OneSet in Stretford, Greater Manchester
The Second Coming2003Red Production CompanyBBC OneProduced and filmed in Manchester
Burn It2003Red Production CompanyBBCProduced, set and filmed in Manchester
The Deal2003Granada TelevisionChannel 4Produced by Granada at Granada Studios
Early Doors2003–2004Ovation EntertainmentBBCSet in Manchester, but produced and filmed elsewhere
Blue Murder2003–2009Granada Television/ITV StudiosITVProduced and filmed in Manchester
Conviction2004Red Production CompanyITVProduced in Manchester with some filming in Manchester but primirily filmed in nearby Lancashire
Sex Traffic2004Granada Television co-productionChannel 4Joint commissioning with Big Motion Pictures, produced from Granada Studios.
Dirty Filthy Love2004Granada TelevisionITVProduced at Granada Studios
Life Begins2004–2006Granada TelevisionITVProduced by Granada Television
Shameless2004–2013Company PicturesChannel 4Produced, set and filmed in Manchester
Casanova2005Granada TelevisionBBC ThreeJointly produced by Red Production Company and Granada Television, both are based in Manchester
Pierrepoint2005Granada TelevisionITVDrama film produced by Granada Television
Vincent2005–2006Granada TelevisionITVSet in Manchester
City Lights2007–2008Granada TelevisionITV
Northern Lights2004–2008Granada TelevisionITV
Christmas Lights2004Granada TelevisionITV
Cutting It2002–2005BBC NorthBBC One
Colditz2005Granada TelevisionITV
Funland2005BBC Comedy NorthBBC ThreeLocation filming in Blackpool with interiors shot at New Broadcasting House in Manchester
Ideal2005–2011BBC Comedy North, Baby Cow ProductionsBBC ThreeInteriors shot at New Broadcasting House in Manchester
Grownups2006BBC NorthBBC Three
Dracula2006Granada TelevisionBBC
I'm with Stupid2006BBC NorthBBC Three
'2006Granada TelevisionITVDocu-drama based on the Moors murders
Eleventh Hour2006Granada TelevisionITVProduced and filmed in Manchester
Sinchronicity2006Shine ProductionsBBC ThreeSet and filmed in Manchester, but not produced there
Sorted2006BBCBBC OneSet in Manchester, filmed in Stockport
Lewis2006–2015Granada Television co-productionITVFilmed on location in and around Oxford
New Street Law2006–2007Red Production CompanyBBC OneProduced by Red Production Company based at The Manchester Studios with some filming done in Manchester
The Innocence Project2006–2007Tightrope PicturesBBC OneSet and filmed in Manchester and Salford but commissioned through BBC Northern Ireland.
Drop Dead Gorgeous2006–2007Hat Trick North Productions
Life on Mars2006–2007BBC North BBCA collaboration between many production companies such as Kudos and Red Planet Pictures. Manchester based companies BBC North and 3SixtyMedia were also involved and the programme was set and filmed in Manchester
The Street2006–2009Granada/ITV StudiosBBC OneSet in an unnamed street in Manchester, it was produced and filmed in the city and at The Manchester Studios.
Waterloo Road2006–2015BBC North BBC OneFilmed and set in Rochdale until 2012.
Boy A2007Film4Channel 4Not set but mostly filmed in Manchester with final scenes filmed in Blackpool
True Dare Kiss2007BBC ProductionsBBCSet and filmed in Manchester
Mobile2007ITV StudiosITVSet and filmed and Manchester along with Liverpool. BBC/ITV venture 3SixtyMedia were also involved in production
Cold Blood2007–2008ITV StudiosITVProduced and filmed in Manchester
Poppy Shakespeare2008Cowboy FilmsChannel 4Filmed in Manchester
'2008BBCBBC ThreeSet in Manchester
2008BBCBBC FourSet in Manchester at the time of the 1918 flu pandemic
Survivors2008BBCBBC OneFirst series filmed in Manchester
Wired2008Granada TelevisionITV
Britannia High2008ITV StudiosITV
Massive2008BBC Comedy NorthBBC Three
Sunshine2008BBCBBC One
Paradox2009BBCBBC OneFilmed and set in Manchester
Father & Son2010Left BankITVSet in Manchester, but mainly filmed in Dublin, which was criticised
The Road to Coronation Street2010BBC DramaBBC FourGranada Studios used and programme set and filmed in Manchester
Accused2010–presentRSJ FilmsBBCProduced and filmed in Manchester
United2011World Productions in conjunction with BBC NorthBBCDocu-drama based on the struggles Manchester United faced after the Munich Air Disaster in 1958
Scott & Bailey2011–2016Red Production CompanyITVProduced and filmed in Manchester
Exile2011Red Production CompanyBBCProduced in Manchester with some parts filmed in Manchester
Bedlam2011–2012---
White Van Man2011–2012ITV StudiosBBC ThreeFilmed in Manchester and Greater Manchester
In with the Flynns2011–2012BBCBBC OneProduced and filmed at Teddington Studios but set in Manchester
Appropriate Adult2011ITV StudiosITVFilmed in Manchester
Mount Pleasant2011–presentTiger Aspect ProductionsSky1Filmed at The Sharp Project and set in Manchester
The Body Farm2011BBCBBC OneFilmed in Manchester and Macclesfield
Fresh Meat2011–2016Lime PicturesChannel 4Filmed at The Sharp Project and also set in Manchester.
Blackout2012Red Production CompanyBBC
The Fuse2012Red Production CompanyBBC OneProduced and filmed in Manchester
Skins2013Company PicturesChannel 4Although the series is set and filmed in Bristol, some scenes in the final series were filmed in Manchester
No Offence2015AbbottVisionChannel 4

Non-Fiction programmes produced or filmed in Manchester

Children's programming

Awards given to Manchester produced or filmed programmes

BAFTAs

Since the introduction of the best drama series at the BAFTAs in 1992, Mancunian produced or filmed drama has won the award on 9 occasions out of the 19 awarded - more than any other city. Cracker won twice in 1995 and 1996, The Cops won twice in 1999 and 2000, Clocking Off in 2001, Cold Feet in 2002, Shameless in 2005 and The Street in 2007 and 2008.
Peggy Ashcroft won a BAFTA TV award for best actress in 1985 in her performance in The Jewel In The Crown and later Helen Mirren won best actress three consecutive times, a record, for her performance in the Granada-produced Prime Suspect series.