A brand new hotly-anticipated drama series aired on Channel 4 last week and it joins the ever-growing list of productions filmed right on our doorstep.
Greater Manchester has been earning itself a reputation over the past few years as one of the go-to filming locations for an impressive roster of tv shows, films and blockbuster productions, with the streets of our city and boroughs often doubling up as London, New York and more.
And now it’s emerged that the star-studded cast and critically-acclaimed team behind Channel 4’s newest drama series is the latest lot to have taken advantage of what our region has to offer.
It’s A Sin is a five-part drama series created by revered screenwriter and producer Russell T Davies – who is best-known for his work in Doctor Who, Queer As Folk and Casanova, and has also previously set and filmed a number of his other shows in Manchester too, including trilogy series Cucumber, Banana & Tofu in 2015, and Years & Years in 2019 – and it explores the lives of three young gay men affected by the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
The series is loosely inspired by Davies’ own real-life experiences, who was also an 18-year-old gay man at the start of the AIDS crisis.
ADVERTISEMENT
Channel 4
The show has a seriously-impressive line-up of up-and-coming talent and big names too, with popstar and actor Olly Alexander leading the series, alongside newcomers Omari Douglas and Callum Scott Howells, and supporting roles coming from veteran actors Stephen Fry, Neil Patrick Harris, Keeley Hawes and Shaun Dooley.
But perhaps one of the most interesting facts about the series for Mancunians is that, while the show is predominantly set in the English capital, a significant chunk of scenes were actually filmed in Greater Manchester.
ADVERTISEMENT
It was confirmed that principal photography for the show began in Manchester in October 2019.
One of the most-notable Greater Manchester locations to be utilised for the series is Bolton – which has seen the likes of Peaky Blinders, The Stranger, White Lines, The English Game and more filmed on its streets, with BBC’s Ridley Road the latest the pitch up – with its central cobbled street Le Mans Crescent, behind Bolton Town Hall, being transformed into a 1980s London to serve as the setting for for the programme.
Camera crews rolled into Bolton on 17th October 2019 to film for the show, and they brought an array of props, such as retro cars, which were used as a backdrop to the drama.
ADVERTISEMENT
Channel 4
Several other central Manchester locations have also been identified by eagle-eyed viewers upon the series’ air, including inside of The Marble Arch, The Star and Garter, The Thirsty Scholar, and Gorilla, as well as on Great Marlborough Street and Paton Street.
Other familiar locations are likely to be spotted in further episodes.
Keen to know a little more about the show?
A Channel 4 description for It’s A Sin reads: “Ritchie, Roscoe and Colin are young lads, strangers at first, leaving home at 18 and heading off to London in 1981 with hope and ambition and joy… and walking straight into a plague that most of the world ignores.
“Year by year, episode by episode, their lives change, as the mystery of a new virus starts as a rumour, then a threat, then a terror, and then something that binds them together in the fight.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It’s the story of their friends, lovers and families too, especially Jill, the girl who loves them and helps them, and galvanises them in the battles to come [and] together they will endure the horror of the epidemic, the pain of rejection and the prejudices that gay men faced throughout the decade.”
___
It’s A Sin airs on continues on Channel 4 this Friday at 9pm.
Trending
Manchester named one of the UK’s ‘most entertaining’ cities for 2026
Emily Sergeant
A new study has named the most ‘fun and entertaining’ cities to visit in the UK in 2026, and it’s good news for the north.
While a new year often brings with it a renewed urge to want to jet off on holiday, it can also make us eager to see what our own country has to offer by booking a little staycation to experience somewhere new right on our doorstep.
But which cities should we be heading to for a good time?
If you’re looking for adventure and excitement out of your staycation, then travel experts at Braw Scottish Tours set out to find the most fun places in the country by analysing 50 cities and towns across the UK to uncover where visitors are most ‘spoiled for choice’ in 2026.
Whether you’re planning a weekend break or a longer city escape, the right destination can make all the difference, especially if you’re looking for a mix of nightlife, outdoor space, and good value for money.
Manchester has been named one of the most entertaining cities in the UK / Alex Bracken (via Unsplash) | The Manc Group | MCR Art Fair
The study looked at 17 key factors across three main areas – entertainment and nightlife, recreation and outdoor activities, and lifestyle and amenities.
Everything from pubs and live music venues, to parks and the cost of a pint or movie ticket were analysed, because according to the travel experts, the best cities don’t just offer fun, they make it easy and affordable to enjoy.
The north has taken the top spot on the list, as Newcastle has been named the UK’s most fun and entertaining city to visit in 2026.
Other northern cities in the top 20 include Leeds, Blackpool, Bradford, and Hull… oh, and Manchester, of course, as our city has claimed a very respectable third place on the list and even ranked first for live music venues, entertainment events, and gyms per capita, which highlights we’re a city that is as active as we are lively.
Top 10 most entertaining cities to visit in the UK
Newcastle
Westminster
Manchester
Norwich
Belfast
Aberdeen
Southampton
Glasgow
Plymouth
Oxford
Overall, Manchester racked up a score of 56.85, cementing its reputation as one of the UK’s leading cultural cities.
Manchester was also praised for its food and retail scene, placing third for restaurants and fifth for shopping centres, and although the average cinema ticket costs around £10, the city was found to balance this out with a wide range of free events, festivals, and accessible green spaces.
Elsewhere in the top 10 list, outside of the north, you’ll find other major cities like London, Belfast, Glasgow, and Oxford.
Edinburgh and Cardiff find themselves in the top 20, but do miss out on the top 10.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
Trending
Wayne Rooney expresses interest in joining Manchester United’s coaching staff
Danny Jones
In another unexpected twist in the Manchester United manager saga, club and England legend Wayne Rooney has expressed interest in returning to Old Trafford and potentially joining their coaching staff.
Man United’s all-time leading goalscorer is one of half a dozen different former players to have been linked with either the top job or a backroom role following Ruben Amorim’s departure.
Speaking on his self-titled BBC podcast, the retired Premier League icon turned coach and now pundit, didn’t hesitate when asked about the prospect, simply replying: “of course I would” – dubbing the decision as “a no-brainer.”
"Of course I would!"
Wayne Rooney wouldn't think twice about joining Michael Carrick's staff at Manchester United if an offer arrived. pic.twitter.com/nGEAugQjHH
Rooney’s last coaching job was that of Plymouth Argyle manager, which ended in December 2024 following a run of poor results, much like his time at Birmingham City earlier that year.
Since then, he’s bounced around between punditry and broadcasting, serving as a guest on the likes of The Overlap with his old teammates and peers, as well as now co-hosting his own aforementioned pod, The Wayne Rooney Show.
However, the 40-year-old has always insisted that he still wants a future in coaching, and while it may not have worked as a full-time first-team boss just yet, perhaps more of an assistant position or more specific post (maybe training the forwards as Benni McCarthy did) could be a better fit for now.
‘Wazza’ admitted that, even despite having been on holiday with Carrick “last week”, no one could have expected this situation to have emerged, and certainly not this quick a turnaround.
Moreover, Rooney insisted that rather than preferring any particular person for the next interim head coach/United manager or to join the wider staff, he simply believes that they need “people who know the club” inside and out.
He isn’t the first to have accused the global sporting franchise of losing its ‘identity’ in the years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, and many seem to believe that getting in familiar faces who were at the club during its heyday could help resolve that issue.
This was obviously pretty much the thinking when Ole Gunnar Solskjær not only became interim head coach but got the job on a permanent basis after they began looking more like the confident, attacking teams of old and like they were enjoying their football again. Though we all know how it ended.
Solskjær did look to be leading the race to return to Old Trafford for a second spell as manager initially, but it now looks as though Michael Carrick is the odds-on favourite to replace Amorim in the interim, with the suggestion that one might still assist the other.
Carrick certainly received a good amount of praise during his time at Middlesbrough, and while his time there didn’t end perfectly, either – parting ways after missing out on the playoff spots once again – there seems to be a belief that he, whether flanked by others or not, is the right choice for United at this time.
Once again, there is talk of current temporary caretaker Darren Fletcher remaining with the first team in some capacity rather than simply returning straight to the under-18s, but only time will tell who will be involved. Nevertheless, it now looks nailed on that Carrick will be in the dugout for the derby day.
Emily Sergeant -
25th January 2021 
