Viewers are just discovering that the new TV drama series, A Gentleman in Moscow, was actually filmed in… Bolton.
That’s right, whether you can believe it or not – and much to the shock of local residents, too – the Greater Manchester town had itself a bit of a Stalin era-themed makeover last year, and served as the perfect place to recreate the Russian capital city for a brand-new TV drama miniseries starring Ewan McGregor.
Based on the bestselling 2016 novel of the same name by Amor Towles, the new series titled A Gentleman in Moscow has now started airing on streaming platform Paramount+ in the UK.
Over the course of the gripping eight-part series, it tells the story of aristocrat Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov, played by McGregor, who has recently returned to Russia from Paris, and spends decades banished to an attic hotel room following the October Revolution after being sentenced to house arrest by a Bolshevik tribunal.
But, despite the very-Russian theme running through the show – which also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Fehinti Balogun, Daniel Cerqueria, Johnny Harris, Leah Harvey, and more – production crews never actually ventured to Moscow to film.
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Instead, they chose several locations across northern England, and one of those locations was, none other than, Bolton.
Filming began in Victoria Square outside Bolton Town Hall on 27 February 2023, with the Town Hall itself appearing a handful of times throughout the show’s first episode, and took place into March, before returning again in April 2023.
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Viewers have been reacting to discovering that the new TV drama, A Gentleman in Moscow, was actually filmed in Bolton / Credit: Showtime & Paramount TV
As well as Bolton, Liverpool Town Hall was used as a filming location in June 2023, and filming also took place in Halifax and Leeds Civic Hall too.
Eagle-eyed viewers who tuned into the first episode of the show and spotted Bolton Town Hall in all its glory were quick to head on over to social media to share their reactions – and disbelief, mostly – that the Greater Manchester town had an unexpected starring role.
Very bizarre moment for me. I'm from northwest England, but live in Moscow.
I'm watching the new TV series 'A Gentleman in Moscow'
One fan wrote on X: “Very bizarre moment for me. I’m from northwest England, but live in Moscow. I’m watching the new TV series ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’, couldn’t help but notice that it had been filmed in Bolton…”
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“Learnt that A Gentleman in Moscow was filmed in Bolton yesterday and my interest shot way up. How did they pull that off?,” another viewer commented.
A third pointed out that Bolton has actually doubled as Russia before.
“It’s been used before for same purpose,” they wrote on X, “In the late 80s when I was in my teens, we went shopping to Bolton, and there was a giant portrait of Stalin hanging from the front of the town hall. My mum thought there had been a Militant takeover on the Council.”
Learnt that A Gentleman in Moscow was filmed in Bolton yesterday and my interest shot way up. How did they pull that off?
Others were also quick to add that Bolton has been a popular filming location for movies and TV shows for the past couple of decades.
Peaky Blinders, Happy Valley, Red Rose, Traces, The Reckoning, and Brassic are just some of the smash-hit shows having been filmed in the town in recent years.
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One viewer wrote: “When I first visited Bolton in the early 90s, I was told the Town Hall often stood in for European Government buildings in films. No need to change a good thing”, while another commented that they “thought it looked familiar”.
You can watch A Gentleman in Moscow streaming now on Paramount+ in the UK.
Featured Image – Showtime & Paramount TV
TV & Showbiz
A tribute festival in memory of Mani from The Stone have been announced
Danny Jones
After plenty of talk and rumours ever since his passing, a tribute festival in memory of Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield will honour the late great Stone Roses and Primal Scream bass player later this year.
Despite various organisations and regional residents having observed their own memorial services following his death on 20 November 2025, the city and Greater Manchester as a whole made it clear that they wanted to carry out a more dedicated form of remembrance.
And we couldn’t agree more.
Deciding to remember him in the past best way possible – by celebrating one of his greatest loves and legacies: music – ‘Manichester’ festival will be held this spring.
Hosted in partnership with Madchester.com and simply dubbed as “a tribute to a true Manc legend”, names both new, old and current will be joining the inaugural Manichester lineup.
Organised by the website and iconic Manchester streetwear brand GIOGOI, not to mention being “blessed by Mani’s family” directly, artists playing will range from those who were lucky enough to have played with him or, like us all, were simply left inspired by his unforgettable basslines.
As well as a ‘AAA headliner’ still yet to be confirmed, there are some serious legendary names on here, both local and beyond; at the minute, the roster of acts is looking like this:
Manichester 2026 lineup
Cast
Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order)
The Kowloons
A “specially assembled core band” featuring Aziz Ibrahim (The Stone Roses), Rowetta, Simone Butler (formerly Primal Scream) and Mick Rossi (Slaughter and The Dogs)
Dave McCabe (The Zutons)
Baz Fratelli (The Fratellis)
Zak Starkey (Mantra of the Cosmos)
Steve White (ex-Oasis drummer)
Jon McClure (Reverend and the Makers)
However, as they have teased in the announcement, “that’s just the start”, and with more names incoming, many are already trying to guess who the headliner could be. Some have even suggested Ian Brown himself might get up on the stage…
As per an official statement, key artwork for the event comes from the one and only and equally influential Stone Roses guitarist, John Squire, whose new designs will feature on flyers, limited-edition physical tickets and other promotional materials.
Manichester will take place on Saturday May 30, doors open 2pm.
Most importantly, all the proceeds from the special one-off in memoriam show will go towards Mani’s and Imelda’s twin boys, Gene and George – and who knows? This could be the start of a brand-new annual festival spawned in the name of a very special Mancunian.
GIOGOI added: “Manchester is the best city in the world, and we do things differently here. This is Manchester showing up. This is Madchester showing love. This is ‘Manichester’.“
Taking place on Saturday, 30 May and held at Diecast on Ducie Street in Manchester city centre from 2pm, it’s sure to be a momentous ocassions with thoughts of Mani and his family looming large in everyone’s minds.
A new documentary about football ultras is coming to a Manchester city centre cinema
Danny Jones
A new documentary about football ultras and the world surrounding the sport’s most avid and sometimes controversial fans is coming to a cinema right here in Manchester.
I mean, obviously – it’s the spiritual home of football, after all.
Seriously though, whether you bit or not, Greater Manchester has, is and always will be a region obsessed with the beautiful game, so what better place to screen such a film?
Covering the often crazy and all-consuming nature of ultra culture, the aptly-titled feature-length doc will be shown here in the city centre next month as part of this year’s Manchester Film Festival.
It was previewed last year, but is now set for theatrical release.
ULTRAS is the work of Swedish filmmaker Ragnhild Ekner, who has travelled all over the world in search of understanding these super passionate footy fans.
Herself a die-hard IFK Göteborg supporter, Ekner looks at it not just artistically but as one of their own; she’s another football-obsessive like so many of us all around the globe, making her an ideal person to get across the lifestyle.
Covering matchgoers and punters from the likes of Argentina and Indonesia to Morocco, Italy and more, she covers a total of eight different countries across four continents.
The director and her producers have put things plain and simple for those curious: “This isn’t a critical review, it’s a tribute.”
As mentioned, it also happens to form part of the wider Manchester Film Festival 2026, which is kicking off this week and ends on 29 March.
You can find out what else is on the MFF programme this month down below.
Just some of the faces on show at this year's @mcrfilmfestival. 🎞️
So, if you’re a football fan, a cinephile, or just fancy going along to learn more, ULTRAS will be showing at the Odeon cinema inside Great Northern Warehouse exclusively on Sunday, 22 March from 5:30pm.
It’s also happening on the same day as the Carabao Cup Final between Man City and Newcastle, so if you’re a Red or just not a blue, it’s a very viable bit of alternative football-based entertainment.
Now, speaking of wider football culture, another fervently followed aspect of the people’s game is fashion, especially on the vintage side of things…
Emily Sergeant -
3rd April 2024 
