The City of Manchester and its surrounding area, just like sport and music, 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.[1] with many being produced and filmed in Manchester and the surrounding areas.[2]
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.
This is a list of television programmes that are/were either set, produced or filmed in Manchester.[3][4][5] The Media in Manchester page provides a more in depth look at the history of broadcasting and media in Manchester.
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The city has a long heritage of producing programmes at various studios, most notably at Granada Studios and New Broadcasting House. MediaCityUK located a couple of miles outside Manchester city centre will act as the new home for BBC North and ITV Granada along with other departments transferred to Manchester.
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 centers.
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.
Programme | Year | Production | Broadcaster | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Army Game | 1957-1961 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Biggles | 1960 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced at Granada Studios |
Coronation Street Coronation Street: Episode 1 Coronation Street Live (2000) Coronation Street Live (2010) |
1960-present | Granada Television | ITV | Filmed in at Granada Studios in Manchester city centre. Longest running serial TV soap drama in the world |
All Our Yesterdays | 1960-1973 1987-1989 |
Granada Television | ITV | |
The Odd Man | 1962-1967 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Pardon the Expression | 1965-1967 | Granada Television | ITV | Spin-off of Coronation Street |
The Corridor People | 1966 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Turn out the Lights | 1967 | Granada Television | ITV | |
The Caesars | 1968 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Spindoe | 1968 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Nearest and Dearest | 1968-1973 | Granada Television | ITV | |
The Dustbinmen | 1969-1970 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced by Granada[6] |
The Lovers | 1970-1971 | Granada Television | ITV | |
A Family at War | 1970-1972 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Play for Today Comedians |
1970-1984 | BBC | BBC | |
Crown Court | 1972-1984 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Sam | 1973-1975 | Granada Television | ITV | |
The Nearly Man | 1974 | Granada Television | ITV | |
The Cuckoo Waltz | 1975-1977, 1980 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Arrows | 1976-77 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Strangers | 1978-1982 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Cribb | 1979-1981 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Brideshead Revisited | 1981 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Wood and Walters | 1981-1982 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Travelling Man | 1984 | Granada Television | ITV | Set and filmed in Manchester[7] |
The Jewel in the Crown | 1984 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Sherlock Holmes | 1984-1994 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Albion Market | 1985-1986 | Granada Television | ITV | A planned companion soap for Coronation Street but was met with indifference and cancelled after a year |
The Practice | 1985-1986 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced, filmed and set in Manchester. |
Lost Empires | 1986 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced by Granada in Manchester.[8] |
Watching | 1987-1993 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced by Granada in Manchester. |
Red Dwarf | 1988-1999 2012-present |
BBC Manchester | BBC | Produced by BBC Manchester and BBC North at New Broadcasting House |
Surgical Spirit | 1989-1995 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced at Granada in Manchester. The programme was set at an anonymous location. |
Making Out | 1989-1991 | BBC Manchester | BBC One | |
Jeeves and Wooster | 1990-1993 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Prime Suspect | 1991-2006 | Granada Television | ITV1 | Series was produced by Granada Television in Manchester and set in London with the exception of series 5 which was set in Manchester |
Cracker | 1993-1996, 2006 | Granada Television | ITV1 | |
Common As Muck | 1994-1997 | BBC | BBC One | Filmed in parts of Manchester |
The Perfect Match | 1995 | Granada Television | ITV | Written by Mike Bullen who later wrote Cold Feet[9] |
Children's Ward | 1995-1998 | Granada Television | CITV | |
Band of Gold | 1995-1997 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Hillsborough | 1998 | Granada Television | ITV | Docu-drama produced by Granada in Manchester. Voted #54 in BFI 100 Greatest British Television Programmes in 2000. |
Reckless | 1997 | Granada Television | ITV1 | Set in Manchester and London |
Cold Feet | 1998-2003 | Granada Television | ITV1 | Filmed and set in Manchester. Won over 20 major awards in its 5 series |
The Royle Family | Main: 1998-2000 Christmas: 1999- |
Granada Television | BBC | Produced, set and filmed in Manchester |
The Cops | 1998-2000 | World Productions | BBC | Set in Bolton, Greater Manchester |
Dinnerladies | 1998-2000 | BBC Television Centre | BBC | Set in Manchester but produced and filmed elsewhere |
Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll | 1999 | BBC Drama | Set and filmed in various places around Greater Manchester including the City of Manchester | |
The Last Train | 1999 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced in Manchester by Granada |
Queer as Folk | 1999-2000 | Red Production Company | ||
Clocking Off | 2000-2003 | Red Production Company | BBC | Produced, set and filmed in Manchester |
Bob & Rose | 2001 | Red Production Company | ITV | Produced, set and filmed in Manchester |
Phoenix Nights | 2001-2002 | Goodnight Vienna Productions | Channel 4 | Set in Farnworth, Greater Manchester |
Linda Green | 2001-2002 | Red Production Company | BBC | Produced, set and filmed in Manchester[10] |
Having It Off | 2002 | Red Production Company | BBC | Produced and set in Manchester |
Doctor Zhivago | 2002 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced in Manchester at Granada Studios |
The Stretford Wives | 2002 | BBC | BBC One | Set in Stretford, Greater Manchester |
The Second Coming | 2003 | Red Production Company | BBC1 | Produced and filmed in Manchester |
Burn It | 2003 | Red Production Company | BBC | Produced, set and filmed in Manchester |
The Deal | 2003 | Granada Television | Channel 4 | Produced by Granada at Granada Studios |
Early Doors | 2003-2004 | Ovation Entertainment | BBC | Set in Manchester, but produced and filmed elsewhere |
Blue Murder | 2003-2009 | Granada Television/ITV Studios | ITV | Produced and filmed in Manchester |
Conviction | 2004 | Red Production Company | ITV | Produced in Manchester with some filming in Manchester but primirily filmed in nearby Lancashire |
Sex Traffic | 2004 | Granada Television co-production | Channel 4 | Joint commissioning with Big Motion Pictures, produced from Granada Studios. |
Dirty Filthy Love | 2004 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced at Granada Studios |
Island at War | 2004 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced by Granada Television[11] |
Life Begins | 2004-2006 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced by Granada Television[12] |
Shameless | 2004-present | Company Pictures | Channel 4 | Produced, set and filmed in Manchester |
Casanova | 2005 | Granada Television | BBC Three | Jointly produced by Red Production Company and Granada Television, both are based in Manchester |
Pierrepoint | 2005 | Granada Television | ITV | Drama film produced by Granada Television[13] |
Vincent | 2005-2006 | Granada Television | ITV | Set in Manchester[14] |
City Lights | 2007-2008 | Granada Television | ITV1 | |
Northern Lights | 2004-2008 | Granada Television | ITV1 | |
Christmas Lights | 2004 | Granada Television | ITV1 | |
Cutting It | 2002-2005 | BBC North | BBC1 | |
Colditz | 2005 | Granada Television[15] | ITV | |
Funland | 2005 | BBC Comedy North | BBC Three | Produced at New Broadcasting House in Manchester |
Ideal | 2005-2011 | BBC Comedy North, Baby Cow Productions | BBC Three | |
Grownups | 2006 | BBC North | BBC Three | |
Dracula | 2006 | Granada Television | BBC | |
I'm with Stupid | 2006 | BBC North | BBC Three | |
See No Evil: The Moors Murders | 2006 | Granada Television | ITV | Docu-drama based on the Moors murders |
Eleventh Hour | 2006 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced and filmed in Manchester |
Sinchronicity | 2006 | Shine Productions | BBC Three | Set and filmed in Manchester, but not produced there[16] |
Sorted | 2006 | BBC | BBC One | Set in Manchester, filmed in Stockport |
Lewis | 2006-present | Granada Television co-production[17] | ITV | |
New Street Law | 2006-2007 | Red Production Company | BBC One | Produced by Red Production Company based at The Manchester Studios with some filming done in Manchester |
The Innocence Project | 2006-2007 | Tightrope Pictures | BBC One | Set and filmed in Manchester[18] and Salford but produced elsewhere |
Drop Dead Gorgeous | 2006-2007 | Hat Trick North Productions | ||
Life on Mars | 2006-2007 | BBC North (amongst others) | BBC | A 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 Street | 2006-2009 | Granada Television/ITV Studios | BBC One | Set in an unnamed street in Manchester, it was produced and filmed in the city |
Waterloo Road | 2006-present | BBC North (BBC Manchester) | BBC One | Filmed and set in Rochdale |
Boy A | 2007 | Film4 | Channel 4 | Not produced or deliberately set in Manchester but mostly filmed in Manchester with final scenes filmed in Blackpool |
True Dare Kiss | 2007 | BBC Productions | BBC | Set and filmed in Manchester |
Mobile | 2007 | ITV Studios | ITV | Set and filmed and Manchester[19] along with Liverpool. BBC/ITV venture 3SixtyMedia were also involved in production |
Cold Blood | 2007-2008 | Granada Television | ITV | Produced and filmed in Manchester |
Poppy Shakespeare | 2008 | Cowboy Films | Channel 4 | Filmed in Manchester |
Spooks: Code 9 | 2008 | BBC | BBC Three | Set in Manchester |
Spanish Flu: The Forgotten Fallen | 2008 | BBC | BBC Four | Set in Manchester at the time of the 1918 flu pandemic |
Survivors | 2008 | BBC | BBC One | First series filmed in Manchester[20] |
Wired | 2008 | Granada Television[21] | ITV | |
Britannia High | 2008 | Granada Television | ITV | |
Massive | 2008 | BBC Comedy North | BBC Three | |
Sunshine | 2008 | BBC | BBC One | |
Paradox | 2009 | BBC | BBC One | Filmed and set in Manchester |
Father & Son | 2010 | Left Bank | ITV1 | Set in Manchester, but mainly filmed in Dublin which was criticised |
The Road to Coronation Street | 2010 | BBC Drama | BBC Four | Granada Studios used and programme set and filmed in Manchester |
Accused | 2010-present | RSJ Films | BBC | Produced and filmed in Manchester[22] |
United | 2011 | World Productions in conjunction with BBC North | BBC | Docu-drama based on the struggles Manchester United faced after the Munich Air Disaster in 1958 |
Scott & Bailey | 2011-present | Red Production Company | ITV1 | Produced and filmed in Manchester |
Exile | 2011-present | Red Production Company | BBC | Produced in Manchester with some parts filmed in Manchester[23] |
White Van Man | 2011-present | ITV Studios | BBC Three | Filmed in Manchester and Greater Manchester |
In with the Flynns | 2011-present | BBC | BBC One | Produced and filmed at Teddington Studios but programme set in Manchester |
Appropriate Adult | 2011 | ITV Studios | ITV1 | Filmed in Manchester[24] |
Mount Pleasant | 2011-present | Sky | Sky One | Filmed at The Sharp Project and set in Manchester |
The Body Farm | 2011-present | BBC | BBC One | Filmed in Manchester[25] and Macclesfield |
Fresh Meat | 2011-present | Lime Pictures | Channel 4 | Filmed at The Sharp Project[26] and also set in Manchester.[27] |
The Fuse | TBC 2012 | Red Production Company | BBC One | Produced (by Red Production Company) and filmed in Manchester[28] |
Programme | Year | Genre | Production | Broadcaster | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
What the Papers Say | 1956-2008 | Newspaper | Granada Television | ITV (1956-83) | |
Criss Cross Quiz | 1957-1967 | Quiz show | Granada Television | ITV | |
Songs of Praise | 1961-present | Religion | BBC Religion and Ethics (BBC Manchester) | BBC | Produced at New Broadcasting House at BBC Manchester |
University Challenge | 1962-1987 1994- |
Quizshow | Granada Television | ITV1 BBC Two |
Broadcast from Granada Studios |
World in Action | 1963-1998 | Current affairs | Granada Television | ITV | Hard-hitting and controversial programme on current affairs. Often featured investigative journalism. Produced at Granada Studios |
Up series Seven Up! Seven Plus 7 21 Up 28 Up 35 Up 42 Up 49 Up 56 Up |
1964-present 1964 1970 1977 1984 1991 1998 2005 TBC 2012 |
Documentary, social experiment | Granada | ITV (1964-1991) BBC One (1998) ITV (2005) TBA (2012) |
Longest running documentary series in the world, listed as one Greatest British documentary in 2005 poll, listed as one of the great movies by critic Roger Ebert |
Top of the Pops | 1964-2006 | Music show | BBC North (BBC Manchester) | BBC One | First three series (1964-67) filmed at disused church in Rusholme, Manchester before being considered a "hit", after which it moved to the BBC Television Centre |
It's a Knockout | 1966-1988 1990 1991-1994 1999-2001 |
Game show | BBC North (BBC Manchester) for 1972-1988 series | BBC ITV S4C Channel 5 |
Came to prominence under BBC Manchester's lead and Stuart Hall's presenting and in 1972. Viewing figures soon reached over 15 million compared to the lowly 100,000 the show got pre-1972 |
The Comedians | 1971-1993 | Comedy | Granada Television | ITV | |
A Question of Sport | 1972-present | Sport quiz show | BBC North (BBC Manchester) | BBC One | |
Mastermind | 1972-present | Quiz show | BBC North (BBC Manchester) | BBC One Discovery Channel BBC Two |
Includes spin-offs such as Celebrity Mastermind, International Mastermind, Junior Mastermind and Sport Mastermind. Filmed at New Broadcasting House |
The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club | 1974-1977 | Variety show | Granada Television | ITV | |
So It Goes | 1976-1977 | Music show | Granada Television | ITV | |
The Krypton Factor | 1977-1995 2009-2010 |
Game show | Granada Television | ITV | Produced and filmed at the Granada Studios for both original and revived series in 2009 |
Oxford Road Show | 1981-1985 | Music show | BBC | BBC One | |
Countdown | 1982-present | Game show | Yorkshire Television | Channel 4 | Filmed at Granada Studios since 2009[29] |
Connections | 1985-1990 | Game show | Granada Television | ITV | Produced and filmed at Granada Studios[30] |
Busman's Holiday | 1985-1993 | Game show | Granada Television | ITV | |
Open Air | 1986-1990 | Current affairs | BBC North | BBC One | Filmed at New Broadcasting House |
Runway | 1987-1993 | Game show | Granada Television | ITV | Produced and filmed at Granada Studios |
Going for Gold | 1987-1996 | Game show | Reg Grundy Productions | BBC One | Filmed at New Broadcasting House |
The Hit Man and Her | 1988-1992 | Music show | Granada Television | ITV | Produced by Granada Television[31] |
Cluedo | 1990-1993 | Game show | Granada Television | ITV | Produced by Granada Television[32] |
Stars in Their Eyes | 1990-2006 | Talent show | Granada Television | ITV | Filmed at Granada Studios |
You've Been Framed | 1990-present | Comedy | Granada Television/ITV Studios | ITV | |
The Mrs Merton Show | 1994-1998 | Comedy talk show | BBC North | BBC One | |
The Heaven and Earth Show' | 1998-2007 | Religion/spirituality | BBC One | BBC Relgion and Ethics (based at BBC Manchester) | Filmed at the Granada Studios |
Tonight | 1999-present | Current affairs | Granada Television/ITV Studios | ITV | |
Loose Women | 1999-present | Talk show | Granada Television (from 1999-2002) | ITV | Originally filmed at Granada Studios but moved to Anglia Television |
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | 2002-present | Reality game show | Formerly Granada TV co-production with LWT. Now ITV Studios. | ITV | Created by Granada and produced by its subsidary LWT |
Living with Michael Jackson | 2003 | Documentary | Granada Television | ITV | Documentary in which Martin Bashir interview American pop star Michael Jackson over a period of eight months. The UK airing had 15 million viewers, while 38 million watched the two hour special on ABC. |
Real Story | 2003-2006 | Current affairs | BBC North | BBC One | Produced at New Broadcasting House |
Hell's Kitchen | 2004-2009 | Reality | Granada Television | ITV | Devised and produced by Granada Television[33] |
Honey, We're Killing the Kids | 2005 | Documentary | BBC North | BBC Three | |
Come Dine With Me | 2005-present | Cookery | Granada Television | ITV | |
Dragons' Den | 2005-present | Business | BBC North (BBC Manchester) | BBC Two | Features Murrays Mills in Ancoats, Manchester for opening sequence. Dragons "lair" remains a secret but show is produced by BBC Manchester at New Broadcasting House |
The Jeremy Kyle Show | 2005-present | Talk show | ITV Granada/ITV Studios | ITV | |
Soapstar Superstar | 2006-2007 | Reality | Granada Television | Filmed at the Granada Studios | |
Dancing on Ice | 2006-present | Game show | ITV Granada/ITV Studios | ITV | Filmed at Elstree Studios |
Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor... | 2008 | Comedy | Channel 4 productions | Channel 4 | Filmed at The Manchester Studios[34] |
Headcases | 2008 | Comedy | Red Vision | ITV | Created by Manchester-based Red Vision |
Divided | 2009-present | Game show | Endemol | ITV | Filmed in Studio 8 at Granada Studios |
Take Me Out | 2010-present | Game show | Talkback Thames | ITV | First series filmed in Manchester at Granada Studios |
John Bishop's Britain | 2010-present | Comedy | Objective Productions North | BBC One | Filmed in Manchester at Granada Studios (series 1) and MediaCityUK (series 2)[35] |
The First Election Debate | 2010 | Political debate | ITV Studios | ITV | The first-ever televised debate between the leaders of the three major political parties ahead of the 2010 General Election. Broadcast Studio 12 at the Granada Studios. The debate gained over 10 million viewers.[36] |
Blue Peter | Children show | BBC Children's | CBBC, BBC One | Filmed at The Studios, MediaCityUK from 2011 | |
High Stakes | Gameshow | ITV Granada | ITV | Filmed in Studio 12 at the Granada Studios | |
Newsround | News | BBC Children's | CBBC, BBC One | To be filmed at The Studios, MediaCityUK from 2011 | |
Match of the Day | Sport | BBC Sport | BBC One | To be filmed at The Studios, MediaCityUK from 2011 | |
Match of the Day 2 | Sport | BBC Sport | BBC One | To be filmed at The Studios, MediaCityUK from 2011 | |
Football Focus | Sport | BBC Sport | BBC One | To be filmed at The Studios, MediaCityUK from 2011 | |
Inside Sport | Sport | BBC Sport | BBC One | To be filmed at The Studios, MediaCityUK from 2011 | |
BBC Breakfast | News | BBC | BBC One | To be filmed at The Studios, MediaCityUK from 2011 |
Programme | Year | Genre | Production | Broadcaster | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clapperboard | 1972-1982 | Cinema | Granada Television | ITV | |
Hickory House | 1973-1977 | Animation | Granada Television | ITV | |
Shang-a-Lang | 1975 | Music | Granada Television | ITV | |
Chorlton and the Wheelies | 1976-1979 | Animation | Cosgrove Hall Films | ITV | Produced by Chorlton-based Cosgrove Hall Films, hence the name |
Danger Mouse | 1981-1992 | Animation | Cosgrove Hall Films | ITV | |
Count Dracula | 1988-1993 | Animation | Cosgrove Hall Films | ITV | |
8:15 from Manchester | 1990-92 | Magazine | BBC | BBC | Filmed at New Broadcasting House |
Blue Peter | 1961-present | Variety | BBC Children's | BBC | Filmed at MediaCityUK from September 2011 |
Roary the Racing Car | 2007-present | Animation | Cosgrove Hall Films | Various |
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 (up to 2011) - more than any other city. Cracker (Granada Television) won twice in 1995 and 1996, The Cops (filmed in Manchester) won twice in 1999 and 2000, Clocking Off (Red Production Company, Manchester production company based at Granada) in 2001, Cold Feet (Granada Television) in 2002, Shameless (filmed in Manchester) in 2005 and The Street (Granada Television) 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.
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