Roll out the red carpet – Stockport’s in the spotlight..again!

Stockport’s unique architecture and culture form the backdrop for the BBC’s latest show ‘Daddy Issues’.

Roll out the red carpet – Stockport’s in the spotlight..again!

Hollywood, Pinewood, Elstree…and now add to that Stockport, a place that is no stranger to celebrity status and stardom and one that has gained a huge reputation as a ‘must have’ for many film and television producers.

Along with a plethora of national and internationally acclaimed shows such as Peaky Blinders, Years and Years and Inside No. 9, the BBC’s latest production ‘Daddy Issues’ used several locations in the area for filming at the end of 2023.

The show, starting on Thursday 15 August, follows our lead, Gemma, who with the support of her father Malcom, navigates her way through 9 months of pregnancy. It’s a light-hearted and heart-warming series about a father-daughter relationship. Gemma is played by Stockport’s own Aimee Lou Wood, while her father is played by David Morrissey.

During the filming the Sleepy Parrot Studios, located on Little Underbank, was transformed into a hairdressers, while St Marks Church, Bredbury was also incorporated in several shots.

Stockport is a popular location spot as its unique geography and history offers a mix of location opportunities including:

  • Beautiful countryside;
  • Urban ‘grit’ offering the perfect backdrop for a wide range of circumstances and eras;
  • A rich cultural landscape that’s grown and developed over hundreds of years;
  • Medieval streets and Victorian mills and monuments;
  • Listed sites and fascinating buildings including 13th century halls, iconic 1960s and 1970s buildings and ultra-modern state of the art office developments.

Stockport has been lauded by many industry professionals as a great place to film on location.

The increased demand to use Stockport as a filming location brings huge benefits for the area, as well as the wider Greater Manchester region and include:

  • Employment opportunities it creates for local crew members, many of these will be based in Stockport;
  • Filming inside business premises and work for local suppliers including security companies, caterers, kit hire, chaperones and tutors who look after children;
  • Opportunity for income generation for the Local Authority from paid for services used during productions such as Parking, Highways, Parks/Greenspaces and Property/Assets through venue hire;
  • Opportunity to bring visitors who are fans of certain productions into the town and the boost for local hospitality and leisure businesses.

Councillor Mark Hunter, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “It’s fantastic that Stockport has become one of the ‘go to’ locations for so many film and television productions over recent years. We have a rich architectural history and diverse culture on offer, all of which can offer any production company a range of options to match any period in history, genre or geographical location that they wish to portray.”

“The influence of the creative arts has a tremendous impact on our local economy in a number of ways, boosting our commercial aspirations and enhancing our appeal as a cultural and tourist destination. It’s a tremendous achievement for everyone concerned that Stockport, as a film location, can rival many of the more established locations.”

Stockport's bustling filming trade comes on the back of the town’s tenure as Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2023/24, which welcomed tens of thousands of visitors from all over the country to embrace Stockport’s biggest year yet.

Stockport continues to be a place of culture, from the revamped Hat Works to sell-out gigs and heritage walks, Stockport is the place to be.

Visit the Stockport Town of Culture website for the latest events and to find out more about our low cost/free to visit museums and wide-ranging parks and greenspace.