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Vincent Franklin (‘The Thick of It’) stars in Channel 4’s latest drama ‘Cucumber’ in which he plays Henry, a character who makes a major life change in pursuit of a new partner, ditching long-time boyfriend Lance (Cyril Nri) for newcomer Freddie (Freddie Fox).
The programme is part of an interconnecting series by writer Russell T. Davies which can be seen in hour long episodes on Channel 4 followed immediately after by a half hour satellite feature on E4 entitled ‘Banana’. A third instalment of the show, ‘Tofu’, can be seen on Channel 4’s 4OD service and features a different story and set of characters intertwining with those seen in ‘Banana’ and ‘Cucumber’.
The series looks at modern day gay culture and compares the similarities and differences of an older gay generation alongside today’s younger generation. ‘Cucumber’ shot at many iconic Manchester locations and Creative England’s Production Services Team were on hand to facilitate an array of filming requests. These included temporarily closing one section of the Manchester Airport tunnels for a driving sequence and organising permissions for a stunt driving sequence on Whitworth Street West in Manchester City Centre.
The liaison also included organising the necessary permission to film a big night shoot on Canal Street which included multiple extras. Traffic management was in place around the immediate area and permissions were given to cover up various elements of street signage and furniture to make the shot look as great as possible.
Our team were also instrumental in facilitating a road closure on Dale Street in the Northern Quarter for the show’s final episode. This is the first time Dale Street has been fully closed since ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ shot there in 2010, so it was key that all the necessary liaison, plans and information was submitted in order to make sure the shoot went as smoothly as possible.
Where Was ‘Cucumber’ Filmed?
‘Cucumber’ shot at locations that will be familiar to most Mancunians with a large portion of the show filmed in the city’s famous Northern Quarter. Locals will no doubt recognise Adelphi House on Dale Street as the warehouse home of the show’s two younger characters Freddie and Dean (Fisayo Akinade), a location which features heavily throughout both ‘Cucumber’ and ‘Banana’.
Viewers may also recognise popular Manchester restaurant Australasia in the series’ opening scene, where Lance asks Henry to marry him whilst on a date. A number of well-known Manchester bars and cafes can also be seen on the show including All Bar One where Henry and Lance meet all of their friends and The View which was featured in the Canal Street clubbing scene.
“‘Cucumber’ was an ambitious show with a lot of City Centre filming,” explains Location Manager Andy Morgan. “Creative England helped us with many negotiations with both residents and businesses who were affected by our large scale filming.
“We also had a lot of night shoots which inevitably have their own particular issues. Again Creative England were always on hand to assist and advise, providing the relevant contacts and permissions for us to successfully achieve our scenes.”
Where Was ‘Banana’ Filmed?
Similar locations can also be seen in E4’s sibling series ‘Banana’. In addition to Dale Street’s Adelphi House which features heavily in both shows, viewers should look out for popular Manchester bars Gorilla on Whitworth Street, the interior of Piccadilly train station and Jakes in Stockport which appears in episode three. The Northern Quarter’s Rosylee Tearooms is also featured in ‘Banana’ mirroring a scene from ‘Cucumber’ which is shot from a different character’s perspective.
“Whilst working as location manager on ‘Banana’, the Production Services department at Creative England was an extremely important resource for me,” explains Location Manager Mandy Sharpe. “The production involved a lot of filming in Manchester City Centre, and the Production Services department did a fantastic job in liaising with all the relevant councils and police departments to enable us to gain the necessary permissions. Their relationships with councils, police and ancillary organisations make the process of shooting on location an efficient and pleasant experience.”
‘Cucumber’ airs Thursdays at 9pm on Channel 4 and is followed immediately by ‘Banana’ on E4.
For more information on filming in Manchester and the North West contact our Production Services Team here.
You can follow the story on Twitter using the hashtags #Cucumber #Banana
