Familiar sites are settings for Netflix drama
NEW Netflix drama Fool Me Once began streaming this week, with the promise of an explosive thriller that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. It stars Michelle Keegan as Maya Stern, who is coming to terms with the murder of her husband Joe Burkett, played by Richard Armitage.
But just two weeks after his death, she makes a horrifying discovery on her two-year-old daughter’s nanny cam. It begins Maya’s desperate search for answers, and coming to terms with deep secrets and deceit in her own past.
The eight-part drama was filmed across the north west over six months earlier in 2023. While the drama is based on the novel by Harlan Coben which is set in New Jersey, for the Netflix show the action is all transported to the UK.
Show producer Jessica Taylor said the series has been gaining huge momentum in the build up to its release – when it will be streamed across 190 countries to a global audience. It will allow viewers from across the world to see some intriguing Manchester and Cheshire locations that were used for the action.
More obvious Manchester landmarks were avoided, as the location is intended to be a fictional place rather than set here in the city – so they hunted for lesser known locations for key scenes.
Here, Jessica tells us a bit more about some of the key locations people will see in the gripping drama.
Farmwood - Arley Hall
The impressive country estate where the Birkett family live is called Farmwood in the story. But for the Netflix drama, they used the stately Arley Hall and Gardens, near Northwich in Cheshire, for the action.
While the main hall itself is the setting for the grand home of Judith Birkett, played by Joanna Lumley, the cottages on the estate were also used for filming where Maya’s nanny lives.
Flashback scenes of Maya and Joe’s wedding were also filmed at Arley Hall in the chapel there.
The setting of Arley Hall also met with Harlan Coben’s approval. Jessica said: “Harlan always says: “I want it to look really English” and when we showed him Arley Hall he said: “that’s what I’m talking about.”” array of locations
Maya’s posh house - Alderley Edge
Maya is seen in the drama in her stylish and very large modern home in the fictional Winherst. For filming, this was a real, residential property that the crew found in Alderley Edge in Cheshire.
Jessica says: “We took over a residential house for three weeks, and this is where you see the Nanny cam scene, as well as discussing stuff with her best friend Shane. There is also a gun room at her property, but naturally we had to build this into the house as we don’t tend to have those in this country.”
Bimbal HQ - Alderley Park
Also out in Cheshire, the film crew were able to use the techy offices at The Glasshouse on Alderley Park to become “Bimbal HQ” in the drama. In real life, just as in the show, The Glasshouse is a home for innovative tech companies.
The site is set in the vast former Alderley Park estate at Nether Alderley in Cheshire.
The murder scene - Alexandra Park
In flashback scenes, viewers will see the terrifying moment Joe is murdered as his wife Maya screams for help. The setting for these scenes was at Alexandra Park in Oldham.
Producer Jessica is originally from Oldham herself, so knew it would be just the place to fit the bill. She explains: “It’s a beautiful park and really underrated. This is where we filmed the flashbacks for Richard’s murder scene – although it rained all night!
“In the book it’s supposed to be Winherst Park, so we wanted to base it on somewhere a bit like Central Park in New York. It’s got all these beautiful
Victorian follies and a bridge, we wanted to capture the prettiest aspects of it.”
The police team are also seen walking through the park in the daytime showing off its full splendour, as they try to piece together what happened to Joe.
Corey’s den - Stockport air raid tunnels
The quirky character of hacker CoreytheWhistle, played by Laurie Kynaston, will confuse viewers at first as we’re not sure if he’s a baddie or a goodie. He has a “den” like a woodman’s hut, which was created in the grounds of Arley Hall.
But it was made to look almost like a Tardis as they connected it to a separate location – all the way over in Stockport. By the magic of filming, the two appear to be the same place.
The film crew used Stockport’s Air Raid Shelters for the filming. These old war bunkers are now a visitor attraction in the town centre.
The Walker home - Bramhall
As part of the storyline viewers will learn that Maya’s sister Claire Walker, played by former Emmerdale star Natalie Anderson, was also murdered. In Fool Me Once we see the family she has left behind, her husband Eddie Walker, played by Marcus Garvey, and their teenage children.
The location for their large family home is also a real residential property that the team found in Bramhall. Jessica says: “This was a family home and it was decorated beautifully in greys and creams, but that doesn’t work on screen so we had to redecorate and add different furniture.
“They didn’t personally like it though, so it was all returned exactly to the way it was when we finished filming.”
Chase scene - Castlefield
Look out for a key scene in the drama played out in an only-recently opened location in Manchester – at the Castlefield Viaduct.
Now owned by the National Trust, the old railway line has been transformed into a visitor park. It made the perfect new location for the Netflix drama.
Jessica said: “I was really excited to get up there. We had actually gone to Castlefield to look for a disused warehouse for a scene, but as I looked up and saw the bridge I thought “that would make a brilliant location”.
“We’ve been the first to use it for filming and that’s really exciting.”
Old pub - Peveril of the Peak
For a pub scene when Detective Sami Kierce heads out for a drink with his girlfriend, it’s at a classic old style boozer. And the location is one of Manchester’s most iconic pubs – the Peveril of The Peak.
Jessica says: “It’s like a proper old pub inside and that’s just what we wanted.”
Earlier scenes see the couple walking just along from the pub on Great Bridgewater Street. The couple are also seen having a dancing class inside Salford Lads Club.
The funeral scenes - Philips Park and Arley Hall
We will see two funerals in flashback during the action of Fool Me Once. Philips Park Cemetery at Miles Platting was the setting for Maya’s sister’s funeral.
Meanwhile Joe’s funeral was filmed in the grounds of Arley Hall itself. Jessica explains: “We built a mausoleum, we turned a stone folly already in the grounds into that and added some graves.”
Arcade Club - Bury
At one point Maya’s search for answers leads her to a huge amusement arcade after unlocking a mystery surrounding her sister Claire’s murder.
This is a real-life venue, The Arcade Club in Bury, which is known as “Europe’s largest arcade” and is packed with retro machines to play on. Bosses there were delighted to welcome Michelle and the crew to film there.
And the arcade also features in the opening titles to the show.
Joe’s old school - Bolton School
In more flashback scenes, we will see the “posh private school” that Joe went to in the 1990s.
The location for this was the historic Bolton School. So as not to cause any disruption to the school though, they filmed over weekends and in the school holidays.
The stunning architecture of the school is seen in the opening scenes of the drama.