Fans of Graham Norton’s best-selling novels set in his native Ireland will notice a big change when they sit down to watch channel Five’s starry screen adaptation of his family mystery Forever Home.
Gone are the jagged peninsulas and pastoral landscapes of County Cork and in their place, the windswept beaches and market towns of Northumberland.
The show’s executive producer, Kirstie Macdonald from FilmNation Entertainment, was relieved when the celebrity author agreed to the switch.
“I thought it would work brilliantly up here. But obviously Graham is known for his books set in Ireland. So of course I was nervous. But he just wanted to make sure the spirit of the book, what happens to this small rural community, was preserved.”
One of the main drivers for bringing the production to Northumberland was cost. Five lack the generous peaktime drama tariffs of bigger channels so they’ve become famously creative around co-productions and rights.
And with access to the North East Production Fund - administered by North East Screen - and local crew, Macdonald and her production partners from Madrid-based Mediapro, were able to aim for high end drama at a more affordable price tag.
It’s the latest North East drama commissioned by Paul Testar, Five’s newly promoted drama boss. Others have included The Fortune and The Feud from Lonesome Pine Productions.
He makes no secret that most of the channel’s 100 hours of drama are filmed overseas to take advantage of other country’s tax incentives. “If the government agreed to lower the threshold for high end TV drama tax credits from £1m an hour, imagine the jobs we could provide in the UK.
“We’re all about making the money go as far as possible and the North East Production Fund is part of that. Forever Home ticks a lot of boxes for us. It feels like a whole bigger project. And it’s attracted an amazing cast.”
That cast includes locals Denise Welch, Kevin Whately and Lewis Cope alongside Douglas Henshall, Samantha Bond and Amy Nuttall. Macdonald says: “With established names it’s not always about the money. These are fantastic scripts (by Clara Salaman) and the tone is quite unusual. Very funny but also dark.”
The plot centres around Carol (Amy Nuttall) who falls in love with an older man (Douglas Henshall) but finds their happiness cut short when he develops dementia and she discovers a body in the basement.
Producer Will Nicholson, fresh from ITV’s long-running detective drama Vera, is proud that 80 per cent of the talent on and off screen is local.
“I’m obviously very familiar with all the potential Northumberland locations, I’m aware of the talent and I know where to go for crew,” he says. “Up here you can split locations in a day – town, coast and country within 30 minutes. Which means the schedule can be very efficient. We’re also doing post-production locally with the brilliant David Fisher.”
Broomley Grange, a former hotel and outward bound centre near Stocksfield became the show’s main location and unit base. The 64-bedroom Victorian manor (built by the owners of Swan Hunters shipyard) underwent a major conversion at the hands of the film makers to create interiors that matched the exterior of a house in nearby Hexham, which serves as the façade of the family home.
“We had used the Grange on Vera and it felt right for the DNA of Forever Home,” says Nicholson. “It’s also big enough for dressing rooms, production offices and all the vehicles that accompany a big location shoot.”
Denise Welch fought hard to land the role of Moira and managed to persuade producers of the BBC’s Waterloo Road (where she plays supply teacher Steph) to release her in time to join the shoot in Northumberland. But she very nearly didn’t make it.
“I’d had a problem with my eye and as I was driving up to Northumberland I thought I’d better get it checked out,” explains the former Loose Women panel veteran who recently appeared in the hit Channel 4 drama Tip Toe.
“I popped into Vision Express and two hours later found myself with a retinal surgeon who said you’re not going anywhere. If I don’t operate on you by six o clock you’ll be blind! Turns out I had a fully detached retina which had folded over.
“I rang my agent in floods of tears because I thought I was going to lose the job. But the producers were amazing. They supported me and completely changed the shooting schedule.
“Two weeks later I was well enough and physically healed to return but basically couldn’t see anything out of my right eye for another six weeks. I was having to be guided everywhere on set.”
Welch, who also stars in the Channel 4 sitcom Stepping Up, said the role of matriarch Moira in Norton’s dark comedy-mystery ‘ticked all her boxes’: “The character is my age, a bit passive-aggressive, a bit narcissistic and there’s a dead body involved!
“I loved being part of this so much. Being surrounded by Geordie voices all day long and filming just two minutes from my sister’s house. This was my hood. I’d love to do more in the North East. I reminded the producers that I must be the only North East actress never to have appeared in Vera! I hear rumours they might be reviving the Catherine Cookson dramas. All I would say is, I’d look good in a bonnet and crinoline.”
Denise wasn’t the only cast member to overcome challenges on the shoot. North East actor Lewis Cope arrived on set in January direct from his barn-storming stint on Strictly Come Dancing. He had to juggle his role as Henshall’s son Caden with appearances on the Strictly arena tour.
“It was pretty exhausting looking back,” he said. “I’d finish on set and then a car would arrive to take me to the live show and then bring me back in the early hours. I basically danced every day for more than three months. It was crazy but it did wonders for my body.
“The directors Paul (Gay) and Claire (Winyard) were brilliant and there was real space for all us to contribute ideas. Graham Norton came to visit us on set and he seemed very happy with the differences between his novel and the tv adaptation.”
Amy Nuttall who plays the central role of Carol in the drama, is in awe of Cope.
“Lewis was a complete power house. He might have been in Southampton the evening before and on the road through the night, but in the makeup chair the following morning he always had a smile on his face, always knew his lines, just a joy to be around.”
It’s Nuttall’s third drama for channel Five having also starred in All Creatures Great and Small and The Feud.
“I’ve loved working for the channel. And it’s no surprise they’re choosing to film outside London in places like the North East. Let’s face it, it’s cheaper and more beautiful and the people are great.”
Forever Home starts its run on Five ion September 14.