Michelle Keegan has praised Bolton as “lovely and friendly” after returning to the borough to film scenes for a new adaptation of Harlan Coben’s thriller The Woods.
Film crews descended on Somerdale Avenue, transforming the usually quiet residential street into a bustling production set complete with cameras, lighting rigs, sound equipment and a steady stream of crew vehicles.
After filming scenes alongside fellow cast members, Michelle spoke to The Bolton News about being back in the town.
She said: “It’s amazing to be back in Bolton, we haven’t been here since Brassic.
“Everyone is so lovely and friendly here.”
Residents along the street played a key role in the production, with several homeowners allowing their properties to be used for filming and renting out driveways so production vans and support vehicles could be positioned close to the action.
Michelle Keegan was spotted filming some short scenes on Somerdale Avenue (Image: HENRY LISOWSKI)
One of those residents, Dr Adrian Lamb, said he was surprised when his property was selected.
He said: “We came home one day and there was paper stuck to the door asking to use the house.”
Although the property already suited the production’s 2005 setting, additional touches were made for filming, including the installation of net curtains in downstairs windows.
Another resident who rented out his driveway said seeing film crews in Bolton is nothing unusual.
He said: “It’s had a long history of filming has Bolton.
Michelle was seen chatting and taking selfies with members of the crew (Image: Henry Lisowski)
“Crews are often in the area, Coronation Street and films dating back to the 1960s have done shoots around here.”
Residents had previously been asked to keep the road clear and move any vehicles that would not fit the period setting away from the filming location for the day.
Despite spells of heavy rain, crews continued working throughout the shoot, setting up and packing away equipment as showers passed.
Several members of the production team were also keen to praise Michelle’s attitude on set.
One crew member said: “That’s what’s great about working with Michelle, she’s really genuine and down to earth.”
The filming forms part of production for The Woods, a new television adaptation of Harlan Coben’s bestselling novel of the same name.
Michelle Keegan was spotted filming some short scenes on Somerdale Avenue (Image: HENRY LISOWSKI)
The thriller centres on the disappearance of four teenagers at a summer camp and the consequences decades later when new evidence emerges connected to the case.
The series has already been filmed at a number of locations across Bolton in recent months, with crews making use of the borough’s mix of town-centre streets, residential areas and more rural landscapes.
Bolton has become an increasingly familiar backdrop for television and film productions thanks to its varied locations, with production companies regularly returning to the borough for major dramas and streaming projects.
The latest shoot on Somerdale Avenue offered residents a front-row seat to one of those productions, with many welcoming the chance to see a major television series being made on their doorstep.