After a huge wait for series two, Alma's Not Normal is back on our screens to huge applause from fans - but where was the hit comedy filmed? We have the answers.
Alma's Not Normal has certainly been on a journey - the British sitcom's pilot episode arrived on BBC Two in April 2020, before the full series arrived in 2021. After a seriously long wait, series two is finally underway. The show follows Sophie Willan's Alma, as she tries to find meaning in her life and get the 'fabulous' outcome she wants so badly. Breakups, no job or qualifications and strained family relationships, are all areas of life Alma needs to reconcile before she achieve her dreams.
Things aren't looking much better for Alma in series two, when the opportunity to join a theatre group doesn't turn her into the superstar she'd hoped, and she's still dealing with disappointing family members. Her grandmother and one of the only people in her life to offer a sense of stability, is also gravely ill. Despite the heavy themes, Alma's Not Normal remains heart warming and outrageously funny. Viewers coming for the laughs also want to know where the series filmed. We've previously revealed locations featured in fellow comedy shows Boomers and The Trouble of Maggie Cole, and now we look at where Alma's Not Normal was filmed.
Where is Alma's Not Normal filmed?
Alma's Not Normal is not only set in Bolton, but also filmed in and around the Lancashire town. Some filming also took place in Manchester city centre. Leanne’s lorry-turned-bar is parked up at Steakout on Deane Road in Bolton, while the Olympus Fish and Chip shop on Great Moor Street doubles as Alma's agent's office in the town.
When Alma needs to get her infamous bike repaired, she heads to the real life Green Machine bike shop, which can be found in Horwich. Production crews were spotted outside Bolton's Home Bargains store, and in Mawdsley Street in the town centre.
If you think you recognise the beautiful crescent Alma can be seen frequenting, you probably do - Bolton's Le Mans Crescent is basically a filming Mecca, featuring in the likes of likes of Peaky Blinders, It’s A Sin, Fool Me Once, Nolly, Ridley, and many more. Viewers might also recognise Bolton Town Hall and Victoria Square, which also feature in the series.
Manchester city centre is also instantly recognisable, with it's attractive buildings and the iconic Beetham Tower seen in the background of some scenes. Speaking to inews about filming in Bolton, actress Jayde Adams said: "Honestly, the Bolton weather was probably the biggest challenge - it’s not exactly tropical!"
She added "And let’s just say, Leanne’s outfits don’t exactly leave much room for layering up or hiding heaters. But I powered through with lots of tea, and the production team was amazing at making sure I could take a break to warm up when needed."
Alma's Not Normal series 2: Cast
- Sophie Willan as Alma Nuthall
- Jayde Adams as Leanne
- Siobhan Finneran as Lin Nuthall
- Lorraine Ashbourne as Joan Nuthall
- James Baxter as Anthony
- Nicholas Asbury as Jim
- Dave Spikey as Ian
- Amy Gledhill as Lesley
- Carla Henry as Jo-Jo
- Kenneth Collard plays David
- Nick Mohammed as Jules
On writing series two and tackling mental health with both humour and care, Sophie Willan (Alma) says "Once I realised that the stories I needed to tell weren’t just about Alma or personal to me - they were political, philosophical and things we need to talk about – the story just flowed out of me."
She adds "Mental health is a theme that is reflected in this second series, especially in terms of the mental health services in the UK – it’s clearly very important to you – can you tell us more about that and how you decided to tackle it in this series? I continued to tackle it with humour and heart … but with more candid rage.
I wanted to take the state to task and show how people’s lives have genuinely been affected for the worst by the detrimental cuts to social care services. I wanted to show how this cycle along with the housing crisis has criminalised and institutionalised vulnerable people and particularly, I wanted to show the impact on vulnerable women."
