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Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
Megan Nisbet

Desperate Measures filming locations: Where was the Channel 5 drama filmed?

A brand new drama will land on Channel 5 on Tuesday, February 21. Desperate Measures, starring Amanda Abbington, Warren Brown and Sunetra Sarker, will kick off at 9pm and air at the same time for the rest of the week.

The thriller follows diligent bank clerk Rowan whose life spirals when her son Finn is coerced into a botched drug deal by a local gang. A synopsis reads: "When Rowan's son Finn gets embroiled with a dangerous gangster, Rowan's pushed to the absolute limit to pay off Finn's debts. As her options narrow and with Finn's life on the line, Rowan realises that her only hope in getting the money on time is to rob the bank where she works.

"She cannot do this alone, and must recruit the services of people she thinks she can trust. With time running out, Rowan is forced to risk everything, including her own life, in order to save Finn."

Read more: Channel 5's Desperate Measures: Start time, cast, location, plot and how many episodes

But where was Desperate Measures filmed? Here's everything you need to know about the locations for the Channel 5 drama.

Desperate Measures filming locations

Channel 5's Desperate Measures cast (Channel 5)

The Channel 5 drama was set in Manchester but filmed in Budapest. Actresses Amanda and Sunetra were recently asked about this during an interview on BBC's The One Show.

"The series is set in Manchester, but it's actually all been filmed in Budapest," presenter Jermaine Jenas said. "Now, how have you managed to make Budapest look like Manchester?"

"We had a very good locations manager," Amanda explained. "It was in winter, we were filming in February last year, and we found all of the dark places of Budapest."

Sunetra added: "I think when you're inside as well, Budapest has got so many amazing buildings that are really helpful for film settings." Amanda continued: "The bank looked amazing, we found this abandoned building in a beautiful square in Budapest and we were just there for a week."

In a separate interview, Amanda explained this further: "It was weird filming in Budapest in a way, because in everybody's head we were in Manchester, that was quite a funny shift. But the building that we filmed in was amazing – this very, very old, cavernous place, with loads of layers.

"It was a real bank with a proper vault and when the production team went on the recce they got locked in, which would have terrified me because I'm really claustrophobic, I am not good with small spaces at all. They were there for about an hour and a half; I would have had a meltdown! But I always love filming in places like that where it's really authentic, it makes the job a lot easier."

Desperate Measures begins on Tuesday, February 21 at 9pm on Channel 5. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.

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