Did you spot these Manchester locations in BBC One drama Life?

Manchester has had a starring role in new BBC drama Life, from the pen of Doctor Foster writer Mike Bartlett.

The show, which finishes this evening, saw actress Victoria Hamilton reprising her role as Anna Baker, trying to start a new life in Manchester under the name of Belle after her messy divorce.

Life was filmed in the city last year, with a cast including Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey), Peter Davison (Doctor Who), Adrian Lester (Trauma), and Rachael Stirling (The Bletchley Circle).

And from Chorlton and Cheadle to Salford and Stretford, familiar locations have featured heavily throughout the series.

As the final episode of Life airs on BBC One tonight, a video exploring some of the various spots around Manchester where filming took place has been released by BBC North.

Salford University’s imposing red brick building on The Crescent doubles as Life’s university, while viewers will also have spotted St Peter’s Square with the tram and library seen in the background.

You might have recognised St Ann’s Church when Gail poured her heart out to her vicar in episode three, and the St Hugh of Lincoln Church in Stretford.

There were scenes of the bridge across the River Irwell to The Lowry Hotel in episode three, while Manchester Hall was also used for some of the many restaurant scenes where characters catch up.

You may have also spotted the Rochdale Canal and St Peter’s Gardens, as well as the Gay Village, which made an appearance in episode three when Anna headed to lesbian nightclub Vanilla on Richmond Street to try and find her rebellious niece Maya. 

The party pub’s exterior was the “famous” Trevor Arms, with the interior filmed in The Woodstock Arms in West Didsbury.

Meanwhile, the huge mansion house, seen from the earliest moments of episode one and throughout the six part series, is in Cheadle, while most of the indoor scenes we see on screen were actually created inside Space Studios in West Gorton.

Manchester, the perfect backdrop to Life. Recognise these spots? pic.twitter.com/4mhxjN7Wm6

— BBC North (@BBCNorthPR) November 3, 2020

Did you spot any more Manchester locations during the series?

Life concludes on BBC One tonight from 9pm, while the full boxset is already available on BBC iPlayer.