Made In Hull: TV & Films Based In Hull

Last year I was fortunate enough, along with a good number of other Hull folk, to be an extra in the film Girls' Night Out, much of which was filmed in Hull. It was a great experience, and I can't wait to see myself up on the big screen when the film is released later this year. The film is set during V.E. Day, and the fictionalised events surrounding the future Queen and princess Margaret's celebrations, as they join the people on the streets of London. It got me thinking, as Hull is currently being touted as the place to come for film-crews, what other films and TV shows have shot, or based in Hull.

It surprised me that during the 1980s, Hull was very much on the screen. In fact the 80s seemed a bit of a hay-day for Hull being on the "tele".

Land Of Green Ginger (1973): A BBC Play For Today, written by playwright and screenwriter Alan Plater. Plater moved with his family to Hull as a child in 1938. Plater wrote many of the most popular TV shows and TV plays of the 70s, including Softly Softly and Oh No, It's Selwyn Froggitt! The play tells the story of Sally Brown, who faced with the prospect of being sent to work abroad, returns home from London to Hull, to see if she still feels the same attachment for her Hull. She meets up with her old boyfriend, Hull lad Mike. Will she decide to take the job abroad or return to live with Mike in Hull?

Dogfood Dan And The Carmarthen Cowboy (1982): What started out as a Yorkshire TV production for ITV Playhouse in 1982, was developed into a 6 part series for the BBC in 1988. Dogfood Dan And The Carmarthen Cowboy was a tale of two long-distance dogfood-carrying lorry drivers who, to the other's ignorance, are each having affairs with the other's wife. Aubrey (the Carmarthen Cowboy) drives a load of 'Doggy Dins' dog food from Carmarthen to Hull, and Dan (Dogfood Dan) drives a load of 'Bona Fido' dog food from Hull to Carmarthen. Dan was a Hull City fan, displaying a Hull City scarf in the cab of his truck.

Spyship (1983): Spyship was a 6 part Cold War mini-series which aired on the BBC in 1983, and was based on the Brian Haynes and Tom Keene 1980 novel. Which in turn was based on the true case of the Gaul trawler, which sank in February 1974 off the north coast of Norway, which the authors investigated for a TV news magazine show. Spyship follows the events of the disappearance of the Caistor and the following aftermath when Martin Taylor, a journalist and his friend, Suzy begin to dig, and they investigate the possibility of the Caistor being captured and sunk by the Soviet Union.

Apparently the finale shocked audiences when it was first aired in 1983. The haunting theme 'A Cold Wind', sung by June Tabor, was so popular it was released as a single.

Much of the external street scenes of the series were filmed in Hull. One memorable scene was filmed on the pier, with cast members stood in front of the Victorian public toilets, after having left the pub.

Only Fools & Horses - To Hull And Back (1985): One of the most well known and loved episodes of the long-running BBC sitcom, it was the fourth Christmas special. Shot on location, with scenes shot in both Hull and Amsterdam. Boycie and Abdul pitch a diamond scam to Del Boy, who immediately turns them down. That is until they offer him a £15,000 cut of the estimated £150,000 sale of the stone on the UK market. I remember everyone in Hull crowded round the TV that Christmas to catch a glimpse of Hull on the tele. The infamous yellow Robin Reliant driving across the Humber Bridge. And then being disappointed, as the Humber Bridge and the docks, was pretty much all we got to see of Hull in the episode.

I did actually meet David Jason, in full Del Boy get-up, when they were filming in the city. He was in the newsagents on South Street in the city centre. My mates and I followed him, round the corner to the Paragon hotel he was staying at.

Clockwise (1986): The comedy film starring John Cleese as time obsessed headmaster Brian Stimpson, wasn't actually based in Hull, but much of it was filmed in the city. There was the famous use of Paragon Station for one of its earliest scenes. In addition the petrol station scene, was filmed at the McDonalds on Cottingham Road, the external shots of the Stimpson house was a house in Kirkella, and the Wisely house external shots was a house on Ganstead Lane in Hull.

See You At Wembley, Frankie Walsh (1987): An avid Hull City supporter sees his team reach an FA Cup final only to discover the date clashes with his wedding. Along with family and friends, he faces a dilemma, who will go to Wembley to see the mighty Tigers , who will go to the wedding to witness the couples happy day but more importantly will Hull City win the cup for the first time in their history?

It was made by Bridlington born director Mark Herman, as his directorial début. He also wrote the screenplay. He would go on to write and direct Brassed Off (1996) and The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas (2008). Scenes for Frankie Walsh, were shot at Boothferry Park, the former home of Hull City.

Up 'n' Under (1998): Not shot in Hull, but being based on the John Godber play, it was set in Hull. Up 'n' Under follows the story of an inept pub team from the 'Wheatsheaf Arms' in a rugby league sevens competition in Hull. It was Godber's directorial début, but unfortunately it was shot in Wales.

Odd Squad (2005): Another one from Godber, this time an award-winning children's TV show, that was aired on the BBC. Godber wrote and directed the series, for which he won 2 BAFTA awards. The series was filmed in Hull, and featured a supporting cast of young amateur actors from Hull.

Join the One Hull Of A City facebook group, and spread the word!

Pattie Butties: The Food Of Kings, Made By Slappers! - Unique to the city of Hull, the humble yet glorious pattie. The inspirational snack food for generations of Hullies.

One Hull Of A Trip: Time-Lapse Train Journeys - You don't have to be from Hull to appreciate this. Two brilliant and unusual time-lapse railway journeys. That should be played together.