Channel 4's 'Army of Shadows' is being filmed in Ashton

Ashton-under-Lyne has found itself temporarily transformed into a Britain that exists somewhere between the familiar and the frightening thanks to filming for a new drama taking place in the town.

Army of Shadows is a new Channel 4 and StudioCanal drama that has meant cameras, crew, and military vehicles have taken over parts of Ashton town centre. Filming began in late August and has continued into early September.

Army of Shadows is set to be a six-part thriller starring Paddy Considine, Kit Harington, America Ferrera, and Alex Hassell. Filming locations have included Stamford Street and Wood Street, as well as the recently renovated Clarence Arcade.

The series is one of Channel 4's major drama projects and comes from writer Ronan Bennett, whose previous work includes Top Boy, The Day of the Jackal, and MobLand. Lisa Gunning, who has previously directed Black Doves, is directing all six episodes.

At first glance, Army of Shadows might sound like a historical drama, with its title deriving from Jean-Pierre Melville's acclaimed 1969 film, itself based on Joseph Kessel's 1943 novel about the French Resistance during the Second World War. However, Ronan Bennett has transformed the idea into a very different setting.

The new series imagines a near-future Britain under de facto American occupation. The country still looks superficially normal, but beneath the surface, something has changed. The flags are different, the news is carefully controlled, and people have learned not to say too much.

Into this uneasy world comes Berry, a former British soldier who begins building a secret resistance network. Around him gather ordinary people (including a soldier, a student, a radiographer, and a journalist) who decide that carrying on as normal is no longer an option.

Their opponents include a powerful state determined to maintain “order”, a ruthless government minister, and an American intelligence operative called Jessie.

The story promises to explore not simply resistance, but the price of it: betrayal, moral compromise, propaganda, internment, violence, and eventually political assassination.

And while the story may be set in a fictional Britain of the near future, viewers will see plenty of real northern locations when the programme eventually reaches our television screens.

Production has not been confined solely to Ashton, with shooting also taking place in Manchester, Liverpool, London, and Paris. However, in Ashton, the production has attracted plenty of attention from residents given that the town isn't as commonly used as a filming location compared to Manchester, Stockport, and the other cities listed.

Filling appears to have begun on Stamford Street, with road closures and a substantial production presence noted by locals. Production has since been focused on Wood Street and the surrounding area, with roads closed off to traffic, and pedestrians prevented from walking through the set. An army truck and several upturned cars were visible while filming was being set up. Local residents were leafleted regarding the production, especially as night shoots were taking place.

The filming has attracted considerable interest from local residents and businesses, some of whom have had to shut or change their opening hours due to the proximity of filming. Early social media posts mistakenly referred to the production as “Army of Darkness” rather than Army of Shadows. However, the latter is the name of the series being filmed.

Ashton-under-Lyne was clearly chosen as a filming location due to its historic buildings, which will hopefully be recognisable when the show airs on TV likely sometime in 2027.