The Take That movie Greatest Days filming locations cover London’s South Bank, Clitheroe Castle, St Mary Magdalene Church in Clitheroe, and City Circus Hostel, Syntagma Square and Icyabettus Hill in Athens
Greatest Days follows five friends from Lancashire, and the concert that brings them back together. Rachel (Aisling Bea/Lara McDonnell), Heather (Alice Lowe/Eliza Dobson), Zoe (Amaka Okafor/Nandi Sawyers-Hudson), Claire (Jayde Adams/Carragon Guest) and Debbie (Jessie Mae Alonso) make memories at a concert in the 1990s. After the sad loss of one of the girls, the rest of the friends are reunited years later through their love of the band.
Expect a line-up of big hits from the boy band, with the remaining members fully on board. Take That’s Gary, Mark and Howard are executive producers of the official Take That film and have promised cameos in the film.
“We are so thrilled that this new production now titled Greatest Days is launching next year… We had an enormous amount of fun working on the original version and can't wait to help bring this new production to over 30 cities across the UK and Ireland from May 2023."
Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald
And it’s directed by How to Build a Girl’s Coky Giedroyc, with a script by Calendar Girls and The Band’s writer, Tim Firth.
Where Was Greatest Days Filmed?
Greatest Days was filmed in Clitheroe, London and Athens in 2022. The Take That movie is based on the jukebox musical The Band, which brought Take That’s songs to the stage in 2017 – marking the 25th anniversary of their first song release.
But of course, since the pandemic those reconnection themes are more topical than ever. A glimpse of the National Covid Memorial Wall in one of the movie’s early scenes makes the point hard to miss. In fact, the timing has added some extra appeal thanks to its heartwarming themes and the spotlight it’s shining on Lancashire.
“It is just the tonic we need as we negotiate the post-pandemic period and we are working with the Greatest Days team to create a lasting legacy from the film in Clitheroe for years to come.”
Marshal Scott, Ribble Valley Borough Council Chief Executive
The Market
Clitheroe Market by David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Greatest Days market filming location is Clitheroe Market. In the Take That film’s 1990s scenes we see Debbie, Rachel, Zoe, Heather, and Claire dancing in the market.
Clitheroe Town
Some of the flashback town scenes in Greatest Days were filmed in Castle Street, Clitheroe. Look out for the local shops in the scene, along with the zebra crossing the girls dance over.
Clitheroe Castle
Clitheroe Castle by John Tustin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Look out for shots of the girls walking around Clitheroe Castle, a Take That movie location that appears several times. They’re seen walking along the path that winds its way around the limestone hill the castle stands on.
At the top, you’ll find the 800-year-old castle and its museum. It tells the story of the Ribble Valley, complete with artifacts from the area’s long history.
Rachel’s Wedding
St Mary Magdalene Church. Immanuel Giel, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rachel and Jeff’s (Marc Wootton) wedding in Greatest Days was filmed at St Mary Magdalene Church in Clitheroe. A church has stood on the site since at least 1122, but today’s building is a mixture of 16th and 19th Century adaptations that give it its Gothic and Gothic Revival style.
South Bank
Covid Memorial Wall. Pear-on-willow, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rachel cycles through London, passing the National Covid Memorial Wall on South Bank. The memorial stands directly opposite the Houses of Parliament. This is where we see Rachel take the phone call, as the girls’ reunion gets under way.
Athens
The Greatest Days Athens scenes were filmed on location in Greece at Lycabettus Hill, Syntagma Square and around the Psyri area. The Take That film locations were confirmed by Athens Film Office in the run up to its release in spring 2023.
The Square
Syntagma Square. M. Stefanović, CC BY 4.0
The Greek square location where one of Greatest Days’ biggest dance sequences was performed is Syntagma Square. It’s a famous spot in Athens that’s known for its political past. Looking across the square, you’ll find the parliament building – the site of daily changing of the guard ceremonies.
Athenian City Centre
Psyrri Square. Badseed, CC BY-SA 3.0
Some of the city centre scenes were filmed in Psyri, a neighbourhood in Athens that’s known for its entertainment venues and hotels. Look out for shots of the girls walking along its narrow streets. They’re typical of the area, which is defined by its turn-of-the-century architecture.
City Circus Hostel
Rachel, Zoe, Heather and Claire’s hostel in Greatest Days’ is the City Circus Hostel in Athens – with a slight adjustment for the movie. The corner door the girls emerge from is part of the City Circus Hostel building, but this isn’t the real guest entrance. It actually belongs to the hotel’s Zampano bistro and bar, which is housed in the same building.
It's located in the Psyri area, so the scenes of the girls walking nearby are accurate. They’re just a few paces away from their hotel.
Street Party Finale
Castle Street, Clitheroe by Philip Platt, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Take That movie’s street party scene was filmed around Clitheroe Castle and along Castle Street. Of course, they’re transformed with a riot of flags and balloons to bring the film to a close.