Michelle Keegan has revealed a special family connection to The Midland Hotel, a luxury 4-star landmark in Manchester city centre, as she films her upcoming Netflix series The Woods in her home city.
Return to Manchester for Netflix Thriller
The Stockport-born actress, known for her role in Fool Me Once, is starring in the new eight-episode limited series adaptation of Harlan Coben’s 2007 novel. According to Netflix, the synopsis reads: “20 years ago, Paul Copeland’s sister Camille vanished from a summer camp in the woods, a loss that tore his family apart. When a murder victim is revealed to have disappeared along with Paul’s sister, Paul’s hope rises... could his sister still be alive?”
Michelle leads the cast alongside Tom Bateman, with filming taking place in Manchester. This marks her second Harlan Coben adaptation for Netflix, following her praised performance in Fool Me Once in 2024.
Family Connection to The Midland Hotel
Taking to her Instagram Story, Michelle shared a photo from outside The Midland Hotel and wrote: “My Great Grandad used to work here for years as a door man.” The hotel is a grand historic building in the heart of Manchester city centre.
Michelle’s Manchester Roots
Michelle grew up in Greater Manchester with her parents, Michael Keegan and Jackie Turner, and her younger brother Andrew. She attended St Patrick's RC High School in Eccles and later the Manchester School of Acting, where fellow Coronation Street alumna Suranne Jones also studied.
Before landing her breakthrough role, Michelle worked at Selfridges in the Trafford Centre on a make-up counter from age 15 to 20, and as a check-in agent at Manchester Airport.
Rise to Fame
In 2007, she auditioned for the role of Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street and beat around 900 other applicants to secure the part. She made her on-screen debut in 2008 and remained on the show until 2014. She is now married to Mark Wright, with whom she has a daughter named Palma, and lives in Essex.
