Series two of the BBC drama This City Is Ours has landed on BBC One and iPlayer, with all eight episodes now available. While Liverpool and Merseyside remain central to the show, filming also took place in Spain, including scenes at a villa in Malaga and a restaurant in Marbella.
Spanish filming locations
Much of the filming outside Merseyside was carried out in Malaga, a city in Andalusia in southern Spain that is part of the Costa del Sol. In the opening episode, Michael Kavanagh (James Nelson-Joyce) is seen on a boat with his wife Diana Williams (Hannah Onslow), with Matt Monro's 1969 song "On Days Like These" playing over the scenes.
Felipe Guzman (Álvaro Morte) owns a villa in Malaga that features a pool with ocean views. According to Forbes, the property has five bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, elevator access to all levels, and interiors decorated with handcrafted Moroccan mosaics. The outdoor areas include 35,000m² of landscaped gardens, a large swimming pool with Moroccan tiles, and terraces with panoramic Mediterranean views.
In the second episode, Diana and Cheryl dine with Felipe at a luxury restaurant, which was reportedly filmed at Nota Blu Marbella.
Liverpool and Merseyside locations
Key filming areas in Liverpool include Old Hall Street, Lark Lane and Hope Street, along with landmarks such as the Liver Building, Albert Dock and Pier Head. Other locations include the Phelan house in Caldy, Wirral; The White Hart pub on Hope Street; The Vines pub on Lime Street; Moorfields Merseyrail station; Liverpool Cathedral, where Michael and Bobby meet in St James' Gardens in episode five; and Gaucho on Water Street, where Diana worked in series one.
Filming in the city
James Nelson-Joyce spoke to the ECHO about filming in Liverpool, saying: "It looks very filmic. When the show came out places we shot in like The Quarter were all fully booked up because people want to come to Liverpool and experience it. That's what we want, isn't it? We want people to come to our city, to visit and experience it."
He added: "I think the beautiful thing about this show is that we have an opportunity to showcase Liverpool. The tourism that we've brought in is only a good thing, isn't it?" Nelson-Joyce also said: "I wouldn't be the person who I am if I came from any other city. We don't take ourselves too seriously. We say it how it is. We have a laugh and we want to have a good time. We're a kind, generous, outward looking city."
He continued: "People always say to me, 'Oh do you still live in Liverpool?' And I'm like, 'Where else would I live?' Yeah I could go and live where the weather is nicer or there are more fancier restaurants. But wherever it is, I'm not going to get Scousers and that's the most important part. A city is only as good as the people that's in it. A big part of this show and a big character is this city. Them one liners, that sarcastic sense of humour when something happens."
Series two of This City Is Ours is available on BBC One and iPlayer.
