ITV drama No Return whisks viewers away to sunny Turkey, but anyone hoping for some idyllic escapism will be in for a nasty surprise.
The plot of the series revolves around a family holiday that goes horribly wrong, when teenager Noah Powell (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) is accused of sexually assaulting a young boy while on foreign soil.
That leaves his entire family tangled up in a legal system they are unfamiliar with, fighting to prove his innocence and allow him to return home with them.
While the series is set in Turkey, which has been a popular destination among Brits for years, viewers may be surprised to learn that No Return‘s outdoor scenes were actually filmed in Spain.
Writer Danny Brocklehurst said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, it would have been “too complicated” to film the show in Turkey, but insisted the Spanish locations featured have a similar look.
“All you need to do is change the signage,” he said.
RED Production Company are behind this new series, having previously partnered with ITV for Finding Alice and Scott & Bailey, going the extra mile this time to accommodate the No Return cast.
For star Sheridan Smith, that meant allowing her to travel with her infant son Billy, who is a few months away from turning two years old at the time of writing.
“I was in Budapest for six weeks on another job and I didn’t see him because we were just coming out of the pandemic,” she recalled. “I missed him so much. So I hope if I do jobs in the future I can always have him with me. Even if it’s just for a little bit of it.”
Smith revealed that she didn’t have much leisure time in Spain as her No Return shooting schedule was jam-packed, but admitted it was a treat to work abroad after so much time spent in lockdown.
She continued: “The sun was blazing hot. They would come over with a brolly to try and keep us the same shade. But on the last day of filming I was like, ‘Please, just let me enjoy these last rays! It’s going to be raining when I get home.’
“A final bit of sunshine for me and I got back to torrential rain. So it was a joy to be away and the fact that my little man got to come out as well was the icing on the cake.”
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Co-star Michael Jibson was also able to spend some time with his family during filming, revealing that they joined him for a few nights at a “beautiful” Spanish resort called Nerja.
Unfortunately, the fictional parents that Smith and Jibson portray have a much more harrowing experience, which comes at a time when their marriage is already under considerable strain.
The few scenes in which the Powells are actually enjoying their trip were filmed at a resort in Benalmadena, a town along the Costa del Sol, with the production having to carefully work around actual holidaymakers.
The production also filmed in Malaga and Almeria, with the latter providing the exterior shots for the prison where Noah is held while the allegations against him are investigated.
Jibson said: “I thought Malaga was going to be this Benidorm type place with high rises. But it’s actually a very beautiful historic Spanish city on the coast with one of the most incredible cathedrals I’ve ever seen surrounded by some beautiful Spanish architecture.”
For the interior shots of the prison, the No Return team looked a lot closer to home, filming for a stint on sets in Bolton and Manchester city centre, while Liverpool Airport can be spotted as the Powells prepare to jet off.
Lastly, finding fresh use for a former institution, Jibson revealed that some parts of the hotel where the Powell family are guests were actually constructed inside Bolton’s now-closed British Home Stores (BHS).
No Return premieres on ITV at 9pm on Monday 7th February 2022. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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