TV & Movies
The Care Home In C4’s Help Feels Real For A Very Good Reason
Though not actively in use at the time of filming, the Kyffin Taylor building was a care home for years.
Penned by acclaimed screenwriter Jack Thorne (This Is England, His Dark Materials), Channel 4’s Help delves into the devastating impact COVID-19 had on care homes in the early months of the pandemic. Set in Liverpool, the one-off drama spotlights the thousands of care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis who tirelessly worked to protect some of the most vulnerable in our society.
Production on the series began in early 2021 as hospitals and care homes across the UK faced a deadly second wave of the virus. But, where was Channel 4’s Help actually filmed?
Per the BBC, the drama was funded by the Liverpool Film Office through its Liverpool City Region Production Fund, and filmed on location across the Liverpool region. As HITC reported, some of the key filming locations included a former care home housed in the Kyffin Taylor building on Deyes Lane in Maghull, Sefton, and Thurstaston Beach on the Wirral. Per The Sun, other scenes were also filmed in a caravan in Cheshire.
Set in a fictional Liverpool care home, Channel 4’s Help centres on the relationship between a young care home worker Sarah, portrayed by Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer, and a patient living with Onset Alzheimers named Tony, played by Stephen Graham of Line of Duty fame.
The story begins during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. Ill-equipped and poorly prepared, Sarah and her colleagues venture into a fight against the unknown and work tirelessly to protect those in their care, despite seemingly being left helpless by the powers that be. However, despite their heroic efforts, the staff’s unwavering commitment can only do so much.
Shedding light on the making of the drama, show writer Thorne discussed the pressures of getting the story of what had occurred in the early months of the pandemic right.
“30,000 people have died unnecessarily in these care homes because of the indifference and incompetence of our government,” the BAFTA winner continued. “Hearing the stories of those at the frontline, having people break down in tears on zoom in front of us has been incredibly moving and galling.”
Elsewhere, lead star Comer previously said it is a “real honour” to explore such a “relevant and emotive story” through the perspectives of “beautifully real characters.”
“We’re determined to do justice to so many of the untold stories and heroes that have been affected as a result of this crisis and to handle them with care,” she said.
Help airs on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 9 p.m. on Channel 4.
This article was originally published on
