The new BBC drama Half Man brings together Richard Gadd and Jamie Bell as brothers with a complicated past. The show’s dark and emotional story gets a big boost from its setting. Glasgow, Scotland serves as the main backdrop for this six-part series. The city’s look and feel add real weight to the tale of two men trying to fix their broken bond.
The production team picked Glasgow for a reason. The city’s old buildings, changing weather, and strong personality give the show a natural and honest feel. It helps tell a story that moves between the 1980s and today. Let us look at the exact spots where this drama came to life.
Glasgow served as the primary filming hub for Half Man
Most of Half Man was shot in and around Glasgow. The production used this city because it has a special character. Richard Gadd called Glasgow one of the UK’s most powerful cultural centers. He said its unique personality made it a great setting for the show. The team filmed across many parts of the city to show different time periods and moods.
The show’s creators wanted realness, not fancy landmarks. Glasgow‘s red brick buildings, old sandstone streets, and gray weather helped create a heavy and emotional mood. This matches the story of two brothers dealing with old pain. The crew filmed in residential areas with traditional tenement flats. These are the classic brown buildings that many Scottish people call home.
The West End brought past eras to life on screen
The West End of Glasgow was very important for filming scenes set in the 1980s and 1990s. This area has old buildings and streets that have kept their original look. The production team was seen changing local cafes and residential streets to match older time periods. The West End‘s preserved look helped show the early years of the brothers’ relationship.
Parts of Dumbarton Road in Partick were used for both indoor and outdoor scenes. Local residents received letters about the filming in June 2025. The crew set up on streets like Hayburn Street for several days. Traffic controls were put in place to help with the shoot. The production team used a working name “The Clinch” to keep details secret during filming. But the information matched perfectly with what we know about Half Man.
The West End is known for its shops, cafes, and university buildings. These spots gave the show a mix of busy city life and quiet personal moments. The area’s cultural landmarks made it a natural pick for a drama about real people in real places.
The University of Glasgow stood in for school scenes
The University of Glasgow opened its doors for key scenes in the series. Parts of the campus were used for school and exam sequences. In the show’s trailer, we see a younger Ruben causing trouble in a classroom. That scene was shot inside this historic university.
The university has a Gothic style with old halls and big stone buildings. This gave the academic scenes a proper and serious feel. The campus is one of Glasgow‘s most famous spots. It often appears in shows and movies that need a classic school setting. For Half Man, it helped show the brothers’ school years and the pressure of growing up.
Glasgow city center hosted the dramatic wedding scenes
The city center took on the most intense moments of the show. Modern day scenes, including the big wedding reunion, were shot on urban streets and at event venues. This wedding is a key point in the story. Ruben shows up without warning at Niall‘s wedding. This leads to a burst of violence that sends us back through their lives.
The city center’s busy and modern look contrasts with the older scenes from the past. This helps show how time has passed and how the brothers have changed. The team used real public spaces to keep the story grounded. The wedding reception was filmed at a real venue in the city. The exact name has not been shared, but reports confirm it was shot in central Glasgow.
East Dunbartonshire and Lennoxtown showed small town life
The production moved outside Glasgow to Lennoxtown, which is about ten miles north of the city. This area is part of East Dunbartonshire. The show often shifts between adult years and teenage years. Scenes at St. Machan’s Primary School were shot here. This location feels close to everyday life and links to memories of growing up.
Small towns like Lennoxtown show what it is like to grow up where everyone knows each other. Privacy is rare, and news travels fast. The production team also used the wider East Dunbartonshire area. Its homes, green spaces, and commuter towns show the ordinary side of Scottish life. The show did not need big famous places. Realism was enough.
Motherwell and Cumbernauld gave a modern feel to the drama
Filming also took place in Motherwell and Cumbernauld. In Motherwell, scenes were shot around the Motherwell Civic Centre area on Windmillhill Street. This spot added a strong civic feel to the series. The backdrop had real energy that matched the show’s tense moments.
In Cumbernauld, the team used the Abronhill area. Actor Mitchell Robertson, who plays young Niall, spoke warmly about working there. The place is tied to his own childhood memories. Cumbernauld stands out with its bold new design. It has wide open spaces and housing estates that look different from older Scottish places.
This town can feel modern, retro, and even a bit puzzling all at once. That mix made it the perfect setting for a psychological TV series. The look of the town adds to the show’s heavy and confusing feelings.
Filming took place in 2025 with local support
The production team shot Half Man across these locations during 2025. Filming ended in June 2025. The project got support from Screen Scotland, which helps local productions. The team carefully planned both period-specific set design and modern day scenes.
Local residents received letters about the filming. Mam Tor Productions, the company behind the show, warned people about traffic changes and parking rules. On Dumbarton Road, a three way stop and go traffic system was put in place for night shoots. Crews worked late into the night to get the right shots.
The team used a working title “The Clinch” to keep the project secret. This is common for big TV shows. It stops too many fans from showing up and disrupting the work. The letters described the show as an “ambitious dark comedy-drama” set in and around Glasgow. It said the series would “capture the wild energy of a changing city.”
Richard Gadd praised Glasgows role in the series
Richard Gadd has shared his thoughts about filming in the city. He said Glasgow has a huge personality. He called it an amazing and cultural port city. The actor, who grew up in Fife, knows Scotland well. He understood that Glasgow was the right place to tell this story.
“Glasgow is one of the UK’s most formidable cultural hubs. Its distinct character made it a brilliant backdrop for the show.” – Richard Gadd
The show spans almost 40 years from the 1980s to today. It follows the highs and lows of Ruben and Niall‘s relationship. Viewers see them as troubled teenagers and then as adults who have fallen apart. Glasgow‘s changing look over the years helped show this passage of time. Old areas stayed the same, while new parts of the city grew and changed.
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Release details for Half Man
Half Man will first air on HBO Max on April 23, 2026. The show will be available on BBC iPlayer starting April 24, 2026. It will then broadcast on BBC One and BBC Scotland on April 28, 2026.
For viewers in the United States, the show is streaming on HBO Max. In the United Kingdom, it is on BBC iPlayer, BBC One, and BBC Scotland. Canada viewers can watch on Crave. Australia fans will find it on Stan. The series has also sold to HBO Max in Latin America and Europe.
The show has six episodes, each running 45 minutes. It was created, written, and produced by Richard Gadd. Alexandra Brodski and Eshref Reybrouck directed the episodes. The cast includes Jamie Bell as Niall, Richard Gadd as Ruben, with Mitchell Robertson and Stuart Campbell playing the younger versions of the brothers.
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