Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story - the Bolton filming locations

The first episode of the BBC 3 series aired at 9pm on TV - will all episodes on BBC iPlayer now - telling the story of Chloe Ayling, the British glamour model who was abducted in 2017 after arriving at an address in Milan, Italy, for a modelling job.

The six part series follows her abduction and time in captivity, as well as the subsequent court case that put her kidnappers in jail.

Ms Ayling travelled to Milan in 2017 for a modelling photoshoot, when she was kidnapped by Lukasz Herba and held for six days in a remote farmhouse.

The series follows her terrifying kidnap, her bravery and resilience in captivity, and the subsequent court case that put her kidnappers in jail. Yet despite their convictions, Chloe faced headlines accusing her of faking her own kidnapping, and found herself at the centre of a media storm.

Scenes were shot in Bolton and Italy.

Filming in Selkirk Road, Astley Bridge

Filming for the series started in 2023, with film crews moving on to The Oldhams Estate, Astley Bridge, for around a week, before moving onto Le Mans Crescent.

The trial was filmed in the old Bolton Magistrates building

Production crews set up in Selkirk Road, with a key shot filmed in a front garden.

Trial filming took place in Bolton's old magistrate court (Image: James Stack)

Ms Ayling travelled to Milan in 2017 for a modelling photoshoot, when she was kidnapped by Lukasz Herba and held for six days in a remote farmhouse.

READ MORE: All the TV dramas being released in 2024 in which Bolton plays a starring role

Bolton 'Hollywood of the North' as film crews come to town

How much Bolton made through filming

A number of hit dramas have been filmed in Bolton earning the town the name Hollywood of the North.

Crews from Netflix, BBC and ITV among others spent 88 days filming in the town in 2023.

The town’s locations, in particular the cobbles and grand architecture of Le Mans Crescent and the town hall, have featured in dozens of productions over recent years. These include The Reckoning, Gentleman in Moscow, Ridley and Alma’s Not Normal.

Picture by Danny Crompton when Peaky Blinders were filming in Bolton

Fool Me Once, a Netflix mystery drama series starring Michelle Keegan and Joanna Lumley which premièred in January, also has scenes shot in the town. Acclaimed BBC drama Happy Valley, starring Sarah Lancashire, shot several segments in the town centre including an escape from court scene.

Ewan McGregor

Now Bolton Council is to launch TV and film walking tours.

Council cabinet member for culture Cllr Nadeem Ayub said: “A series of Bolton Town Centre film and TV walking tours are in development for late summer.

“So, if you fancy having a selfie in the very dock that Tommy Lee Royce escaped from in Happy Valley then be sure to book early to avoid disappointment, places will be snapped up!”

Big names have been in Bolton including Cillian Murphy, Ewan McGregor, and Adrian Dunbar.

Over the previous four years, filming has delivered more than £1m of income into Bolton Council directly. As well as the civic architecture and countryside the council also offers production companies access to internal spaces such as court rooms, cells, former retail units and office space to offer as filming locations.