Development The show was originally a 2011 pilot on the American network
ABC. Writer
Sharon Horgan reworked the script when the pilot was not picked up for a full series and collaborated with
Graham Linehan on turning it into a British sitcom instead. Following its pilot on BBC, it was picked up for a full series in October 2016.
Filming The show was filmed primarily in
Acton,
Ealing,
Bedford Park,
Chiswick, West London and
Muswell Hill, North London. Scenes outside the children's school are filmed at Southfield Primary School in
Bedford Park. Other areas include
Hammersmith,
West Kilburn,
Hanwell,
Ladbroke Grove and
Harlesden. Julia's house is 1 Avenue Gardens in
South Acton and the
University of West London on the
Golden Mile (Brentford) doubled as Julia's work office. In the Pool Party episode of series one, the lobby scenes were filmed at Mallinson Sports Centre at
Highgate School, however the pool scenes at the Charing Cross Sports Club, in
Hammersmith. In The Cavalry episode of first series, the station in which Paul's parents arrived at and departed from was
Teddington railway station. The hospital the parents visited in the last episode of the first series was
Ealing Hospital, in
Southall. The Sports Day episode of series two was filmed at the Southfield Recreation Ground in
Bedford Park. In the Nit Blitz episode of third series, the park scenes were filmed at Springfield Gardens near
Acton Main Line. The school the parents visit in the Catchment Area episode of the series three is
Elthorne Park High School in
Hanwell. In the same episode, the Catholic church that Julia paid a visit to was
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church near
Acton Central, yet the exterior was filmed at the back of
Ealing Abbey. In the Mother's Day episode of series three, Liz and Kevin visit his mum's grave with Church Lane and Street in
Twickenham doubling as 'the countryside'. In the 2020 Christmas Special, the park scenes were filmed at Acton Park, in
Acton Vale, London. In the 2022 Christmas special, the opening scene at the market was filmed on Pitshanger Lane in Ealing, at the butcher's Hook and Cleaver. The pilot was filmed in April 2016 and aired on 6 September 2016. The first series was filmed from late June to early August 2017 and aired from 7 November to 12 December 2017. Filming for the second series started in March 2019, and aired from 7 October to 11 November 2019. The third series was in the midst of filming in October 2020 and all episodes aired in May 2021. The 2020 Christmas special was filmed in November 2020 and is the first episode of the third series but aired earlier on 23 December 2020. The latest Christmas special was filmed in November 2022 and released on 23 December 2022. ==Episodes==