Home Fires

ITV Drama Home Fires was Filmed in Bunbury, and for the filming of the ITV series, Bunbury was transformed into a 1940s village. Many Bunbury Villagers were employed as supporting artists and all of the filming was carried in and around locations in Bunbury and in houses and buildings nearby.

Series 1 was filmed in the Autumn of 2014 and screened in 6 episodes May – June 2015, Series 2 in the autumn of 2015 and screened in April – May 2016.

The drama follows a group of inspirational women in a rural Cheshire community with the shadow of World War II casting a dark cloud over their lives. The isolated village couldn’t feel further away from the impending bloodshed and battlefields and yet it is not immune from the effects of war. As the conflict takes hold, and separates the women from their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers, the characters find themselves under increasing and extraordinary pressures in a rapidly fragmenting world. By banding together as the Great Paxford Women’s Institute, they will help maintain the nation’s fabric in its darkest hour, and discover inner resources that will change their lives forever.

Home Fires is inspired by the non-fiction book ‘Jambusters’ written by Julie Summers, who is delighted production is about to commence and that she has secured an Alfred Hitchcock style role in the drama.

Acclaimed British actresses Francesca Annis and Samantha Bond will lead an impressive ensemble cast in new six-part drama Home Fires (previously Jambusters) for ITV. The cast will also include, Ruth Gemmell (Utopia), Mark Bonnar (Line of Duty), Claire Rushbrook (Collision), Mark Bazeley (The Suspicions of Mr Whicher), Frances Grey (The Widower) and Ed Stoppard (Cilla).

“We’re really delighted to have commissioned Home Fires. Great writing from Simon has given Julie Summers’ wonderful book a fictional life. The women are real and engaging and have fantastic spirit and attitude. With World War II on the horizon, multiple strands of plot interweave to create a period drama full of jeopardy and intrigue, but also great humanity and modernity,”

Steve November

Created and written by Simon Block (Lewis, The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall, Attachments) with episodes written by Mark Burt (Coronation Street, The Dumping Ground), and Tina Pepler (Downton Abbey, Princes in the Tower), Home Fires will be produced by the ITV Studios department overseen by Francis Hopkinson (Wallander, Lucan, Chasing Shadows).

“I am thrilled to be appearing in a cameo role as a WI county organiser. My grandmother, a life-long WI member, would undoubtedly approve of me wearing a hat.”

Julie Summers

The drama has been developed by Catherine Oldfield (Collision, Fingersmith, Foyle’s War) who executive produces alongside Francis. The producer is Jeremy Gwilt (Foyle’s War, Undeniable).

“Thanks to Simon Block’s brilliant script, inspired by Julie Summers’s book, this series will take a fresh look at life on the Home Front, showing both the tragedies and the triumphs, and offering some wonderful roles for Britain’s top actresses. We are delighted that ITV share our enthusiasm for the project.”

Executive Producer Francis Hopkinson

The drama will also feature Rachel Hurd-Wood (Return of Sherlock Holmes), Leila Mimmack (Law & Order: UK), Claire Price (Doctors), Daniel Ryan (Mount Pleasant), Will Attenborough (Utopia), Clare Calbraith (Vera), Chris Coghill (The Driver), Brian Fletcher (The Passing Bells), Fenella Woolgar (Case Histories), Leanne Best (Lucan), Mike Noble (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time), Jacqueline Pilton (The Royal), Mark Umbers (Eternal Law), Jodie Hamblet (My Mad Fat Diary 2), Adam Long (Happy Valley), Paul Barnhill (Foyle’s War), Anthony Calf (Upstairs Downstairs), Nicola Sloane (Dancing on the Edge), Jim Whelan and Daisy Badger.