Full Monty Sheffield: Cast reveal favourite city locations and describe their welcome for new Disney series

But finally, after all that time, the characters are returning, with the small screen revival of the characters in a Disney+ series which brings the Full Monty world up to date, premiering today.

Ahead of the show, the stars spoke to The Star about the return, with the crew and cast having been back in Sheffield to film again last summer, and told of the emotion of returning to the Steel City, and the welcome they have received in the city which is home to the iconic characters.

Robert Carlyle, back in the city in the central role of Gaz, admitted he had felt quite emotional at being back in Sheffield, especially when he returned to the old canal where some of the opening scenes of the 1997 movie were shot. He feels the Full Monty and Sheffield are inseparable.

He told The Star: “It's the home of the film, so it felt great when we were here. I think I'm right in saying there were 67 locations, so we were all over the place. Halifax, Chesterfield, Huddersfield, whatever - we were all over.

“But it was always a relief to get into Sheffield. For me, my favourite location, it was a small moment. I don't know what episode, but I think it's the last one, where Gaz is walking along on a canal bank and he drops his card for the hospital. And that canal there, was where we did the famous bit standing on the car with the girder. Honestly, that was quite emotional for me just to be standing there. That was lovely.”

Wim Snape, born and brought up in Sheffield, was a youngster when he was cast as Nathan in the original film. Despite being a city lad, most of his roles were filmed away from the city. Most of the interior shots were filmed in Manchester, near the programme’s production offices.

Full Monty in Meadowhall

But he found filming in Meadowhall memorable, and paid tribute to the shoppers there.

“I didn't film a lot of my stuff in Sheffield to be fair,” he said: “But it's such a beautiful city to film in - it's built on seven hills so everywhere you look there's an incredible view of either the Peak District or the city centre.

“We filmed in Meadowhall, which was quite chaotic to say the least, because it was always open to the public so having to navigate that was difficult. But again, I was talking to someone the other day, there are no people like the people of Sheffield - everyone was incredibly kind and generous. Instead of kicking off that they weren't able to go to that shop, it was 'all right love, that's fine, we've got other things to do’. It was amazing to come back.”

Wim was dressed as a policeman for the Meadowhall scene, which left the cast joking that shoppers may have thought Robert Carlyle had been given a personal bodyguard!

Full Monty cast loved beautiful Sheffield sunsets

But it was the hills and views that enchanted many of the cast, including newcomer Talitha Wing (Gaz’s daughter, Destiny), and original stars Mark Addy (Dave), Steve Huison (Lomper) and Lesley Sharp (Jean).

Remembering his favourite location, Mark said: “I think it was at the top of the ski slope, the old dry ski slope. We were shooting stuff over there at night, overlooking as the sun set, and looking at the city lighting up was stunning, quite beautiful. You wouldn't know you were in Sheffield really, you're just seeing it all laid out before you, looking stunning.”

Steve added: “Same for me, up there in the pigeon lofts, I was up there looking down over the city, almost looking down into Bramall Lane football ground. But filming there at night, in the dusk, also when we had the heat wave. The sunsets were beautiful up there.

“There was one point when we were filming up there and just as it was dusk, there were two aeroplane streaks making a big cross. I think they quickly got the cameras on it.”

Those who saw the filming of the series left the cast in no doubt how welcome their return was.

Robert Carlyle remembers Sheffield Full Monty welcome

Robert remembers one occasion filming near the Crucible, at Tudor Square, for which he had been covered in pigeons. He said: “This exact same thing was said to me twice by two different people watching filming in the street. It's lovely. They said ‘Robert, thanks for coming back. That was a beautiful, beautiful thing, such a welcoming thing.

“The Full Monty is Sheffield, Sheffield is The Full Monty. I think the people of Sheffield are proud of it, and I think they were happy to see us back again.”

She may not have been here in 1997, but Talitha felt the same welcoming vibe, which she described as ‘so friendly’.

She said: “I wasn't here for the first time, and it was like 'wow, they are really so embracing'. Everyone that we met, you could see that they had a genuine love and excitement for the film, and for what was coming next.

“Anyone I've spoken to, when I've said 'oh, I'm doing Full Monty’, they can tell me exactly where they were, who they were with, and pretty much what day of the week it was when they first watched the film. I don't think there are many films like that. It's exciting to be part of the family now.”

> “The Full Monty” premieres in the UK on Disney+ on 14 June.