Last Tango in Halifax

The school Caroline works at is Bolton School, a private school in Bolton. The buildings and grounds are glorious, as can be seen from filming. I live in the north west and love the wild scenery around here and over t'border in Yorkshire. Love Halifax, Harrogate (though it is rather Celia so to speak) - it's smashing to have such a good series set in the north

just enjoyed watching the 2 new episodes on catch up tv..really enjoyed.

It's not all filmed in Halifax. There was some shot in Harrogate but the cafe where Alan met Gary is in one of the Victorian Arcades leading to the indoor market.

There is of course the famous Piece Hall www.thepiecehall.co.uk/ which is well worth a visit. It is a very old town and was once famous for the gibbet, a forerunner of the guillotine. In fact there is still a Gibbet Street.

The countryside all around is striking.

Are you a Halifax lass Maggiemaybe?

And yes, whitewave, the outside cafe where they filmed the reunion is next to one of the entrances to Halifax's Victorian market. I was quite surprised that it was actually filmed there, and that other settings in this series were recognisably local. I can't speak for the other two series as I've only just started watching it.

Luddendenfoot, Kiora. My daughter once applied for a job at a school there. I was secretly quite glad when she didn't get it, as saying Luddendenfoot has always sent my teeth into a spin.

Halifax is lovely. I took my dad because it's where his family originated from. We stayed in a little village called
luddenenfoot ( somone will tell me how to spell it properly) we loved it

What is Halifax like? Never been there - are the scenes we see like outside the cafe etc Halifax?

LOL rosequartz, I agree, he is a drip. I expect his arty, gentle side appealed to Caroline in the early days and like many young women, she expected he'd grow up!

OK, Iam - he's a drip!

I can't remember if the wedding had finished. I'm hoping Celia and grandson will rush in at the last minute. She was very wrong to stay away and to let the grandson stay away.

emasculated bt a strong clever, confident wife! Oh dear rose, not that old chestnut

I usually like Rupert but agree there is something else going on with him, he is a bit strange (just shows he is a good actor).
Imho John was probably a dreamer who has been emasculated by a very strong, clever, confident wife.

I like John the ex, he is somewhat pathetic but endearing, and as for Alan's son.....well anything that actor Rupert does is fine by me

Also Celia was wrong, spiteful even, to encourage her grandson to keep her company when he said he would not go to his mother's wedding whatever her own feelings. That's unforgivable.

I enjoy Last Tango and I too think the long lost son is a bit creepy, obviously not short of a bob or two but is there a hidden agenda ?

I am looking forward to seeing it- it was irritating that it clashed with Foyle's War- another favourite programme. In a way it will be more interesting after reading these comments.

I think Eloethan has summed up Celia well.

Celia is set in her ways, likes life to be 'proper', rather genteel and ordered. For years she lived a lie, probably showing to outside world what a lovely life she had, nice husband, lovely house, clever and beautiful daughter. All perfect, yet it was a facade because she knew (and kept hidden) that her husband was a serial adulterer and her life was not as she presented it to the outside world. The only way she could lash out was in petty ways, such as refusing to go to her daughter's graduation because she had probably just found out that Kenneth had been unfaithful yet again. Cutting off her nose to spite her face is not unusual.

Now the whole edifice of her world has come crashing down. She probably does feel uneasy about Caroline's wedding, but would have gone and supported them. However, all her past anguish has come flooding back now she has heard about Alan's unfaithfulness to his wife - and his absolutely perfect son has appeared on the scene and we are hearing about him ad nauseum. A transference of all the hatred of Kenneth onto Alan, who just doesn't get it, poor sap.

She is a snob with dyed-in-the-wool old fashioned values but I do feel sorry for her, she is unable to analyse her feelings and work through what is happening as the life she thought she had changes around her.
And she always looks like a fish out of water when surrounded by Alan's family at the farmhouse!

Yes, John is brilliant, so well acted.
It's all well scripted and well acted.

I've yet to catch up with Last Tango (had to sit through Foyle's war), so maybe I shouldn't have read this thread.

Celia has always been a rigid thinker, who has occasionally softened, usually as a result of Alan's influence. I love Last Tango, all the characters are flawed and interesting as a result. Caroline's ex husband is a loathsome, brilliantly acted man.

I'm unable to resist adding that Celia does read the Daily Wail, although she claims to read G2 when Alan buys the Guardian, so to be liberal as a result. Love it

Celia is a sour faced, prissy, rigid old woman - and I too am realising that I never really liked her character. (In case you hadn't guessed!) Needs to learn to give a little.

What is Celia thinking? She has ostracized herself from her daughter by not attending her wedding and fallen out with Alan about something that happened years ago, when they were not even together. She will end up with no-one and be a very lonely old woman.

I think it's quite brave of the writer to portray an older woman who doesn't always behave in a sweet, white haired little old lady way. As people get older it doesn't mean that they never feel insecure and never behave in a petty, judgmental or jealous way - although, to be honest, I think in the circumstances I would have been a bit fed up hearing all about Alan's wonderful son too.

I think the whole point is that when people feel very hurt they tend to lash out at whoever is available - Caroline regretted the occasion when she had been very unkind to her Dad - and yet she repeated that behaviour with Alan.

Having said that, I hope that Celia manages to redeem herself because, as someone else said, at the moment I can't imagine why Alan is so besotted with her.

I think the writing and particularly the acting is superb.

The vibrator scene was hilarious; and yes, Celia is a crabby individual.

Oh I feel sorry for Caroline's ex. He reminds me of an annoying stray dog that you want rid of but can't quite tell it to shoooo.

I think Celia might have gone to the wedding if Alan hadn't gone on a bit too much about how well his son had done for himself. She seemed fairly excepting up till then. It did seem a bit ill advised on Alan's part.

Caroline's ex is a pain in the rear

I'm glad its not just me who really doesn't like Celia.