On Location peels back the curtain on some of your favourite films, television shows, and more. This time, we ask: where was Youth filmed?
Sharon Horgan is behind so many TV shows that we know and love, including the darkly funny Bad Sisters, Pulling, Catastrophe, and hilarious Motherland. Shows that will forever remain iconic to audiences around the world. And now, she’s back with her latest project, Youth. The new eight-episode HBO series follows a 50-year-old divorcée (played by Horgan herself) who finds herself single again and searching for love and intimacy, while navigating her career, caring for her elderly parents, and her troubled 18-year-old son (played by Cillian Murphy’s son, Aran).
As well as love and divorce, Youth also examines the online influences shaping teenage boys through the character of Alex’s son Ruari, who is struggling emotionally and being fed distorted ideas of masculinity in the digital sphere.
The series stars Rupert Friend, Sharlene Whyte, Aran Murphy, and Robbie Gee, with Harriet Walter, Anne Reid, Freddie Fox, and Damian Lewis also appearing in supporting and guest roles throughout the show.
Speaking about the inspiration behind her new series, Horgan recently told The Guardian: “When I found myself divorced, I genuinely thought I’d be alone forever. I didn’t even know if I’d ever have sex again. There’s that extreme fear of being alone and being lonely. But at the same time, you think you have a freedom as well. You do suddenly think: ‘My kids have finished school, I’ve got some time to try and get this right.’”
Where was Youth filmed?
The Old Sessions House, London
The physical setting for Horgan’s character Alex’s work is The Old Sessions House, which houses the fictional literary agency Alex is a part of. The Irish Times visited the production set in May 2026 and reported that filming was taking place inside the building. Horgan was there on the day of filming and explained that they were actually shooting in this historic building, rather than merely using it as a photographic exterior.
And The Old Sessions House does have a rich literary history. Constructed between 1780 and 1782, the building (named Middlesex Quarter Sessions) served as a courthouse for many years. Its connection to the literary world is that Charles Dickens used this location as the courthouse that Oliver Twist appeared before in his novel.