Alan Carr to 'show Northampton off' in new ITVX sitcom Changing Ends

  • Elodie Harper sat down with comedian Alan Carr to speak about his childhood and the sitcom based on his early life.

Comedian Alan Carr says he hopes to put his hometown Northampton on the map with a new ITV sitcom based on his childhood.

Carr, now 46, grew up in the town in the 1980s, went to Weston Favell School and watched from the stands as his father Graham managed the Cobblers at the old county ground.

Now, his childhood is going to be turned into an ITV sitcom, called Changing Ends.

Speaking to ITV News Anglia, he said: "I sort of want it to be a love letter to Northampton.

"I'd love it if this became Northampton's answer to The Crown. Can you imagine that, if it kept on going?

"My dad is manager of the football team. So this," he said holding on to a retro football shirt, "is quite triggering for me because I remember sitting in the changing rooms and hearing my dad shout at the players.

Comedian Alan Carr holding onto a vintage Northampton Town shirt from the 1980s Credit: ITV Anglia

"And I mean, I was a Cobblers fan. Up the Cobblers.

"So I just wanted to show Northampton off, because it doesn't really get many mentions, does it?

"And if I can put it more on the map, then yeah - all the better."

Speaking about his favourite experience in creating the sitcom, and connecting Northampton then and now, he said: "It's introducing my dad to it, really.

"Because we had to find a football club that was very 80s, because now the Cobblers aren't at the county ground, they're at Sixfields now, so we couldn't film it there."

Alan Carr's father Graham in a football dressing room in the 1990s Credit: ITV Anglia

He added: "Going through the gates and seeing the Cobblers kit, the Cobblers scarf, the dugout, it was like time travel.

"I went straight back to there on a Saturday afternoon, cheering on the Cobblers and I showed my dad and he was just so blown away, because the props people and the costume people just got it so right.

"They were just brilliant. It's really reconstructed the whole thing."

Speaking about Northampton Town's promotion to League One this season, he said: "I know! Up the Cobblers!"

Changing Ends will be available for viewing on ITVX from 1 June.

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