Waiting for the Out star talks filming in a real prison – with the real person his character is based on

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The new BBC drama, Waiting for the Out, is inspired by the true story of Andy West, which he wrote about in his memoir, The Life Inside.

The main character, Dan, is inspired by West, a philosophy teacher with family members who have been incarcerated. Now, West teaches philosophy in prison, and the series follows his experiences as he began this unique career.

As a movie buff, I was really fascinated to learn that the prison you see in the show isn’t a set – it’s the real Gloucester Prison! It was actually operating until 2013, which adds a really authentic feel. And get this – the show’s creator, Russell T Davies (West), even makes a quick cameo! You can spot him in a scene with Josh Finan, who plays Dan. It’s a fun little Easter egg if you’re paying attention.

He described the set as convincingly prison-like, noting how surprisingly fast everyone accepted it as just another workday. ‘It’s like, okay, this area is where we’re shooting now, and that cell will be the waiting room,’ he explained, capturing the quick adaptation to the unusual environment.

People generally shift their focus to the task at hand, tuning out distractions. It’s a surprisingly effective way to concentrate.

I walked around the set with Andy, who plays the officer escorting Dan to prison on his first day. He’s been in a lot of prison-set productions, and his observations during our walk-around were really insightful.

It was interesting to experience the space from his perspective and notice what made it different. He commented on the prison classrooms, saying he’d never seen one so large, well-lit, and free of vandalism – usually chairs are covered in graffiti or damaged in some way.

He understood and appreciated the show’s positive message, saying, ‘It’s hopeful. Why shouldn’t we offer viewers something bright and heartwarming?’

Finan shared the stage with the show’s writer, Dennis Kelly, who told a story about a remarkable coincidence that happened during filming.

Kelly mentioned something interesting about the prison featured in the show. It’s Gloucester prison, which is now closed, and they filmed quite a bit there. In the final scene of episode 3, the character visits his brother, Lee, in prison – a moment taken directly from the book.

I remember hearing how Andy’s mom kept telling him his brother was busy working, and that they were going to visit him at work. So you can imagine his surprise when they walked in and it turned out to be a prison! It’s a true story, and it really happened – it was so shocking!

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I was chatting with Andy while we had lunch in a large hall, and he mentioned something surprising. He pointed out that a particular scene had been filmed there. I confirmed that they’d shot it there the day before, but he insisted it was the same room he’d visited his brother in at Gloucester prison thirty years earlier.

We didn’t realize it at the time, but that scene happened just around 20 feet from where they filmed it. It’s a good reminder that while it’s a dramatic story, it’s also based on real events.

Waiting for the Out will premiere on Saturday 3rd January at 9:30pm on BBC One.

Don’t forget to add “Waiting for the Out” to your watchlist on the TopMob app! Download it now to get daily TV recommendations and other great features.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a major international TV production company. He holds a BA in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-01-01 12:40