Domino Day: Time, TV channel, streaming and cast for BBC's new supernatural drama filmed and set in Manchester

Manchester city centre has been a popular filming location for several films and TV shows over the years. Marvel turned the Northern Quarter into 1940s New York for Captain America and Peaky Blinders turned Castlefield into a 1930s Chinatown for the show’s final series – to name just a few examples.

But, in a refreshing change, the new BBC drama Domino Day is not only filmed in Manchester, but also set here. From the glass-fronted tower blocks to the canals of Castlefield, Mancunian viewers will get to see the city in a new and spooky light, filled with dangerous magic and witch covens. 

We were invited to the premiere to speak to the cast members and get a sneak peak of the first episode, premiering on BBC Three on Wednesday 31 January. Here’s what you need to know. 

What is Domino Day about?

Domino Day is a barista by day and a reluctant witch by night, isolated and troubled by her growing powers. Each night, she must scroll through dating apps to find an unexpecting man to ‘feed’ from, torn between her magical needs and the devastation she leaves her in wake. 

As her abilities develop, she attracts the attention of a local coven of witches, each with their own special talents, who have been tracking her movements and are worried about her potential. To make matters worse, a shady figure from her past has reappeared and is also coming after her.

Amid all this danger, Domino – or Dom as she introduces herself – is desperately seeking answers to her powers and a community to belong to. This is made even more difficult when she meets a nice human boy, who is nothing like her creepy dating app victims, but risks getting hurt if he gets too close. Magic aside, the show takes a critical look at modern dating culture, the technology behind it and what it means to be a woman navigating this sometimes dangerous world. 

Who is in Domino Day?

Domino Day is written by BAFTA-nominated Lauren Sequeira for Fremantle’s Dancing Ledge Productions, the production company behind BBC dramas The Responder and The Salisbury Poisoning. It stars Siena Kelly in the title role, who you may recognise from Channel 4’s Adult Material and the Netflix series Hit & Run. 

Other cast members include Babirye Bukilwa as Sammie, Poppy Lee Friar as Geri, Alisha Bailey as Kat, Molly Harris as Jules, Sam Howard Sneyd as Silas, Percelle Ascott as Leon.

How does Manchester feature in Domino Day?

From what we’ve seen so far of the show, it’s clear Manchester city centre is going to feature heavily in the show. In the first episode alone, we spotted Castlefield, the Deansgate pub and the towers of Deansgate Square, but much of the action takes place in the Northern Quarter and its alleyways. 

Writer Lauren Seqeira told Manchester World that the show was originally meant to be set in London, but the BBC encouraged them to look elsewhere in a push for more regional representation. 

Lauren eventually chose Manchester for its aesthetics. She said: “I’d been to Manchester a couple of times and I felt it was just such a cool city to tap into that young, dating world. You’ve got the modern, the neon lights, the bars, but then you’ve also got the gothic, warehouse buildings, brown brick and cobble stones. Stylistically, it made for a really cool-looking location.”

How to watch Domino Day

Domino Day premieres on BBC Three at 10:45pm on Wednesday 31 January. All six episodes will then be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.