Changing Ends


Changing Ends is a British television sitcom released on ITVX in the UK from 1 June 2023. It is a semi-autobiographical series about comedian Alan Carr growing up in Northampton during the 1980s, the son of a professional football manager. A second series was released in July 2024 and with a third and fourth series commissioned in November 2024, the third series began airing in November 2025.

Synopsis

was a former top-flight professional footballer who was the manager of Northampton Town F.C. when they won the Football League Fourth Division title in 1986–87. The East Midlands in Thatcher's Britain however may have felt very different as seen through the eyes of his son, "when your family are Match of the Day and you’re a bit Miss Marple".

Cast

Main

  • Oliver Savell as Young Alan Carr
  • * Alan Carr as Older Alan Carr
  • Shaun Dooley as Graham Carr, Alan's father and the manager of Northampton Town F.C.
  • Nancy Sullivan as Christine Carr, Alan's mother
  • Taylor Fay as Gary Carr, Alan's brother
  • Rourke Mooney as Charlie Hudson, Alan's neighbour and friend
  • Gabby Best as Angela Hudson, Charlie's mother
  • Harry Peacock as Nigel Hudson, Charlie's father

    Recurring

  • Colin Salmon as Ron, the chairman of Northampton Town F.C.
  • Joseph Dobbin as Paddy, the coach of Northampton Town F.C.
  • Jack Medlin as Alfie, the captain of Northampton Town F.C.
  • Charlie Jobe as Banjo, a Northampton Town F.C. footballer
  • Nitin Ganatra as Mr Robertson, the headmaster of Alan's school
  • David Mumeni as Mr Chapman, a PE teacher at Alan's school
  • Victoria Alcock as Val, a dinner lady at Alan's school
  • Cariad Lloyd as Jackie Gideon, a drama teacher at Alan's school
  • Dotty Davies as Kay, Alan's classmate and friend
  • Keira Chansa as Maz, Alan's classmate and Charlie's girlfriend
  • Logan Matthews as Leslie Gorman, Alan's classmate and bully
  • Matthew Stagg as Mandy Taylor, Alan's classmate and bully

    Guest

  • Michael Socha as Adam, a striker struggling with alcoholism
  • Samantha Baines as Fiona
  • Maggie Steed as Nanna Joyce, Alan's grandmother
  • Kellie Shirley as Terri, Christine's sister and Alan's aunt

    Production

In February 2021 Carr and Baby Cow Productions began auditioning young actors to play himself in a sitcom that they were developing together. A non-broadcast pilot was made with BBC Studios in February 2022.
A six-part series was commissioned by ITVX in November 2022, with Carr co-writing with Simon Carlyle and production by Baby Cow. Executive producers were Sarah Monteith, Rupert Majendie and Danny Julian, alongside Carr and Carlyle. It was announced that Oliver Savell would play the young Carr.
In January 2023, it was confirmed that Shaun Dooley and Nancy Sullivan would be joining the cast as Alan's parents Christine and Graham Carr, with Taylor Fay playing his younger brother Gary. The family's neighbours, Charlie and Angela, would be played by Rourke Mooney and Gabby Best, with Harry Peacock as Nigel, David Mumeni as Mr Chapman and Michael Socha as Adam. Filming started that same month in Poplar Avenue in Orpington and other outdoor scenes were not filmed in Northampton itself.
A second series of six half-hour episodes was commissioned by ITV in November 2023, with filming scheduled for early 2024. In November 2024, a third series and a fourth series were commissioned by ITV.

Episode list

Series 1 (2023)

Series 2 (2024)

Series 3 (2025)

Broadcast

The series was premiered on ITVX before broadcast on ITV at a later date. Changing Ends was made available for viewing on ITVX from 1 June.

Reception

The series was ITVX’s ‘most viewed’ comedy of 2023.
In February 2024, the series was nominated at the Broadcast Awards in the Best Comedy Programme category. The series was also nominated for the 2025 Broadcast Awards in the Best Comedy Programme category. In March 2025, Savell was nominated at the 2025 British Academy Television Awards for Male Performance in a Comedy. He won for Best Comedy Performance at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards in March 2025.