Podcast Pilgrimages: 7 UK Stops for Fans of Ant & Dec’s New Show

Hook: Hate planning and unsure where to shoot scroll-stopping content? Here’s a plug-and-play weekend planbuilt for fans of Ant & Dec’s 2026 podcast — optimized for reels, podcast clips, and meet-cute moments.

Ant & Dec’s move into podcasting with Hanging Out on their new Belta Box channel (launched Jan 2026) has created a fresh wave of creator tourism: fans want the places, pubs, and studios that shaped their icons’ careers. This guide gives you 7 hand-picked UK stops — towns, bars and studio experiences — plus two ready-made weekend itineraries you can follow, film and post without overplanning. Packed with exact shot ideas, captions, and booking tips for 2026 trends like vertical audio, short-form reels and AI-assisted editing.

Quick context: Why 2026 is the year to take a podcast pilgrimage

Short-form video and creator-first audio exploded again in late 2025 — platforms reward podcast clips, vertical video, and location-driven content. Ant & Dec’s Belta Box roll-out in January 2026 made their brand social-first: fans crave IRL tie-ins, studio sightings and the authentic places the duo grew up and worked. A weekend visiting these stops gives you immediate assets: three-to-five 30–90s reels, 45–120s podcast clips, and meet-cute moments perfect for audience growth.

“Fans don’t just want to watch — they want to stand where the presenters stood, tell that story, then post it.”

What you’ll get from this guide

• 7 verified stops linked to Ant & Dec and other UK entertainment icons
• Exact reel & podcast clip ideas for each stop (hooks, shot length, captions)
• Two plug-and-play weekend itineraries (Northern loop & London creator weekend)
• 2026 creator hacks: vertical audio, AI editing prompts, and collaboration tactics

The 7 Stops (what to film, why it matters, and pro tips)

1. Byker / Newcastle Quayside — Ant & Dec’s roots and the Byker Grove vibe

Why go: Ant & Dec began their on-screen life in the North East. The Byker area and Newcastle Quayside are essential backdrop locations for fans who want authentic Geordie energy in their content.

• What to shoot: 15–30s ‘walk-and-talk’ reel on the Tyne Bridge at golden hour; 30s nostalgia voiceover clip about Byker Grove memories (vertical audio).
• Meet-cute spot: The Cluny (Ouseburn) — live-music venue and indie pub perfect for candid interviews and ambient sound beds for podcast clips.
• Best time: Sunset on the Quayside for blue-hour lighting; weekend nights at The Cluny for indie gig energy.
• Caption prompt: “Standing where TV beginnings met Geordie grit — guess which duo started here?” + tag #HangingOut #AntAndDecItinerary
• Booking tip: Check live schedules at The Cluny in advance; reserve a booth if you want a quiet spot to record a 60–90s clip.

2. Whitley Bay — Spanish City & coastal reels

Why go: A 20-minute hop from Newcastle, Whitley Bay’s restored Spanish City and lighthouse are perfect for cinematic coastal reels — contrast that urban Byker footage with seaside nostalgia.

• What to shoot: 10–20s transition clip: train window-to-lighthouse; 30s conversation-style clip with natural SFX for a micro-podcast “coast episode”.
• Meet-cute spot: Café terrace near Spanish City — great for staged first-meeting sketches or impromptu chat recordings.
• Best time: Golden hour or dramatic winter light for moody content.
• Reel trick: Use a 3-shot sequence (train, arrival, coastal reveal) and crop for vertical to match TikTok/IG feeds.

3. MediaCityUK, Salford (Greater Manchester) — studio access & Coronation Street tour

Why go: Ant & Dec are long-time ITV faces; MediaCityUK is the North’s broadcasting hub. Book the Coronation Street tour (and check limited access to studio exteriors) for an authentic studio-tour feel without needing a broadcast pass.

• What to shoot: 45–90s behind-the-scenes style reel on the Coronation Street set; 60s interview clip with a fan asking “If Ant & Dec were on the cobbles today, what would happen?”
• Meet-cute spot: MediaCity cafes — high footfall for spontaneous collabs with other fans/creators.
• Best time: Weekdays mid-morning for quieter studio access; weekends for more crowd energy.
• Booking tip: Coronation Street tours and MediaCity experiences sell out around school holidays — book ahead in 2026.

4. Blackpool — Tower Ballroom, promenade and variety-show nostalgia

Why go: Blackpool is Britain’s variety-show heartland. The Tower Ballroom and seafront are cinematic, with built-in entertainment history — perfect for spectacle-driven reels that perform well in feeds.

• What to shoot: 20–40s costume-change montage on the promenade, 30s talk-break clip on the Tower steps with ambient crowd noise for a micro-podcast live reaction.
• Meet-cute spot: Retro arcades — stage a playful “winner buys the winner a drink” moment to capture candid smiles.
• Best time: Evening neon for cinematic color; matinees inside the Tower Ballroom if you can score tickets.
• Content tip: Use slow-mo spins on the ballroom floor and layer with a 15s hook: “Would Ant & Dec survive a Blackpool variety night?”

5. Liverpool — The Cavern Club & Beatles-era content

Why go: Not Ant & Dec-specific, but Liverpool’s musical heritage (Beatles, Cavern Club) is an entertainment icon magnet. Great for music-driven edits and crossover clips connecting British TV and music history.

• What to shoot: 30s live music reel at the Cavern Club (ask permission), 45–60s chat on Mathew Street about British entertainment heritage.
• Meet-cute spot: Penny Lane cafés — staged meet-cute or audio-snippet interviews with tourists.
• Best time: Early evening sets for richer lighting and energy.
• Legal note: Check live-performance recording rules at venues; many will allow short-form content if you ask and tag them.

6. Shoreditch, London — Ace Hotel rooftop, Brick Lane murals and creator studios

Why go: Shoreditch is London’s creator hub: podcast-friendly cafes, cool backdrops, and studio spaces to rent. If you’re cross-posting clips to TikTok, YouTube Shorts or Belta Box, Shoreditch gives you the urban polish and Shoreditch-to-Soho transition for an all-London weekend.

• What to shoot: 15–45s street art reveal reel; 60–90s coffee-table podcast clip recorded in a Shoreditch studio (many small studios rent by the hour).
• Meet-cute spot: Ace Hotel Shoreditch rooftop — easy staged meetups with skyline b-roll for reels.
• Best time: Weekdays morning (quiet) or golden hour from rooftops.
• Booking tip: Use micro-studio platforms to book hourly recording space and get a producer to mix vertical audio for you.

7. Soho & West End, London — late-night spots and studio guest opportunities

Why go: Soho is where UK TV, radio and podcasts intersect. Book a late-night booth at a Soho club or a small theatre show and capture celeb-spotting vibes. Great for meeting other creators and pitching live clips to networks.

• What to shoot: 30–60s ‘afterparty’ style reel outside Ronnie Scott’s or a West End stage door; 90s reaction-style podcast clip with live ambience.
• Meet-cute spot: Playful “fan challenge” outside a show’s stage door — ask followers to send dares you complete for meet-cute content.
• Best time: Late night for atmosphere and lights; check theatre schedules for post-show energy.

Two plug-and-play weekend itineraries (pick one and go)

Option A — The Northern Icons Weekend (fast, rail-friendly)

Best if you’re coming from Manchester, Leeds or Newcastle. This plan packs 4 stops into two days using efficient train links.

1. Friday evening — Newcastle: Check into a central hotel, golden-hour Tyne Bridge reel, pub content at The Cluny.
2. Saturday morning — Whitley Bay: Train to Whitley Bay (20–30 mins). Shoot the 3-shot coastal reel & micro-podcast snippet.
3. Saturday afternoon — Travel to Manchester: 2.5–3 hour train. Evening reels in MediaCity and a Coronation Street tour if booked.
4. Sunday — Blackpool (optional): 1–1.5 hour train from Manchester to Blackpool for Tower Ballroom footage and arcades; return home after an evening reel.

Gear checklist: phone with gimbal (or gimbal app), shotgun mic or lav for vertical audio, portable LED, extra batteries/SD cards, and an AI-edit prompt list (we provide sample prompts below).

Option B — London Creator Weekend (Shoreditch + Soho + Studios)

Perfect for creators who want studio time, nightlife and West End polish.

1. Friday evening — Shoreditch: Ace Hotel rooftop reel, Brick Lane street-art montage, book an hourly recording studio for a 60–90s podcast clip.
2. Saturday — Soho & West End: Morning content in Shoreditch then cross into Soho for midday café interviews and evening stage-door reels.
3. Sunday — Optional studio tours: Warner Bros Studio Tour (book early) or a branded studio experience; capture “from set to mic” comparison clips.

Booking tips: block studio time in 1–2 hour slots. In London in 2026, micro-studios and co-creation houses offer bundled services (rooms, on-call editors, and vertical mixdown) — perfect for creators on a weekend schedule.

2026 Creator Hacks: How to make every stop go viral

• Vertical audio first: Always capture an extra minute of vertical audio room tone and a short spoken hook (15s). Platforms now boost podcast clips with clean vertical audio tracks.
• AI-edit prompts: Use an AI editor to generate 3 clip cuts: 15s hook (social), 30s highlight (reel), 90s binaural clip (podcast teaser). Prompt example: “Create a 15s vertical opener from this 90s interview with upbeat indie music, snappy cuts every 2s, subtitles on-screen.”
• Pivot to micro-collabs: Ask venue staff or nearby fans to record short reaction clips you can stitch into a “fan reactions” montage—higher engagement than solo content. For structure and tag-driven ideas see tag-driven commerce playbooks.
• Hashtag + tag strategy for 2026: #HangingOut #AntAndDecItinerary #PodcastPilgrimage plus local tags like #NewcastleCreators #ShoreditchStudio.
• Pitch to Belta Box: Hot tip — short, high-energy vertical clips of venue visits with local interviews have been reshared by Belta Box creators in 2026. DM with a 15s trailer and location credit; treat it like a creator-tooling pitch to get noticed.

Shot lists, templates & captions you can copy

Shot list (each stop)

• 15s Hook: Establishing shot + one-liner (you speaking to camera)
• 30s Main: Two-shot or interview with ambient SFX
• 10–15s Cutaway: B-roll (signs, crowd, neon, sea)
• 15s CTA: Ask the audience a question and tag location

Sample captions

• Newcastle reel: “Where Ant & Dec started — from Byker to Belta Box. Which clip should we send them? 🎙️ #HangingOut”
• Shoreditch studio: “Booked 1 hour. Recorded 3 vertical clips. Collab requests open — leave your podcast pitch below. 🔁 #LondonPodcasts”
• Blackpool night: “Variety night vibes — would Ant & Dec survive the arcades? 🎡 #UKTVIcons”

Permissions, bookings and safety (trustworthy tips)

• Venues & live music: Always ask permission before recording live performers; many venues allow short-form filming if you credit them.
• Studio access: Book Coronation Street tours and Warner Bros Studio Tour in advance; check the studio’s policy for creator filming in 2026. If you want a case study on how creators move into studio partnerships, read this case study on production partnerships.
• COVID-era notes (2026): Most venues are fully open; still respect local masking and capacity guidance for tight studios.
• Insurance: If you bring lights or expensive gear, check venue rules and consider short-term rental insurance.

Advanced monetization & collaboration moves (for creators scaling fast)

• Local PR swaps: Offer to create a 30s promo reel for a bar or venue in exchange for free entry or a reserved table. This worked frequently in late 2025 for micro-influencers and is a staple of the micro-event recruitment playbook in London.
• Mini-sponsorship pitch: Use a 1-page media pack with your best 3 clips and a location-based audience demo; local tourism boards in Newcastle, Blackpool and Liverpool are actively courting creator campaigns in 2026 — think like a local newsroom when you pitch.
• Companion podcast episodes: Record a 10–20 minute local-guest episode on-site and release as a companion to your reel — cross-post to Spotify/TikTok and tag Belta Box to get algorithmic uplift. If you’re experimenting with hybrid pop-up monetization, see advanced hybrid pop-up strategies.

Final checklist before you leave the hotel

• Charged phone + power bank
• Shot list printed or on notes app
• Permission contacts (venues & studios)
• AI-edit prompts prepared
• Hashtags & caption templates saved

Closing — why this works now (and next steps)

Ant & Dec’s January 2026 pivot into podcasting on Belta Box created a renewed appetite for location-driven fan content. These seven stops combine provenance (newspaper-style nostalgia), spectacle (Blackpool, Cavern) and creator infrastructure (MediaCity, Shoreditch) — the perfect mix for modern audiences who want story and setting in seconds. With the plug-and-play itineraries above, you can spend less time planning and more time posting.

Call to action: Ready to film? Pick your weekend route, download our printable shot list, and tag @viral.vacations with #AntAndDecItinerary so we can reshare your best clips. Want the 1-hour AI-edit prompt pack & caption templates? Sign up to our creator list for a free download and weekly itinerary drops.

Related Reading

• Weekend Microcations & Pop-Ups: A Creator Playbook for Coastal Retreats (2026)
• Advanced Strategies for Resilient Hybrid Pop-Ups in 2026
• Case Study: Vice Media’s Pivot to Studio — Lessons for Creators
• Tag-Driven Commerce: Powering Micro-Subscriptions and Creator Co-Ops
• Why Streaming Devices Are Shifting — The End of Casting and the Future of TV Control
• Travel Insurance for Gear: When a $3.5M Artwork Reminds You to Cover High-Value Items
• Parody Trailer Templates: How to Roast a Star Wars Announcement Without Getting Doxxed
• Football Storytelling: Pitching a Club-Centric Graphic Novel Series (A Template for Clubs and Creators)
• Scent and Science: A Beginner’s Guide to Olfactory Receptors and Why They Matter