'Lovely & down-to-earth' TV star Stacey Dooley spotted filming in Longridge for new BBC show

A well known face from television was spotted in a cafe just outside of Preston this week.

Yesterday, TV presenter Stacey Dooley paid a visit to The Old Station Cafe on Longridge Road in Longridge.

News of the cafe’s famous visitor was shared by The Old Station Cafe itself, who posted photos of Stacey filming at their venue, revealing she was in the area for one of her upcoming series.

Taking to social media, The Old Station Cafe said: “An exciting day at the café!

“A little bit different from our usual day today as we welcomed Stacey Dooley and the BBC film crew into the café!

“It was a pleasure to be part of the filming for the upcoming documentary 'Stacey Dooley Cleans up', and we're excited to see the finished programme when it airs!

“Stay tuned, as we'll be sure to let you know when it's on!”

Whilst at the cafe, Longridge Labour councillors, Kieren Spencer and Rachel Ray also bumped into Stacey and shared a group photo to Facebook too.

In the caption, the councillors, who sit on both Longridge Town Council and Ribble Valley Borough Council, wrote: “Would you believe we bumped into Stacey Dooley in Longridge, of all places, on our way to a council meeting tonight.

“Keep an eye out for her new rubbish documentary coming soon.

“And when I say rubbish, I mean it’s about litter — not that it’s rubbish. If her past documentaries are anything to go by, it’ll probably be fab.”

Stacey Dooley Cleans Up is a new BBC Daytime and BBC Northern Ireland documentary series which will sees communities come together to tackle the litter problems that are blighting their area.

Last month, BBC confirmed that filming had begun and that throughout the series, Stacey would visit Belfast, Glasgow, London, Manchester, Preston, the Lake District, South Wales and Plymouth.

Asked what Stacey was like in person, Cllr Kieren Spencer told the Post: “She was every bit as lovely and down-to-earth as she comes across on television. As councillors, we’ve watched many of her documentaries together, so we were genuinely excited to bump into her completely by chance in Longridge of all places.”

Cllr Rachael Ray added: “It was one of those unexpected moments that felt a little bit like fate. We share many of the same values and a similar outlook on the world, so it made the encounter feel even more special.”

In the programme, Stacey investigates the claim that littering is a crime without consequence as areas all over the country are being turned into dumping grounds.

It is estimated that two million pieces of litter are dropped on streets, in public places, green spaces and beaches across the UK every day.

Speaking when the show was announced last Month, Stacey Dooley said: “I genuinely can’t wait to start working on this new series, with the emphasis on restoring pride to our beloved communities. Litter legitimately winds me up…maybe it’s because I’m approaching 40! I’ll be walking around a beautiful park, and the rubbish honestly infuriates me. We’ve got this beautiful country that we should all be looking after. I’m looking forward to meeting amazing individuals and going to parts of the UK I may not have yet spent time in.”

The series will use innovative AI litter mapping technology to automatically detect, classify, and map waste in the environment.

Each episode features a community where the litter problem has spiralled out of control, and with Stacey’s encouragement they fight back with a massive one-day blitz to help restore pride in their area and leave a legacy for the future.

Rob Unsworth, Head of BBC Daytime and Early Peak commissioning, said: ‘’We’re thrilled to be working with the brilliant Stacey Dooley as she takes on a topic, we know viewers feel really strongly about. And one of the things we love about this new series is that it’s very much solutions-focussed: ratter than simply moaning about litter, we’ll see the really creative ways in which communities have come together to tackle it.”

Eddie Doyle, Head of Content Commissioning, BBC Northern Ireland said: "This series will shine a light on the places we live in across the UK and the shared responsibility we have to care for them. At the heart of it is Stacey Dooley, whose warmth and sharp storytelling make her the perfect person to tackle such an important issue. She will delve into an issue that affects every one of us. From the impact of litter on our environment to the knock-on effects on our physical and mental wellbeing, asking a simple but urgent question: how do we take better care of the spaces we all call home?”

Stacey Dooley Cleans Up (w/t) is a 12x30 series commissioned by Rob Unsworth, Head of BBC Daytime and Early Peak Commissioning and Eddie Doyle, Head of Commissioning for BBC Northern Ireland.

The series is made by Below The Radar TV with support from Northern Ireland Screen.

The Commissioning Editor for BBC Daytime is Muslim Alim and Commissioning Executive for BBC Northern Ireland is Justin Binding.

The Executive Producer is Michael Fanning and the producer/director is Richard Weller for Below The Radar TV.