Many of us settle down each evening to TV shows, whether on Freeview, Sky, Netflix or another streaming site.

We often consume such programmes without acknowledging the vast amount of work the production crews and cast undertake to get the perfect shots, lighting and sound.

So when I saw that Heartstopper, a show which has taken the internet by storm since being released on Netflix in April 2022, was to be filmed in my hometown on October 16 I jumped at the chance of popping along to see what was happening.

Heartstopper is a coming-of-age romance that follows Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) as they navigate school and see their friendship become that of love.

Known to now be filming its third series, author Alice Osman is helping to transform her much-loved graphic novels into an ongoing TV show which she says she hopes will: "Inspire young people — especially LGBTQ+ young people — to be whoever they want to be, and to believe that they can find happiness and find love and find friendship."

READ MORE: Heartstopper's Kit Connor and Joe Locke spotted filming in Maidenhead

Turning up at the set at 6:30pm almost a dozen vans were parked along Woodhurst Road, a street in Maidenhead riverside.

Residents appeared to have warmly welcomed the crews, who had equipment spread across multiple driveways and paths.

Approaching the crew I immediately introduced myself as a reporter from the Observer series and explained that we were keen to find out more about what was going on in the area.

The producer, Brett, came forward, introducing himself and explaining that filming would soon start.

To my surprise, I was offered a high-vis jacket and was allowed to stand at the side as final adjustments were made to the set ahead of rehearsals.

On my left, a few crew members were creating the tracks for a dolly camera while across the road leaves were being swept and the street light adjusted.

Overhead a crane held a large light, with further lighting being cast down on the road by a crane erected in a residential driveway further down the road.

All while cars continued to be allowed access and crews repeatedly had to clear the road.

At around 7pm Kit Connor and Joe Locke arrived on set and not long after performed their first rehearsal of a scene approximately two minutes long.

Afterwards, crews quickly jumped in, making further adjustments to the lighting before further rehearsals took place. 

Many onlookers passed through the scene, including a car with screaming fans which made the cast chuckle.

Wrapping up the coverage for the Observer, I checked in with Brett before heading off.

He confirmed that multiple rehearsals would take place before they would begin filming, with an estimated finish time of 10pm.

The equipment appeared to be set up to capture a variety of shots, including a moving camera and a stationary camera adjacent to the streetlight.