Unlike some reality shows, where contestants get to compete against each other in a tropical paradise or destination location, the competitors on The Circle get to spend their time in the spotlight… in an apartment. In one apartment. In a one-bedroom apartment. It’s not as flashy as a beach getaway or swanky penthouse, but hey, at least the cast mates don’t have to share a bathroom with anyone!

But whereas reality shows like Survivor or The Bachelor really underline their exotic locations, The Circle’s filming spot remains a mystery. Where is the apartment building located? And what city is The Circle using for all those establishing shots? I did some deep sleuthing (a.k.a. googling) and found the answers!

What city is The Circle filmed in? Is The Circle filmed in Chicago?

I mean, I just answered the question, right? The show opens up with establishing shots of Chicago before cutting to the exterior of the apartment building, including beautiful drone footage of iconic landmarks like Adler Planetarium and Willis Tower. That’s enough to lead you to believe that The Circle is shot in the United States, and specifically in Chicago. However, if you look (and listen) closely, you’ll realize that this is all a lie! The show is actually filmed in the UK! The Circle is pulling a Rebecca and catfishing us!

Wait, how can you tell where The Circle is filmed?

There are a lot of clues, especially if you take this quest to frankly absurd lengths. First up is the ’80s pop music used to transition from one day to another. It’s some deep cut, totally obscure pop music–if you’re American. I’m just saying, when you think “’80s dance hit,” you do not think “Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat. You would, however, if you live in the UK where that song hit the Top 5 on the charts (it didn’t crack the US Top 40).

But whatever, song choices are at the whim of the music supervisor. They don’t necessarily indicate where a show is filmed. You know what does? Wall outlets! I’m not kidding. Just look at the wall outlets in the apartments:

These are not American outlets! These are big and round, the exact kind you’ll see if you google “uk electrical outlet covers.” I will point out that yeah, the show does use a noticeably American outlet in Sammie’s apartment for one shot of the opening montage, but I’m betting it was a fake set up for that CG shot (the camera did not literally go into the wall outlet).

Need another clue? The location services for the show, as in housing for the crew during production, was provided by You Are Home. That company is based in Manchester.

There’s also the fact that it’s already been reported that the US version of the UK reality show (as well as the French and Brazilian versions) will all film in the same building used in Series 2 of the UK Circle. Okay, I guess I could’ve started with that instead of taking you on a tour of esoteric UK pop hits and wall outlets. The Circle apartments aren’t apartments! They’re flats!

Where was The Circle filmed in the UK?

The Circle was filmed in Salford, a district in England within Manchester. The building is known as the Adelphi Wharf 1 (you can spot it on Google Maps). The building is an actual, residential apartment building, which means non-competitors live in the same building as production on a soon-to-be-major international reality show.

How much does a Circle apartment cost?

The one-bedroom apartments seen in The Circle sell for roughly $190K, but you can rent for way cheaper. Here’s a 2-bedroom up for rent for just $1300/month. I say “just” because compared to New York City, that is a steal. Of course, Manchester isn’t NYC… but then again, you can’t bump into a Circle contestant in your NYC or Chicago apartment building.

So there you have it: The Circle was filmed in the UK even though the show tried to pull a fast one on us with those Chicago skyline shots. You can’t catfish us for long, Circle!

Stream The Circle on Netflix