Using talents honed at Leeds, two alumni produced Stanley Tucci’s latest series in Italy. They explain the joys and challenges of life on set, and what it’s like to work with Hollywood royalty.
Tucci in Italy takes viewers on a journey to discover the real Italy through its cuisine. But maintaining an authentic feeling with a film crew and a Hollywood star squeezed into a small kitchen as the host cooks up a traditional recipe is no mean feat.
For producers Sheena Whitemore (English Literature and Italian 2001) and Francesco Ficarra (TV Production 2011, MA 2012), it’s just another day at the office.
“Stanley gets recognised a lot,” says Francesco. “It’s not so authentic if the entire town wants to come over and meet him. When we’re trying to film him in a public place we have to do a lot of guerilla filming.”
This is the second series of Tucci in Italy, the follow-up to Emmy-winning series Searching For Italy. It will air on National Geographic in May 2026.
From gaining access to Italy’s most famous horse race with an entire film crew, to keeping Tucci’s presence a secret in the bustling streets of Florence, Francesco and Sheena faced a wide variety of challenges. “But it’s an incredible country and we were absolutely privileged to be working on it,” says Sheena. “There’s so much untapped Italy to explore – I was blown away.”
“Our job is to bring the editorial strands together,” says Sheena. “It starts at pre-production, which is all about finding the stories to fit the overarching narrative, researching them, and checking out locations. Then we’re shooting ten episodes before we actually come together for the post-production process.”
It was only at that point Sheena and Francesco realised their Leeds connection. “It was like an instant shorthand to conversation,” Sheena says. “We reminisced about the Otley Run straight away.”
For both producers, their time at Leeds was different – but invaluable in helping them on their road to Italy. “The language skills I learnt at Leeds have been such a gift,” says Sheena. “My year abroad gave me cultural fluency as well, and it gave me my life’s passion – which is Italy. I’ve been lucky to translate that into the world of work.”
“When Sheena is in Italy she becomes Italian,” confirms Francesco. He’s a native speaker, but learnt invaluable lessons in film production and editing at Leeds: “We had the chance to play around with kit in the department, and we honed our skills on work placements, trying out being a boom operator, filming second or third camera – it was constant stream of useful experiences and it gave me a solid foundation to get to where I am.”
On Tucci’s show, they drew on years of experience to keep things running smoothly, helping with translation between crew members and local participants. “You can’t underestimate how disconcerting it might be for someone when you bring a big crew, cameras and lights into their home – and on top of that a Hollywood star,” says Francesco. “We had to keep everyone calm, but we also had to make sure they got the food out in the order we’d planned in our pitch, and that they spoke about the food as they were making it. It’s all part of the challenge.”
“I remember heading to a spot in the middle of nowhere to meet some fishermen,” Sheena says. “They were supposed to have some soup ready for us, but when we arrived there was nobody there. They were in the bar. I ended up running down the road herding the fishermen along.
“Thankfully Stanley enjoys Italy so much and he rolls with the punches.”
He also ensures the entire crew have the opportunity to enjoy the cuisine after the shoot, which is a true perk of the job. “Those are the best moments, because the food is so special,” says Francesco. “It’s a dangerous trip for any diet because Italians love to feed you. I was once gifted a vat of olives by a local which I had to try and get it back on my flight home.”
For both Sheena and Francesco, the show took them to places they haven’t been before, and they came away with new recommendations for anyone planning a visit: “It pays to stay off the beaten path,” Sheena says. “The natural beauty of the Adriatic coast, especially the Marche and the Abruzzo regions, blew me away.”
“I am from Italy, and I was stunned by the marble mines near Carrara in Tuscany,” Francesco says. “It’s a special country. This show truly brings it to life.”
Further information
Watch the trailer for the new series of Tucci In Italy
The new series premieres on Tuesday 12 May at 8pm on National Geographic UK
For more information, email Ed Newbould, Digital Communications Officer at the University of Leeds, at e.w.newbould@leeds.ac.uk