Now, I admit that I've been on Manchester's Canal Street at three in the morning before, but never stone cold sober, freezing my tits off and on a Tuesday. This time around, it all resembles a scene from 'Dawn of the Dead' - 2000 men and woman are standing, arranged in rows, waiting. 'Action,' yells the director, and the lines move off as though walking casually was a career, until someone screams 'Cur. Reset,' for what seems the 999th time. All 200 swivel on their heels in unison, and troop back to their starting positions, ready to complete another scene in one of the year's most eagerly-waited dramas, Queer As Folk 2. The cold and wet aside, the atmosphere is electric, even at this hour. They've been at it since 6pm, and the huge arc lamps won't be switched off for another three hours, but Nathan, Vince and Stuart are the focus of attention from everyone.

Writer Russell T Davies has penned two one-hour specials, picking up right from the end of the last series, and Hollywood has moved into town to make it reality on the small screen. What are they all like though? Well Stuart (Aiden Gillen) is smaller than I tough, looks far younger, and is intensely private. His career centres on more obscure art-house films and theatre, so the circus of the main-scream seems to unsettle him somewhat.

'I was away then the first series aired, but when I came back in June, there were still loads of people who came up and talked about it all the time. It changed my life in some areas - like when you're out shopping or clubbing. I am sort of sad this Queer As Folk is the last one, but there again, I am really sad, as the exposure side is just a bit much. Also, I want to be seen as doing loads of other things as well' He's pulled away by some eager assistant, ready to film another scene.

During the 12 hours they're all here tonight, around three to four minutes of the show will be filmed. It is a slow and sometimes painful process with repeated takes and set-ups which seem to go on forever. Whenever the street dries up, a water wagon trundles around the corner and everyone stops to see some very localised flooding happen. It rains a lot here - but sometimes not often enough to keep the continuity girl happy.

Everyone gets back in their starting positions as assistants run around gathering coasts from the extras. The script demands that we are seeing a 'pleasant Spring evening, but there seems to be a forest or pert nipples everywhere. Pink lights bathes the 'punters', making their shivering bodies look as though they were sunbathing in Sackville Park only hours earlier.

Vince (Craig Kelly) walks up and introduces himself. Earlier, during lunch (at midnight!), he proved to be the resident joker, cracking blueys and doing things with his noodles to make your eyes water. Craig's other claim to fame includes a part in Titanic, playing the ship's telegraph operator. Off-screen he is much more hand-some, with twinkling eyes and a cheeky smile.

'Vince is the loveable teddy bear, everyone wants to give him a hug - and other things besides, according to accounts! Oh yes, do tell. 'Oooh, knickers and all that sort all thing. Jesus, you'd be surprised! He's been in plenty of other productions, but he admits Queer As Folk is the highest-profile production he has ever done. 'I'm not really surprised you know. Queer As Folk is such great quality, and is a phenomenon. We all though it would or should be huge, but nothing in life is fair, so when it did happen and people took it to their hearts, it was really pleasing'

'We all love it, that's why we're still here!', screams another familiar voice from the Metz bridge. Nathan (Charlie Hunnam) looks just like his sexy boy character, but off-screen is far cheekier and more sensible. We talk about the incessant questing he got from the press about his six scenes in the last series.

'Yeah, I got so bored with all that, you know. Like the journalists were so lazy that they couldn't ask anything more serious or in-depth about me or my character. Never mind though, I just thought. I'd give them what they wanted, but that's why I don't do much publicity now.' We talked about his career and how it progress it leaps and bounds because of Queer As Folk, when I ask him what his most abiding memory would be of the show. He looks into the canal, thinking for second. 'Being rimmed! No joking of course!'