Catch up with the latest series of Ackley Bridge on All 4

The award-winning school drama series set in a Yorkshire mill town returned to Channel 4, airing nightly from Monday 19th April, with all episodes available on All 4.

Viewers can look forward to meeting some fresh faces, and some familiar favourite characters too. Robyn Cara (Life, Hounslow Diaries) plays Kayla – a funny, awkward, and loveable pupil who feels she doesn’t fit in either at school or at home. Kayla attempts to navigate both sides of her separated parents’ heritage – her White mum and Pakistani dad; her best friend Fizza, played by Yasmin Al-Khudhairi (Hilda) is a fiercely intelligent, fist-in-the-air firebrand whose sarcastic humour and tough-girl attitude mask a more vulnerable side, as she navigates the rocky relationship with her mum.

Inspired by real-life Lancashire and Yorkshire schools established to integrate the White and Asian communities in some of the most divided towns in the country, Ackley Bridge has won praise across its previous three series for tackling real-life situations and issues in an irreverent, insightful way, with humour and punchy, big hearted stories.

The critically acclaimed series is produced by The Forge with investment from Screen Yorkshire.

Meet the cast of Ackley Bridge

Ackley Bridge S4 © Channel4

Ryan Dean (The Gentleman, Penny on M.A.R.S.) takes the role of new boy Johnny, a cheeky, confident charmer from a Romany Gypsy community whose cocky ‘front’ and initial distrust of school reveals a sensitive soul, as he catches the eye of both Kayla and Fizza. Further new pupils including Marina, Kayla’s ‘mean girl’ sister, played by Carla Woodcock (Free Rein Pandora) and Tahir, played by Shobhit Piasa (Londonstani), the smooth-talking nephew of Kaneez who instantly falls in with Sam, but whose salesman patter hides a family secret. Connor McIntyre (Coronation Street) guest stars as Johnny’s Grandad.

They join the returning cast including Sunetra Sarker, Robert James-Collier, Jo Joyner, Charlie Hardwick, Tony Jayawardena, Fern Deacon, Phoebe Tuffs-Berry, Cody Ryan, Nazmeen Kauser and Zara Salim.

Watch Ackley Bridge on All 4

For this series of Ackley Bridge, introducing a whole new cohort of characters meant we had to find new locations and showcase previously unseen corners of our established fictional town. The distinctive and dramatic landscapes of Halifax and its environs are part of what makes the show unique and we were spoiled for choice. It’s always a delight to be filming up here - even during a pandemic. As well as the visually stunning locations there’s a brilliant talent base, a friendly and supportive community and excellent resources at Screen Yorkshire.

Rosalie Carew, Producer, Ackley Bridge Series 4

Rosalie Carew, Producer, Ackley Bridge S4

Filmed on location in Halifax and Bradford

Screen Yorkshire’s Film Office provided crew and locations support to Ackley Bridge. The drama is filmed primarily in the large market town of Halifax, at locations in the town centre and Bradshaw as well as the central school location, assisted by Calderdale Council. Additional scenes filmed in Bradford, including Dalton Mills and Oxenhope, assisted by Bradford Film Office.

Find out more about Screen Yorkshire’s Film Office services.

Introducing some of the Ackley Bridge crew....

Andy McDonnell, Director of Photography

Sophie MacDonald, Costume Trainee on Ackley Bridge

David Bowes, Production Designer

Tony Lucas, 2nd Assistant Director