Watch Virdee on BBC iPlayer

BBC One | Crime Thriller | 6 x 60’

Virdee is a six-part British crime thriller adapted by A A Dhand from his Bradford-set crime novel series. Produced by Magical Society for BBC One, the series stars Staz Nair as Detective Harry Virdee and premiered on 10 February 2025.

Synopsis: “Love cost him his family. Now a killer threatens his city. Detective Harry Virdee’s world is on fire. How far will he go to save it?”

Detective Harry Virdee is hunting a killer targeting the Asian community in Bradford, while navigating deep personal conflict after marrying Saima, a Muslim woman, against the wishes of his Sikh family. As the investigation intensifies, Harry is forced to confront questions of loyalty, identity and belonging — both at home and on the streets he is sworn to protect.

I selected most of the locations used in the series because I wanted to show my city off! I wanted to show the contrast between old Bradford and new Bradford. We go to City Park, where we have the biggest water fountains there are in England with the beautiful megastructure, which is new, fresh, colourful and vibrant. This is juxtaposed in the series with the nightmarish ruins and mills that haven’t been used for decades.

From the infancy of the show, we said that we wanted to have local people involved, to curate, develop and nurture local talent and create opportunities for them to enter this industry and see what it’s about. As well as being entertained by the series, we’ve also left a legacy in Bradford with the Screen Academy Bradford. It’s giving people from underrepresented communities the opportunity to explore a world they very seldom have the chance to, myself included.

AA Dhand, Writer

Yorkshire Filming locations

Set and filmed in Bradford, Virdee places the city, its communities and its striking architecture at the heart of a gripping contemporary crime story, airing as Bradford celebrates its year as UK City of Culture 2025.

Filming commenced in February 2024, with most of the production taking place on location in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Virdee showcases the city’s rich industrial heritage and contemporary urban landscape. The series makes strong use of real locations, grounding the story in a sense of place and authenticity.

Key Yorkshire Filming Locations include:

Bradford Victorian City Hall
Sunbridge Wells underground tunnels
Little Germany, Bradford
City Park and the Mirror Pool
Keighley & Worth Valley Railway WVR – Ingrow Station
Bradford Foster Square Station
The Midland Hotel
Salts Mill, Saltaire
Cannon Mills, Bradford
Lister Park
Bowling Park
Westgate, Bradford

Production Office Base & Studio Scenes:

Versa Leeds Studios

The city’s architecture plays an active role in the storytelling, reflecting both the weight of history and the modern tensions explored within the series.

Virdee was supported by the Yorkshire Content Fund. Production filming in the region was supported by Screen Yorkshire’s Film Office, which provided assistance with:

Location sourcing and permissions
Liaison with local authorities
Crew and supplier support
Skills & Talent Development

The production also received support from Screen Yorkshire’s Skills Team, helping to facilitate trainee placements and opportunities for emerging local talent to gain experience on a high-end BBC drama (alumni from Beyond Brontes and Screen Crafts and Digital Lighting).

Watch the trailer for Virdee

Explore the filming locations for Virdee

Historic

City Hall, Bradford

A Grade I listed, 19th century town hall in Centenary Square, Bradford, notable for its landmark bell/clock tower.

Little Germany, Bradford

Little Germany is an area of particular historical interest in Bradford. The architecture is predominantly neoclassical in style with an Italian influence.

Salts Mill and Saltaire Bradford

Saltaire is a UNESCO World Heritage site named after Sir Titus Salt who built a textile mill, known as Salts Mill and village on the banks of the River Aire.