Ackley Bridge Programme Information

5 July 2022

The award-winning Channel 4 drama, Ackley Bridge is back for more high-jinx plans, scams, and mad-cap adventures in school and on the estates.

The series, set in a Yorkshire mill town, picks up with our trio - Johnny, Kayla and Fizza (Ryan Dean, Robyn Cara and Yasmin Al- Khudhairi) as they try to navigate the second half of the school year.

New teacher Asma (Laila Zaidi) crashes into her first day with her fist in the air and a stolen statue in tow. She’s a card-carrying activist here to teach her students how to raise their voice and change their lives! Hassan (Hareet Deol) is besotted; Fizza is in awe, and Kaneez (Sunetra Sarker) can’t stand her imperiousness. But despite her perfect veneer, we soon discover she’s battling a few demons of her own. Asma is an alcoholic – yet to admit it to herself, let alone anyone else.

Ken, (George Potts) true to form, is being a raging pain in the proverbial. Martin’s (Robert James-Collier) headship has fallen under the spotlight, and he’s flown in to help steady the ship. He forces Kaneez to take her GCSEs and puts everyone under the cosh at school. And to top it off, a menacing new member of the Dobson clan, Kyle (Adam Little), wreaks havoc on the school giving an already stressed Kaneez the biggest challenge she’s faced yet.

As for the kids – Fizza’s trying to balance the pressure of schoolwork whilst dealing with her father’s deteriorating mental health; Marina starts using an adult content sharing platform to earn some quick cash and Kayla and Johnny are preparing to ‘do it.’ It’s hormone-fuelled and messy; awkward and glorious – all the things first-time sex is made of and just when it seems things might work out, the couple are landed a devastating blow. Kayla’s Mum Jules (Gemma Paige North) has got a new job and they’re moving to Glasgow. But it’s not over until the last school bell rings, and there’s still plenty of time before the sun breaks on the summer holidays…

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 four series for tackling real-life situations and issues in an irreverent, insightful way, with humour and punchy, big-hearted stories.

Ackley Bridge is produced by The Forge. Executive Producers are George Ormond (National Treasure, Kiri), George Faber (Help, National Treasure, Shameless) with lead writers and Executive Producers Suhayla El Bushra (Hollyoaks, Becoming Elizabeth) and Kim Revill (Eastenders, Holby City). The new series is also written by Damian Mullen (River City, Holby City), Alexander Stewart (Tin Star, The Last Kingdom) and Emteaz Hussain (The Break, Blood). Jade Taylor is the Producer and Ashley Walters (Top Boy, Bulletproof) makes his directing debut for 5 episodes and Reza Moradi (Teachers, Hetty Feather) directs the other 5 episodes. For Channel 4, Rebecca Holdsworth is the Commissioning Editor. All3media International are handling international distribution.

Ackley Bridge is coming to Channel 4 and All 4.