Channel 4 announce Ackley Bridge to return for a fourth outing

5 December 2019

Award-winning Ackley Bridge is to return to Channel 4 for a fourth series, in a revised format.  The previous weekly, 60’ format will be played out in a series of 10 episodes, each 30’ duration, set to return to screens in September 2020.

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.

Rebecca Holdsworth , Channel 4 Commissioning Executive: “Refreshing the format to half hours not only reflects the viewing habits of our young audience, but gives the show a new look and feel as we welcome a brand new cast of characters to our screens.”

George Ormond, Executive Producer, The Forge, added: “We are thrilled to be starting this new chapter in the Ackley Bridge story and we can’t wait to introduce our new characters to the audience.”

Returning cast include: Sunetra Sarker, Robert James-Collier, Jo Joyner, Charlie Hardwick, Tony Jayawardeena, Fern Deacon, Phoebe Tuffs-Berry, Cody Ryan, Nazmeen Kauser and Zara Salim.   

Ackley Bridge series four will be produced by The Forge and will film in Halifax from March 2020.  Previous series of the show have been supported by Screen Yorkshire.  Executive Producers are George Ormond (National Treasure, Kiri), George Faber (National Treasure, Shameless), and Ayub Khan Din (East is East).  For Channel 4, Commissioning Executive is Rebecca Holdsworth. All3media International are handling international distribution.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• Series 1 was nominated for an RTS Award for Best Drama Series and won Best Drama, Best Actor, Best Director Fiction and Best Music and Use of Music at the RTS Yorkshire Awards.

About The Forge

The Forge, established by George Faber, is one of the UK’s preeminent drama producers, with a reputation for original, innovative and high-quality programming. The Forge’s production credits include Jack Thorne’s multi-BAFTA-winning trilogy NATIONAL TREASURE, KIRI  and THE ACCIDENT, Ayub Khan Din’s ACKLEY BRIDGE, Peter Moffat’s THE LAST POST, Jessie Burton’s THE MINIATURIST, David Hare’s COLLATERAL starring Carey Mulligan and Levi David Addai’s DARK MONEY. Currently in production is David Hare’s political thriller ROADKILL, a mini-series starring Hugh Laurie. Most recently greenlit is Anya Reiss’s original dynastic series BECOMING ELIZABETH and Ben Wheatley’s zombie comedy series GENERATION Z.