ACKLEY BRIDGE SERIES 5 PRESS PACK

Category: Press Pack

5 July 2022

CONTENTS

Programme Information
Episode Billings
Introducing the new characters at Ackley Bridge
Interview with Robert James-Collier (who plays Martin Evershed)
Interview with Sunetra Sarker (who plays Kaneez Paracha)
Interview with Laila Zaidi (who plays Asma Farooqi)
Interview with Yasmin Al-Khudhairi, Ryan Dean, Megan Morgan (who play Fizza, Johnny and Marina)
Interview with Ashley Walters (who directs episodes 1-5)

Contacts

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Press Pack

5 Jul 22 Press Pack Article

Ackley Bridge Programme Information

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

5 Jul 22 Press Pack Article

Episode Billings

Episode 1 Marina pulls a pulse-racing stunt at school designed to send her social media sky-high. It causes outrage amongst parents and puts Martin firmly under Ken’s boot. But Marina’s high is short-lived when she discovers that Jules has racked up debt and they’ve been evicted. And new teacher

5 Jul 22 Press Pack Article

Introducing the new characters at Ackley Bridge

Kyle Dobson - Played by Adam Little Kyle Dobson is fresh out of young offenders, hardened by a difficult home life, and influenced by the racist views of some of the older members of his community. He’s every bit as intimidating and impenetrable as his stature. He runs at the world with unbridled

5 Jul 22 Press Pack Article

Interview with Robert James-Collier who plays Martin Evershed

Martin delivers an impassioned speech to the Trust this series where he describes Ackley Bridge as a place of learning and a sanctuary. Is that his mission statement as headmaster? Yes, I really love that scene because it’s quite true with what is going on today. The whole education system is

5 Jul 22 Press Pack Article

Interview with Sunetra Sarker who plays Kaneez Paracha

As an associate producer on Ackley what sort of early discussions were you involved in for series five? This series we were keen to get across a new teacher, Ms Asma Farooqi, and to try to make her as three-dimensional as possible. We have given her some flaws but not too soon. I feel like I was

5 Jul 22 Press Pack Article

Interview with Laila Zaidi (who plays Asma Farooqi)

How would you describe Ms Farooqi’s teaching methods? I think her way of teaching is very to the point. Bold, harsh but she is always kind. She is desperately passionate to teach these kids. She doesn’t care at first about being liked until she spots a similarity between her and one of the students

5 Jul 22 Press Pack Article

Interview with Yasmin Al-Khudhairi, Ryan Dean, Megan Morgan who play Fizza, Johnny and Marina

As Ackley Bridge old hands did you give Megan a guided tour on her first day of filming? Yasmin: I was meant to be that person to take Megan round but it took me two weeks. By then Megan was like, ‘No Yasmin, that’s the wrong way.’ I am actually the worst for directions. I was good at chatting about

5 Jul 22 Press Pack Article

Interview with Ashley Walters who has directed episodes 1-5

You cut your teeth as a director on the short film Boys. What made you decide on Ackley Bridge for your TV series debut? Ackley Bridge and Jade (Taylor, producer) were the first people who came to have an interview with me. I had always heard about Ackley and spoken about it with people but I had