Calderdale’s distinctiveness will once again be showcased on the national stage, when Sally Wainwright’s latest TV drama, Riot Women hits our screens on Sunday 12 October.
West Yorkshire’s own multi-BAFTA award-winning writer chose locations across Calderdale to film her new six-part BBC series, including Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Mytholmroyd and Halifax.
The borough also took centre stage in Sally Wainwright’s other masterpieces, Happy Valley, Gentleman Jack and Last Tango in Halifax, as well as a huge range(external link) of other high-profile TV series and films including Marvel Secret Invasion, Swallows and Amazons, ITV’s Ridley and Channel 4’s Ackley Bridge.
Riot Women stars Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greig, Lorraine Ashbourne and Amelia Bullmore, and its exclusive premiere took place at Hebden Bridge Picture House on Tuesday 7 October, where cast and crew took part in a Q&A with the audience after the screening.
Most of the audience were from the local area, and while there were hundreds in the cinema, hundreds more wanted to get tickets and local people were eager to welcome the cast and crew – showing the level of enthusiasm for filming and seeing local places on screen again.
Local viewers may recognise key filming locations such as Calder Holmes Park and The Albert Pub in Hebden Bridge, Calderdale Royal Hospital, Holdsworth House and The Old Cock pub in Halifax, St Michael’s Church Hall in Mytholmroyd and Nanholme Mill in Todmorden.
Calderdale is becoming increasingly well known across the country as a great place to film. Few places can offer its unique blend of beautiful landscapes, heritage and the warmest welcome. It’s a film friendly place, and Calderdale Council works closely with crews to make their experience on a TV or film shoot the best it can be. The role of the Council’s responsive filming team includes issuing filming permits, advising on locations and sorting traffic orders to help bring scripts and screenplay to life.
This supports Calderdale’s Vision 34 aspiration of being kind and welcoming, and of being celebrated for its distinctive heritage, nature and creativity. It also continues the CultureDale(external link) legacy of being a place where culture comes alive and can be enjoyed by everyone.
Calderdale welcomes around 8 million visitors each year, contributing an impressive £650 million to the local economy. The presence of high-profile film and TV productions plays a significant role in driving this success. Recognising the value they bring to the local tourism sector, the Council will be working closely with local businesses over the next 12 months to provide support and highlight the importance of filming in the area. Their participation during productions helps attract further opportunities and strengthens Calderdale’s reputation as a vibrant destination for tourism and the creative sector.
Cllr Sarah Courtney, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, said:
“I’ve been a huge fan of Sally Wainwright’s work for years and can’t wait to watch her latest series. I know many people across our communities are keen to see Calderdale on their screens again, and it always brings a real feeling of local pride. It’s exciting for people to see productions being filmed in their towns, as this helps them see how they are made and that there may be opportunities for people like them to be involved in creative industries.
“Previous Calderdale-based TV dramas and films have helped cement its place on the national and international map. We’re excited to see Riot Women do the same, attracting visitors who want to see our stunning filming locations up close and boosting our local economy.
“Bringing a production like this to life is a great team effort, from the writers, cast and crew, to the Council’s filming team and the warm welcome of our communities.”
During the Riot Women premiere’s Q&A session, Sally Wainwright talked about why she loves to set her dramas in Calderdale, and said glowing things about filming Riot Women in Hebden Bridge:
“It’s so beautiful here, I love being here and I love seeing it on screen, it just looks so good on screen. It’s a real strength in a TV show to have a strong sense of place, of identity. Hebden Bridge absolutely lends itself to that, it’s so colourful, it’s got so much character. You’re never short of somewhere exciting to film anything. And then it’s got the hills, you can’t look anywhere without hills. And I think that was a big factor for me – you don’t have to design any of it, it’s all there.”
All episodes of Riot Women are available on BBC iPlayer from 6am on Sunday 12 October, with the first episode airing on BBC One at 9pm.
Follow Calderdale Council’s social media to see a series of video clips from the premiere’s Q&A, in the runup to Riot Women being aired.
For more information about filming in Calderdale, including a list of TV programmes and films made here, visit https://filmcalderdale.co.uk(external link)
Vision 34 is a shared, long-term ambition to work towards over the next 10 years to make Calderdale a better place for everyone, based on the stories that unite us.
The Vision 34 themes are enterprising, opportunity, kind, welcoming, hope, heritage, nature and creativity. Through these themes, organisations and people from all walks of life are encouraged to share their positive stories about life in Calderdale.
Share your story on the My Calderdale Story(external link) website.