Amy-Leigh Hickman is an English actress. Hickman made her television debut as Carmen Howle in the CBBC series Tracy Beaker Returns, a role she reprised in the sequel series The Dumping Ground. She then went onto appear as Linzi Bragg in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, before being cast as Nasreen Paracha in the Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge, a role for which she won the Actor award for at the RTS Yorkshire Awards. Her other roles include Ester Kamali in Strike Back (2013), Sia Marshall in Safe (2018), Mimi Saunders in Our Girl (2020) and Bethany in Innocent (2021). Hickman also stars in the fourth series of the Netflix drama You (2023).
Poppy Lee Friar is an English actress. She has starred in several popular series such as Missy Booth in the Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge, Lydia in the BBC Three series In My Skin and Eve in the CBBC series Eve. As well as appearing in numerous television roles, she has also appeared in various films and theatre productions. For her work, Friar has received accolades including nominations at the AACTAs and the BAFTAs, as well as winning an RTS Award.
Ackley Bridge is a British comedy-drama series set in a multicultural academy school of the same name. The series is set in the fictional town of Ackley, and filmed in Halifax, West Yorkshire and it began broadcasting on Channel 4 on 7 June 2017. In the fourth series, Ackley Bridge saw a major overhaul, including different time slots, a shortened runtime, several new characters to replace cast exits and moving the series onto streaming platform All 4.
Megan Parkinson is an English actress who has played Alys Karstark in Game of Thrones and Sam Murgatroyd in Ackley Bridge. Parkinson has also appeared in the television films Damilola, Our Loved Boy and To Walk Invisible.
The second series of the British television drama series Ackley Bridge began broadcasting on 5 June 2018 June 2018 on Channel 4, and ended on 21 August 2018. The series follows the lives of the staff and pupils at the fictional multi-cultural academy school Ackley Bridge College, in the fictitious Yorkshire mill town of Ackley Bridge. It consists of twelve sixty-minute episodes.
The third series of the British television drama series Ackley Bridge began broadcasting on 18 June 2019 on Channel 4, and ended on 6 August 2019. The series follows the lives of the staff and pupils at the fictional multi-cultural academy school Ackley Bridge College, in the fictitious Yorkshire mill town of Ackley Bridge. It consists of eight sixty-minute episodes.
Adam Fielding is an English actor. Working in British TV after drama school he was cast as Aaron Turner in the Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge. He landed his first film role in Outside the Wire and was recently cast in Lionsgate 5LBS OF PRESSURE alongside Luke Evans, Alex Pettyfer and Rory Culkin.
Fern Saffron Deacon is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Chloe Voyle on the Channel 4 drama Ackley Bridge and Agnes Duffett on the CBBC series Hetty Feather.
Lorraine Cheshire is an English actress, known for her roles as Sue Benson in the Sky sitcom Trollied, Fleur Budgen in the BBC One school-based drama Waterloo Road and Lorraine Bird in the Channel 4 school-based drama series Ackley Bridge.
Nasreen Paracha is a fictional character from the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge, portrayed by Amy-Leigh Hickman. Nasreen first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, first broadcast on 7 June 2017. Nasreen is introduced as one of the programme's two protagonists, alongside best friend Missy Booth. Her lifelong friendship with Missy is a major theme in the series, despite the differences in culture between the pair. Another aspect of Nasreen's life that is explored in Ackley Bridge is her sexuality, as she navigates coming out as a lesbian in a Muslim community.
Missy Booth is a fictional character from the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge, portrayed by Poppy Lee Friar. Missy first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, first broadcast on 7 June 2017. She is introduced as one of the programme's two protagonists alongside best friend Nasreen Paracha. Due to growing up with numerous responsibilities including being the carer of her family, Friar described her character as a "fighter". Despite this, Missy is also seen to be a rebellious and opinionated character who is popular at school, especially with the male students. One of the main themes explored throughout the series is her friendship with Nasreen, which Channel 4 billed as the "heart of the show". Both Friar and Hickman have accredited this to their real-life friendship, which they felt mirrored their onscreen friendship.
The fourth series of the British television drama series Ackley Bridge began broadcasting on Channel 4 on 19 April 2021. The series follows the lives of the staff and pupils at the fictional multi-cultural academy school Ackley Bridge College, in the fictitious Yorkshire mill town of Ackley Bridge. When the commissioning of the series was announced, it was announced that Ackley Bridge would face an overhaul, including cast changes, a shortened runtime and a revised timeslot. The series consists of ten thirty-minute episodes, whereas episodes in the previous three series were double the duration. Unlike the first three series, the timeslot was moved to 6pm to appeal to a younger audience. Following the premiere of the first episode on 19 April, the series was made available to stream as a boxset on All 4.
Mandy Carter is a fictional character from the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge, portrayed by Jo Joyner. Mandy first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, first broadcast on 7 June 2017. Mandy was initially introduced as the headteacher of the fictional Ackley Bridge school, and her storylines in the series have included the breakdown of her marriage to Steve Bell, trying to help her mother escape from an abusive marriage to her father, trying to save her school and becoming pregnant.
Kaneez Paracha is a fictional character from the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge, portrayed by Sunetra Sarker. Kaneez first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, first broadcast on 7 June 2017. Kaneez is the mother of protagonist Nasreen, as well as Razia and Saleem. Kaneez's storylines in the series have included ending her arranged marriage with her husband Iqbal, pursuing a relationship with science teacher Rashid Hyatt and becoming a student support officer.
Sadiq Nawaz is a fictional character from the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge, portrayed by Adil Ray. Sadiq first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, first broadcast on 7 June 2017. Sadiq is introduced as the school sponsor of the fictional Ackley Bridge College, as well as a local businessman. His storylines in the series include having an affair with headteacher Mandy Carter, losing his business due to financial struggles and discovering he has a third child.
Emma Keane is a fictional character from the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge, portrayed by Liz White. Emma first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, first broadcast on 7 June 2017. She is introduced as an English teacher at the fictional Ackley Bridge College. Her storylines in the series include her tumultuous relationship with daughter Chloe Voyle, supporting student Missy Booth through her life struggles and having an affair with colleague Samir Qureshi.
Ackley Bridge is a British television drama series that follows the lives of the staff and pupils at the fictional multi-cultural academy school Ackley Bridge College. Series one features the debuts of friends Missy Booth and Nasreen Paracha, headteacher Mandy Carter and her husband Steve Bell, school cook Kaneez Paracha, English teacher Emma Keane and her daughter Chloe Voyle, school sponsor Sadiq Nawaz and his children Alya and Riz, brothers Jordan and Cory Wilson, school receptionist Lorraine Bird, science teacher Lila Shariff, head of pastoral care Samir Qureshi, PE teacher Will Simpson, Missy's mother Simone and grandmother Julie 'Nana' Booth and students Hayley Booth, Razia and Saleem Paracha, Candice Murgatroyd and Naveed Haider. Series two sees the introduction of science teacher Rashid Hyatt, Nasreen's half-brother Aaron Turner, deputy headteacher Javid Shah and student Sam Murgatroyd.
Steve Bell is a fictional character from the Channel 4 school drama Ackley Bridge, portrayed by Paul Nicholls. Steve first appeared in the pilot episode of the series, first broadcast on 7 June 2017. Steve was initially introduced as the PE teacher of the fictional Ackley Bridge college and his storylines in the series have included his previous affair with Claire Butterworth, the breakdown of his marriage to Mandy Carter, helping student Jordan Wilson prove he isn't the father of Candice Murgatroyd's child, and trying to start a rugby team for the school. Nicholls left the role in 2018, with the character making his final appearance in the final episode of series 2, broadcast on 21 August 2018.
The fifth and final series of the British television drama series Ackley Bridge premiered on All 4 on 11 July 2022. It was later broadcast on Channel 4. The series follows the lives of the staff and pupils at the fictional multi-cultural academy school Ackley Bridge College, in the fictitious Yorkshire mill town of Ackley Bridge. The commissioning of the series was confirmed in June 2021 and filming commenced in November of that year. The series consists of ten thirty-minute episodes that were transmitted in the revised timeslot of 10pm on Channel 4.
