Laila Zaidi plays Asma Farooqi, a new teacher who, she explains, has been “suffocated by the pressures and the stress of living in London”, and has swapped law for teaching. “I’ve been there – it can be a daunting, overwhelming and a very expensive place to live,” added the Newcastle-raised actor. 

Ackley Bridge, she notes approvingly, “shows two communities – you’ve got the traditional Muslim Pakistani community and the white working class, and it shows how they come together through the conduit of school.  

“It tells real working-class stories and struggles, with authenticity, honesty and always with warmth, love and humour.” 

Producer Jade Taylor said: “It’s been an absolute joy to work on Ackley Bridge…. We have the opportunity to… tell stories that we feel really passionate about and are pertinent to the world today, and that resonate with the working-class communities of the North and with schools.”  

Ackley Bridge, which made its TV debut in 2017, is made by leading indie The Forge in and around Halifax. “I’m from Yorkshire and I think it’s really important to represent the North and to tell those storylines that don’t always get the spotlight,” said Taylor. “It’s important that they’re told by the communities from which they’re grown. And it’s beautiful and looks great on telly – the moor scenes, of which we’ve got quite a few in this series, look fantastic.” 

Top Boy actor Ashley Walters is another new face – but behind the camera, sharing directing duties on series 5 with Reza Moradi. Walters directed the short film Boys a couple of years ago, but Ackley Bridge is his first major TV directing gig. 

Yasmin Al-Khudhairi, who plays firebrand Fizza, said: “The naturalism that [Ashley] has in acting he definitely brings to directing as well…. He has a very funny, chilled-out presence…. [He] puts everyone at ease.”  

Megan Morgan, who took over the role of school beauty Marina for the new series, added: “He gave us more time for emotional scenes, which is needed when filming is so fast-paced.”  

Turning to what she hoped viewers would take from a series known for tackling difficult subjects, Zaidi said: “It’s OK not to be OK… and [say] I need help, whether that’s addiction, mental health or whatever.”  

Writer Kamal Kaan chaired the RTS Yorkshire event, which was held on 7 July. It was introduced by Caroline Hollick, head of drama at Channel 4.