Posted February 23, 20178 yr Details about a new primetime show from Channel 4 based in a school have been announced today, set to air later this year. Filming has begun on “The ABC” (W/T), heralding Channel 4’s return to 8pm week night drama. The 6x60’ series which is centred on a vibrant and multicultural Yorkshire comprehensive school, began filming on location in Yorkshire earlier this month. Created by Ayub Khan Din (East is East), Kevin Erlis (Shameless) and Malcolm Campbell (Shameless, What Richard Did) it will be directed by Penny Woolcock (Tina Goes Shopping, Mischief Night, The Death of Klinghoffer, 1 Day) and written by Malcolm Campbell, Anya Reiss, Ishy Din, Suhayla el-Bushra and Ayub Khan Din for TX later this year. http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/ca...ama-the-abc-w-t Decent cast list Jo Joyner (EastEnders), Sunetra Sarkar (Casualty), Paul Nicholls (The C Word, EastEnders), Amy-Leigh Hickman (The Dumping Ground, EastEnders) and Arshar Ali (The Missing) are all recognisable names involved. I wonder how similar to Waterloo Road it will be? It seems far more about cultural divide, so hopefully should be more fresh.
February 23, 20178 yr Read about this today, definitely looks interesting and hopefully it can be more like the early series of Waterloo Road! I would be interesting in this good cast too What makes you say that? Bit full of yourself :o
February 23, 20178 yr The cast looks great and I loved Waterloo Road so I'll have to keep an eye out for this and check it out!
May 17, 20178 yr Author The working title has gone, it's now called Ackley Bridge and the first trailer is out! Td79kKUhohQ This is SO Waterloo Road but it kinda looks good! :lol:
May 18, 20178 yr A mixture of Shameless and Waterloo Road from seeing the trailer. Looking forward to it.
May 25, 20178 yr Will be starting on 7th June! The first episode apparently featured a hoax bomb threat and so is being re-edited. Will be inyeresting to see how that changes the whole nature/pace of the first episode.
June 7, 20178 yr The amount of times Channel 4 promoted this like it was the second coming. It was a bit shit for me just a bad version of Waterloo Road. Sorry.
June 7, 20178 yr Author Yeah it wasn't great! The actress who also played Linzi in Eastenders is fantastic, she deserves so much better than this show.
June 7, 20178 yr It was OK but there is plenty of room for improvement. I just hope they avoid some of the cliched Waterloo Road stories. For example, in WL, Jordan would get a Muslim art teacher. They would clash initially but end up getting on really well and Jordan would win a competition of some sort.
June 8, 20178 yr Really really enjoyed this, interesting twist on Waterloo Road which I arrived late to so only saw the last couple of seasons. Agreed that Amy-Leigh Hickman is fantastic, I remember first seeing her in The Dumping Ground and thought EastEnders made a mistake of only having her short-term. I hope she gets some gritty storylines in this so she can fully showcase her potential. Shame there is only six episodes, it feels like it's going to be over before it has begun! Hope it is a ratings success as I can already see so many potential storylines.
June 8, 20178 yr This looks utter shoite, just like Waterloo Road. Who watches this melodramatic crap? Even Tanya Turner frm Eastenders can't save this
June 11, 20178 yr I wasn't impressed on Wednesday but I've just watched it again and I can see some promising storylines starting to emerge. I feel like I shouldn't have to watch an episode more than once to follow a programme but I'm hoping it's just a case of a poor opener and the constant niggling of Waterloo Road comparisons in my mind. Will try and stick with it and give it a shot though.
June 18, 20178 yr Author I did! I preferred it to episode 1 but I feel like they're holding back too much on drama and grit. Compared to the grittiness of early Waterloo Road, it's really bad.
June 30, 20178 yr Confirmed to be returning for a longer 12 episode run next year! :o They're obviously playing the long game and hope it builds its audience. I think they're also very keen to have more statement 8pm shows.
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