From Riot Women to Ink - Here are the TV shows that featured and filmed in Calderdale in 2025
Calderdale is no stranger to TV and film crews and 2025 was no exception.
We’re taking a look at some of the TV shows and films that used the borough as a backdrop this year.
Calderdale writer and director Sally Wainwright, who has created Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax and Gentleman Jack, returned to Hebden Bridge for her next TV project Riot Women.
The BBC series, which filmed at locations across Calderdale last year, earned rave reviews when it hit our screens back in October.
Riot Women followed the lives of of five menopausal women as they form a punk rock band and starred Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Lorraine Ashbourne, Tamsin Greig and Amelia Bullmore.
Speaking at a screening of Riot Women before the start of the series, Sally Wainwright talked about why she loves to set her dramas in Calderdale: “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.”
A number of familiar locations were used throughout the series including The Albert Pub in Hebden Bridge, Calderdale Royal Hospital and The Old Cock pub in Halifax.
Lorraine Ashbourne said: "I fell in love with Hebden Bridge. It’s idyllic and Sally choosing to set her story in this beautiful, thriving little corner of the world where all this drama plays out, is very clever.
"Riot Women looks at the importance of companionship and the joy of friendship.
"It’s about being given a second chance and fulfilling dreams. It’s a unique angle on female empowerment. It’s a celebration!”
New CBBC show High Hoops also hit our screens this year.
The children’s show, from Hebden Bridge-based CanCan Productions, is about a hopeless school basketball team and a new player, played by Darci Hull, aiming to turn their fortunes around.
The series, starring Peep Show actors Robert Webb and Isy Suttie, aired back in March.
Filming for a second series also took place over the summer this year at Calderdale College.
Sowerby Bridge and Hebden Bridge welcomed a Hollywood film crew back in October.
It is thought Danny Boyle’s latest project Ink filmed some scenes in the town as the renowned director and actor Jack O’Connell were spotted on the streets.
The movie is an adaptation of a James Graham play of the same name about Rupert Murdoch's rise to power at The Sun newspaper starring Guy Pearce and O’Connell.
During the filming Willow Tree Cafe, Sowerby Bridge shared: “We really appreciate the custom the filming of our little town brings to our little coffee shop.”