Who is in Riot Women: The famous actresses and actors you might spot in Halifax and Hebden Bridge as cast for Sally Wainwright's new drama officially announced

A host of well-known actresses and actors are performing in Riot Women, whose crew were in Halifax town centre only this week.

Leading the cast and the Riot Women band are Joanna Scanlan (from After Love and The Thick of It) as Beth, Rosalie Craig (Moonflower Murders, Serpent Queen) as Kitty, Tamsin Greig (Sexy Beast, The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin) as Holly, Lorraine Ashbourne (Sherwood, Alma's Not Normal) as Jess, and Amelia Bullmore (The Buccaneers, Vienna Blood) as Yvonne.

Anne Reid (The Sixth Commandment) will play Nancy - Holly and Yvonne’s mother, with Sue Johnston (The Royle Family) as Jess’s Aunt Mary.

Peter Davison (Doctor Who) and Claire Skinner (Outnumbered) and Angel Coulby (Merlin) also join the cast.

The series will also star Taj Atwal (Line of Duty), Chandeep Uppal (Holby City), Jonny Green (White Lines), Ellise Chappell (Yesterday), Macy Jacob Seelochan (Shadow and Bone), Tony Hirst (Hollyoaks), Shannon Lavelle (Hamlin), Amit Shah (Happy Valley), Rick Warden (Red Eye), Ben Batt (Domina), Natalia Tena (Harry Potter), Melanie La Barrie (& Juliet), Oliver Huntingdon (Sherwood), Richard Fleeshman (The Sandman), Olwen May (A Very British Scandal), Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey) and Nicholas Gleaves (Bodyguard).

As reported by the Courier, the cast and crew for Riot Women have been in Calderdale since June, filming mostly in and around Hebden Bridge.

This week they were in Halifax town centre, filming yesterday and on Tuesday.

The show is set in Hebden Bridge and is the latest project for Calderdale’s own Sally Wainwright, who also wrote Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax and Gentleman Jack.

The show is being made by Drama Republic, the team behind One Day, Doctor Foster and The English, for the BBC.

Its creators say the drama will “dive headfirst into the world of five women who, along with two riotous backing singers, come together to create a makeshift punk-rock band in order to enter a local talent contest, but in writing their first original song, soon discover that they have a lot to say - and this is their way to say it”.

A BBC Drama spokesperson said: “As they juggle demanding jobs, grown-up children, complicated parents, absent husbands, and disastrous dates and relationships, the band becomes a catalyst for change in their lives – and it’s going to make them question everything.

"The six-part series is a testament to the power of friendship, music, and the resilience of women who refuse to be silenced by age or expectation.

"As the story progresses, it’s more than music that binds them; a deeply potent, long-buried secret begins to surface – one that unexpectedly entangles Kitty and Beth – the two unlikely creative masterminds behind the band- in a complex triangle - and threatens to tear everything apart.”

Riot Women will feature original songs from the band ARXX.

Sally, who is the creator, writer, and executive producer for Riot Women, said: “I think I am more excited about this than anything else I have ever written.

"We have five of the most fabulous actresses on the planet playing the Riot Women. It's scarily exciting.”

Riot Women will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK next year.