General election: Youth debate to be held ahead of exclusive screening of Halifax-filmed drama Ackley Bridge

Hosted by Channel 4, the event will give youngsters from Halifax an opportunity to ask about the issues important to them.

The debate will be followed by an exclusive screening of the channel’s new drama Ackley Bridge, which was filmed on location in Halifax, plus a question and answer session with some of the stars of the show.

The series looks at fictional Yorkshire mill town Ackley Bridge, home to largely divided white and Asian populations.

Like the communities, the school systems have also become segregated and the drama sees two formerly isolated comprehensives merged into a brand new academy and all the trials and tribulations among teachers, parents, pupils and support staff that that creates.

Youngsters from Halifax and the surrounding areas star in the show’s cast, which also features Jo Joyner (Ordinary Lies, Eastenders, No Angels), as the school’s head teacher, Paul Nicholls (The C Word, Eastenders) as a PE teacher Steve Bell, former Casualty star Sunetra Sarker as dinnerlady Kaneez Paracha with Citizen Khan’s Adil Ray taking on the role of Sadiq Nawaz, a dynamic and successful businessman and the academy’s sponsor.

The six-part series, created by Ayub Khan Din (East is East), Kevin Erlis and Malcolm Campbell (Shameless), will air on Channel 4 later this year.

The debate will be held this Thursday, May 18, from 5pm at the former St Catherine’s High School, Holmfield, which was transformed for the series.

If you are interested in going along, you should RSVP to [email protected].

RSVPs are essential and admittance will not be permitted otherwise.