Last Tango and Happy Valley writer set for Square Chapel

Award-winning writer, producer and director, Sally Wainwright will be taking time out of her busy schedule filming for the second series of Happy Valley, to take part in an up close and personal event that delves into her background, her passion for writing and her career.
Yorkshire Rose award winner,  Sally Wainwright.
Yorkshire Women of Achievement Awards 2015.  Picture Bruce Rollinson  15 May 2015.Yorkshire Rose award winner,  Sally Wainwright.
Yorkshire Women of Achievement Awards 2015.  Picture Bruce Rollinson  15 May 2015.
Yorkshire Rose award winner, Sally Wainwright. Yorkshire Women of Achievement Awards 2015. Picture Bruce Rollinson 15 May 2015.

Wainwright grew up in Halifax and still visits the area on a regular basis. She’s also known for putting Halifax on the map by filming on location - the BBC TV series The Last Tango in Halifax was filmed at the beautiful Holdsworth House, her three-part drama series Unforgiven and her smash hit BBC series Happy Valley, that won her the recent BAFTA awards for Best Writer and Best Television Drama Series, were also filmed locally.

Wainwright’s other writing credits include Scott & Bailey, At Home with the Braithwaites, Coronation Street, and Emmerdale.

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She’s also penning a new feature-length literary drama for BBC1 - To Walk Invisible: The Bronte Sisters, will be an original perspective on Charlotte, Anne and Emily and the increasingly fraught relationship with their brother Branwell.

Wainwright knew she wanted to be a writer from an early age. At nine she was creating characters and writing stories, at 13 she was hooked on ITV’s Coronation Street and wanted to write for the soap, which she went on to do after writing for the popular radio drama The Archers at the age of 24. Wainwright’s passion for writing and television is evident and her stories are captivating and entertaining for the viewers. Last year’s BBC One drama Happy Valley pulled in an average of 7.2 million viewers across the series.

She said: “I’m delighted to be filming not just Happy Valley series two in Sowerby Bridge and Hebden Bridge again, but after Christmas we’ll be filming the Bronte Sisters film too, over in Haworth, and I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone at the Square Chapel Centre for the Arts in September.”

Sally Wainwright will be joined by hosts of the event, British actors George Costigan and Judy Holt, both of whom have worked with and for Sally playing characters created by the talented writer.

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George said: “I am delighted to be hosting this event alongside Judy Holt and it’s an honour and privilege to be talking to, interviewing and spending time with Sally Wainwright.

“All actors are servants of writers. When the writers are as good as Sally - it all becomes an effortless privilege. It’s rare. So is she.”

This event is part of the fundraising programme to support the Cornerstone project which will transform Square Chapel Centre for the Arts by creating an extension and improving access and facilities for existing and future audiences.

The new extension will complement the current Grade II* listed building and will include a new café bar, a second, more intimate auditorium with a cinema screen, as well as a new foyer, box office and dressing rooms. To find out more about the Cornerstone project visit www.squarechapel.co.uk

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Join fellow writing and acting fans in the Square Chapel bar for a drinks reception from 7.30pm followed by the event with Sally Wainwright, George Costigan and Judy Holt at 8pm. For more information and to book tickets for this event, visit www.squarechapel.co.uk or phone the Box Office on 01422 349422. The Square Chapel Centre for the Arts Box Office is open Monday – Friday 09.30 – 17.00 and Saturday 09.30 – 13.00. Tickets go on sale from 9.30am on Tuesday 9 June 2015.