Ackley Bridge 2021 cast for series 4 as hit show returns to Channel 4

Ackley Bridge is back for 2021 with series 4 – here’s who’s on the cast for the new series.

Inspired by real-life Lancashire and Yorkshire schools established to integrate the white and Asian communities in some of the most divided towns in the country, Ackley Bridge has won praise across its previous three series for tackling real-life situations and issues in an irreverent, insightful way, with humour and punchy, big hearted stories.

The award-winning show will return with a revised format, airing across ten, 30-minute long episodes rather than the previous hour-long instalments.

Ackley Bridge will air weekdays at 6PM on Channel 4 for two weeks from Monday, 19 April. You can also watch the full series online via the All4 Player.

Ackley Bridge 2021 cast

Returning to the cast for series 4 are Sunetra Sarker (Kaneez Paracha), Rob James Collier (Martin Evershed), Jo Joyner (Mandy Carter), Charlie Hardwick (Sue Carp), Tony Jayawardena (Rashid Hyatt), Fern Deacon (Chloe Voyle), Phoebe Tuffs-Berry (Rukhsana Ibrahim), Cody Ryan (Hayley Booth), Nazmeen Kauser (Razia Paracha) and Zara Salim (Kacey ‘Spud’ Gartside).

They will be joined by a number of new faces.

Robyn Cara (Life, Hounslow Diaries) plays funny, mixed race pupil Kayla, torn between her white Mum’s family and her traditional Pakistani Dad’s family; her best friend Fizza, played by Yasmin Al Khudhairi (Hilda) is a fiercely intelligent, fist-in-the-air firebrand; and Ryan Dean (The Gentleman, Penny on M.A.R.S.) takes the role of Johnny, a cocky, good looking member of the traveller community who is deeply suspicious of school, and who catches the eye of both Kayla and Fizza.

Further new pupils include Marina, Kayla’s ‘mean girl’ sister, played by Carla Woodcock (Free Rein Pandora) and Tahir, played by Shobhit Piasa (Londonstani), the smooth talking billy-liar nephew of Kaneez, whose salesman’s patter hides a family secret. Conor McIntyre (Coronation Street) guest stars as Johnny’s Grandad.

Watch Ackley Bridge series 4 on TV and online

The show was originally due to air in September 2020 but was delayed due to the ongoing pandemic.

It’s now been confirmed that Ackley Bridge will begin on Monday, 19 April at 6PM on Channel 4. Episodes will air week-nights at 6PM for two weeks.

The whole series will also be available to watch online on All 4 here following transmission of the first episode on Monday, 19 April.

Rebecca Holdsworth, Channel 4 Commissioning Executive said: “Refreshing the format to half hours not only reflects the viewing habits of our young audience, but gives the show a new look and feel as we welcome a brand new cast of characters to our screens.”

George Ormond, Executive Producer at programme makers The Forge, added: “We are thrilled to be starting this new chapter in the Ackley Bridge story and we can’t wait to introduce our new characters to the audience.”

Ackley Bridge series four will film in Halifax under the latest health and safety guidelines.

You can catch up on past episodes online via the All4 Player.