“They loved every minute of it.”

After all, its not every youngster who gets paid to get dirty!

That was the reaction from the head of Huddersfield’s Rebel School of Theatre Arts after seeing dozens of her young charges appear in the big new drama series Jericho.

A total of 37 youngsters from the Shepley-based school landed parts in ITV’s new eight-part series, which premiered on Thursday night, and they and their families will be glued to the TV screens over the next two months.

The series has received great reviews from the critics and many involved are tipping it to be commissioned for a second series.

For the Rebel youngsters, it meant school holidays with a difference - as they spent long days working on the sets of the drama.

Much of the shooting was done in Rockingstone Quarry, between Outlane and Scapegoat Hill, where the story’s shanty town was recreated.

Other shots were filmed on the moors above Marsden and Meltham, in Golcar and in Wortley, between Huddersfield and Sheffield.

Take a video tour of Rockingstone Quarry, where Jericho was filmed

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Rebel is now in its sixth year in Shepley and runs classes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays in various forms of theatre and drama.

Principal Sue Fitton said: “We’re delighted that Jericho is here and it got off to a brilliant start.

“I have built up a lot of contacts over the years and it was through them that we got the children involved in the series.

“The children have landed every part for youngsters apart from the main boy lead, George, and they had a whale of a time.

“It wasn’t just an hour or two here and there; they were on set day after day, from breakfast time until they had worked their legal hours.

(BR) Ryan Chrystal, Annabel Bond-Sampson, Lucy Parry, Emily Driscoll, (MR) Rory Kelly, Holly Parry, Lillie Barber, Abigail Hancock, (FR) Rafi Shermanfrom Rebel theatre school on the set of Jericho
(BR) Ryan Chrystal, Annabel Bond-Sampson, Lucy Parry, Emily Driscoll, (MR) Rory Kelly, Holly Parry, Lillie Barber, Abigail Hancock, (FR) Rafi Shermanfrom Rebel theatre school on the set of Jericho

“They got to wear some great costumes and loved being made up to look dirty.“It was very hot while they were filming some of the scenes but the crew were brilliant with them, bringing umbrellas to shade them and keeping them cool with drinks.

“It was fascinating to see the main character, Jessica Raine, with an ice-park under her dress to try and keep cool.

“We would obviously love to see the series recommissioned so it’s fingers crossed. I think it was great and hopefully it will a success”.

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The Rebel youngtsers in the series are: Abigail Hancock, Alex Bond-Sampson, Annabel Bond-Sampson, Archie Waddington, Charlotte Usher, Edward Armeson, Ellie Lambrou, Ellis Kirk, Emily Driscoll, Fin Campbell, Freddie Mulhall, George Rice, Georgia Cook, Hannah Robertson, Harry Fox, Holly Parry, Jack Goldstone, Jay Caldwell, Joseph Harris, Kane Bolton, Kiki Su Barden-Nash, Leona Suri, Lillie Barber, Lucy Parry, Lyla Mae Simmonds, Malen Clarkson, Mason Stainton, Megan Birbeck, Miles Kelly, Monty Poole, Olivia Wimpenny, Rafi Sherman, Rhona Mae Campbell, Rory Kelly, Ryan Chrystal, Shakira Watson, Tamsin Hill.