She was a massive hit in the TV drama Cilla.
And now actress Sheridan Smith is to star in new three-part drama series Black Work, which is being filmed partly in Huddersfield.
Production crews were in town to film scenes for the drama at the former Kirklees College campus in New North Road, which has stood empty.
And it marked a return to the town for the actress, who had a part in the district nurse drama Where The Heart Is several years ago.
The filming is also another coup for Huddersfield’s growing reputation as a location for film and TV productions. The Black Work crews were in town only days after locations in Linthwaite and Marsden were used for scenes from the Hollywood film A Monster Calls, which is to star Sigourney Weaver and Liam Neeson.
Smith is set to star as police officer Jo Gillespie in the upcoming ITV thriller, written by Matt Charman and produced my Mammoth Screen.
Her character will be forced to confront difficult truths about her family life and marriage when her undercover policeman husband Ryan is shot dead in mysterious circumstances.
Matt said of working with Sheridan: “Sheridan is a dream to write for because as an actress there’s really nothing she can’t do ... And ‘Black Work’ is a story that pushes her to the limit - it makes her character, Jo Gillespie doubt herself, her family, her friends, everything she’s always taken for granted in her search for her husband’s killer.”
Jo - who is mother to 7-year-old Melly and stepson Hal - is to be left emotionally distraught and heavily conflicted when she unravels the last six months of her husband’s life and discovers he’s been watching a man recently released from prison.
Black Work was commissioned for ITV by Director of Drama Commissioning Steve November and Controller of Drama Victoria Fee.
Huddersfield’s North Light Film Studios worked with Kirklees College to secure the location.
Ben Sweet, of North Light, said: “It is another coup for the town. One of the things we are trying to is to promote the Huddersfield area for its locations as well as the studios and it is working.
“The former college has been used before and it is perfect for the production team.
“It is great that Sheridan Smith is in this drama, as she was a big hit in Cilla on TV over the past few weeks. It’s also great for her to come back to Huddersfield, as she was here in her early days for Where The Heart Is.
“Huddersfield is going from strength to strength when it comes to being chosen as a location”.
Jason Taylor, commercial manager at Kirklees College said: “We’re delighted that our former site at New North Road is being used by film companies.
“The college has a good relationship with The North Light Film Studios and they have helped to point film companies in our direction when they’re looking for suitable locations to shoot.
“Following the successful shoot of Remember Me with Michael Palin where students got experience on the set, the New North Road building is definitely on the map for production companies.
“Our growing relationship with The North Light Film Studios is proving to be beneficial for our students. Many have already gained valuable work experience, particularly those on the media, performing arts, hair and beauty courses and this is a very important part of coming to Kirklees College.”
