The new school drama set in Calderdale took to the screens tonight - and viewers took to social media to say they loved it.
Ackley Bridge is set in a fictional Yorkshire Mill town and centres around the merging of schools which brings a clash cultures for the largely divided white and Asian communities.
Pupils from Trinity Academy, North Halifax Grammar School, Crossley Heath School and Calderdale College are reportedly featuring in the show.
Filmed at former St Catherine’s Catholic High School on Holdsworth Road in Halifax which closed in 2013, the producers found the building and location had all the elements to make the drama work.
The cast includes familiar faces including former EastEnders soap stars Paul Nicholls and Jo Joyner, Sunetra Sarker (Casualty and Brookside), Adil Ray (Citizen Khan) and Poppy Lee Friar (Eve).
The first episode was screened on Channel 4 at 8pm tonight and it got huge praise on Twitter.
Sally Ann Matthews wrote: "Right, well that's my Wednesday nights at 8pm sorted for the next few weeks then! x #AckleyBridge "
Emma Carroll tweeted: "Well done on Ackley Bridge! Cannot wait until next weeks ep. X
Steph wrote: "Quite enjoying Ackley Bridge, it tackles current issues very well. Not sure it's quite WR standard, but nonetheless a good drama."
Elizabeth wrote: "As somebody who works in a northern school, I can safely say that Ackley Bridge is scarily realistic!"
But some said it was no comparison to the Rochdale based Waterloo Road which was screened on the BBC until 2015.
Eleonor wrote on Twitter: "Errr dunno what I was expecting with ackley bridge but we know noth.ing will ever compare to Waterloo road."
Amy Louise agreed, adding: "Well Ackley Bridge is no Waterloo Road is it?"
Hols tweeted: "I'm not going to lie, i really bloomin' loved ackley bridge...i mean it ain't no waterloo road but i still really loved it."
