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University features in new BBC drama

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The University of Bradford features in upcoming BBC drama, Better, which starts on Monday, 13 February.

Promotional picture for new BBC drama

Many of the scenes in the new five-part thriller were shot on campus, including inside the glass-roofed Atrium, in Richmond Building, a meeting room in Student Central and several areas in Horton A Building, where the Faculty of Health Studies is based. The cast and crew also used the visitors' car park on Richmond Road. 

TV and filmmaking students and graduates also found paid work behind-the-scenes on the production, mainly as marshalls.  

Better, by SISTER productions and the writers behind TV hits Humans and Spooks, explores themes of loyalty, family and morality and centres on two characters who struck a life-changing deal 19 years ago. 

It stars Leila Farzad, who previously appeared in Sky Atlantic’s I Hate Suzie, as DCI Lou Slack, and Broadchurch actor Andrew Buchan, as Col McHugh. The series was filmed in Bradford and Leeds in Spring 2022. 

Donnie Horvath, who graduated with an MA Filmmaking from the University of Bradford in 2020, worked in the locations team.

He said: “Working on Better as my first drama experience was amazing. I couldn’t have wished for ‘Better.’ The locations team really welcomed me, I learned a lot about how a film production works and I got to peek into every department, which was really useful and exciting.”

Filming locations in and around Bradford are arranged through the Bradford UNESCO City of Film, based at the University. 

Director David Wilson said: “The Bradford Film Office supported the BBC production of Better by providing a range of Bradford locations. We were delighted that the production chose to use several locations on campus and the wider opportunities this brought for students and graduates to get hands-on experience working on this exciting project. 

“There are so many locations within the campus footprint which would work well for film and TV and we look forward to seeing the finished results on TV.”

  • Better starts on Monday, 13 February on BBC One at 9pm, with episodes airing weekly. The series will also be available to stream as a boxset on iPlayer.