Riot Women to return to screens for second series

All episodes of Riot Women are available on BBC iPlayer

The BBC has confirmed that West Yorkshire-based drama Riot Women will return for a second season.

Written by Huddersfield-born Sally Wainwright, the show follows five menopausal women who have come together to form a punk rock band to take part in a local talent contest.

Filmed in and around Hebden Bridge, the programme first aired on BBC iPlayer in October and concluded its weekly run on Sunday.

Multi-BAFTA award winner Wainwright said: "We've all been so deeply moved by the huge, overwhelming, joyous, emotional response to series one, and now we're able to take the Riot Women extravaganza onto the next level."

The show's first episode received 5.4 million viewers in 28 days.

The second series will show what comes next for the band following the dramatic turn of events in the final episode.

Wainwright is best known for her dramas Happy Valley, Gentleman Jack, Last Tango in Halifax, and film To Walk Invisible, all filmed in and around Yorkshire.

Riot Women, starring Joanna Scanlan, Rosalie Craig, Lorraine Ashbourne, Tamsin Greig and Amelia Bullmore, was also filmed in the region

Among the locations featured in the show were Calder Holmes Park and The Albert Pub in Hebden Bridge, Calderdale Royal Hospital, Holdsworth House and The Old Cock pub in Halifax, St Michael's Church Hall in Mytholmroyd and Nanholme Mill in Todmorden.

'Many stories yet to tell'

Roanna Benn, executive producer for Drama Republic, said: "We are bowled over by how hugely audiences have loved and resonated with Sally's brilliant characters and stories and by the rightful praise for the phenomenal actors who have each made their character so much their own.

"We have so many stories yet to tell for them and we cannot wait to get started."

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, added: "Riot Women has resonated with millions of BBC viewers, so I'm over the moon that we get to go again."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.