Channel 4 has announced that filming on the upcoming fourth series of Ackley Bridge will pick up next month.

The acclaimed school-set drama is switching to a new 30-minute format for its new series, which will be stripped across a fortnight in an "earlier evening slot" in early 2021.

Filming was postponed from earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic but has now been cleared to start in Halifax in September with COVID-19 safety protocols in place on set.

C4 has also announced details of new cast and characters today, including:

- Robyn Cara as funny, mixed race pupil Kayla, torn between her white Mum's family and her traditional Pakistani Dad's family

- Yasmin Al Khudhair plays Kayla's best friend Fizza, a fiercely intelligent, fist-in-the-air firebrand

- Ryan Dean as Johnny, a cocky, good looking member of the traveller community who is deeply suspicious of school, and who catches the eye of both Kayla and Fizza.

- Carla Woodcock as Marina, Kayla's 'mean girl' sister

- Shobhit Piasa as Tahir, the smooth talking billy-liar nephew of Kaneez, whose salesman's patter hides a family secret