IT’S the TV show that has got everyone talking – and more than 80 youngsters from the Bradford district were involved in filming it.

Gentleman Jack, Sally Wainwright’s sparky period drama starring Suranne Jones as Halifax landowner Anne Lister, is a hit with viewers and critics and, as reported in the Telegraph & Argus this week, has given local tourism a huge boost.

The BBC/HBO series was partly filmed in Little Germany and Saltaire last summer, and children from Bradford-based Articulate Speech, Drama & Casting landed roles in it.

Stacey Burrows, principal and founder of Articulate, said: “Some of the children were cast in speaking roles after several auditions took place in spring last year, before filming commenced, with writer and director Sally Wainwright playing a large role in the casting process.”

Dexter Hughes, nine, plays little Henry Hardcastle, who was dramatically thrown off a horse-drawn gig in the first episode. Henry’s mother is played by Bradford actress Natalie Gavin. In episode two, shown this week, he boldly asks Anne Lister: “Are you a man?” leaving her struggling for words.

“I had a scene with Suranne Jones when she’s talking to the Hardcastles about the crash. She was really nice and asked me questions about my life and told me about her son, who was only two,” said Dexter. “Sally Wainwright talked to me about Henry’s character and gave me lots of direction when I was on the carriage. I got on really well with Joel Morris who plays my dad – we talked a lot about Star Wars. It was funny meeting Rochelle, who was my stunt double. She had the same outfit on as me so I knew who she was straight away!”

Five-year-old Rocco Haynes, who plays Billy Hardcastle, also had a scene with Suranne Jones. Said Stacey: “He said ‘We’re ‘fettlin’ cart’ in a scene taking place on the family farm. The delivery of the line had everyone in stitches, with Anne Choma, who de-coded Anne Lister’s diaries, telling Twitter followers, it was one of her favourite lines!”

Rocco added: “Gentleman Jack is set in the olden days when people didn’t have electricity. We played games and sang songs in between filming, which was funny. I really liked getting to stroke some of the animals used on the show and meeting the horses who are huge!”

Tilly Kaye, seven, plays Amy Sowden, daughter of Sam Sowden, played by Anthony Flanagan, a volatile tenant pig farmer on Anne Lister’s land, who resents authority, especially from a woman.

Tilly revealed she was in two ‘bloopers’ during filming. “In one scene, I accidentally said the wrong line, which used a naughty word. It was an easy mistake as it was the original line from my audition but it got changed. Everyone found it funny,” she said. “There was another scene where I had to walk quickly with pig feed in a bucket and I fell over but I was absolutely fine and found it funny.

“One really interesting thing is how every scene is filmed from two, three or four different angles, but it takes time as the cameras all have to be re-set for every different angle then the actors go through the scene again for as many takes as required. Before I learned this , I thought all the cameras would film at the same time but then realised other cameras would be in shot if this happened. It’s weird how you just take stuff for granted when you’re watching stuff on TV.”

Added Tilly: “I loved filming with the pigs. Over the weeks I filmed I watched them grow from piglets into full size pigs. I even named them all.”

Mazie McDonagh, 11, plays cheeky Charlotte Booth, daughter of kindly widower John Booth, Anne’s outdoor servant at Shibden. Mazie’s character is seen in the show teasing her father about re-marrying as they sit around the kitchen table. She’s later seen running through the Shibden landscape and delivering a note to Anne Lister.

“Mazie’s ability to learn lines quickly is very notable, as is her natural delivery,” said Stacey. “She has previously done support artist work; Gentleman Jack was Mazie’s first speaking role, and we’re sure it’s the first of more to come.

“Over 80 Articulate children and teens from Bingley, Eldwick, Keighley, Shipley, Wrose, Ilkley, Menston, Baildon, Queensbury, Saltaire and Bradford were involved in Gentleman Jack. Sometimes our children have to travel a long way when working on TV and film productions, but filming taking place on our very doorstep is thrilling.”

Set in Halifax in 1832, Gentleman Jack has a star-studded cast including Timothy West, Gemma Jones, Peter Davison, Sophie Rundle, Stephanie Cole and Jodhi May. A second series has been commissioned.

The eight-part series began in America ahead of the UK, and is drawing tourism from across the Atlantic to Shibden Hall – where visitor numbers are up by 700 per cent – and other locations.