Bradford's Capital of Culture bid is in the spotlight this week, with two television crews filming the district for a nationwide audience.

A crew from Channel Four was in town yesterday filming Bradford TV presenter Richard Whiteley touring attractions, including Salts Mill and the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.

The film will be shown as part of a series on the top five contenders for the battle to be European Capital of Culture 2008.

For producer and director Damian Steward, pictured with Richard Whiteley, the Bradford shoot will be a trip back to his home town.

"I grew up in the Undercliffe and Shipley areas so I know the district well," he said.

"The cities I chose for the films are, according to the bookies, the top contenders. They are Bradford, Liverpool, Newcastle, Belfast, and Cardiff - and possibly Birmingham.

"The idea is to show some of the attractions each place has to offer and what their bid campaigns are all about.

"Because I'm filming other places as well as Bradford, I have to be neutral in my opinion. But I think Bradford has a pretty good chance of winning the title - and a lot of other people do too."

The film will show Richard Whiteley - a big supporter of Bradford's culture bid - enjoying lunch at new city centre restaurant Brass and visiting places of interest around the district, including a site from his childhood.

"We'll be visiting the site of a mill which was owned by Richard's family - Whiteley's Mill in Eccleshill," said Damian. "We're filming today then we're back on Thursday to film at Cartwright Hall, taking in the Moghul Gardens at Lister Park; Shipley Glen and hopefully the Kashmir - that's my own personal choice!"

The programme will be shown on Channel Four breakfast show RI:SE when the Capital of Culture shortlist is announced this autumn. The other films will cover Newcastle, fronted by Inspector Morse actor Kevin Whateley; Liverpool, with Royle Family actor Ricky Tomlinson; and Belfast with Cold Feet actor James Nesbitt. The Cardiff and Birmingham celebrities have yet to be arranged - but Damian hopes to enlist singer Tom Jones (Cardiff) and comic Lennie Henry (Birmingham).

As reported in the Telegraph & Argus yesterday, a BBC crew is also in Bradford this week filming for youth programme Xchange.

Young people are being filmed visiting attractions and talking about why they are proud of their district and why it should be Capital of Culture.

Today the cameras were due at Gareth Gates's former school, Dixons City Technology College, and tomorrow they will film Bradford Bulls players meeting youngsters in Centenary Square.