Creator, writer and executive producer Amit Dhand was passionate about showcasing Bradford’s unique character through the story

Based on the books by AA Dhand, BBC One drama Virdee centres on Bradford detective Harry Virdee, who must hunt down a killer targeting the Asian community; Dhand himself adapted the novels for television.

Filming for Virdee took place across various locations in Bradford when production commenced in November last year; it is the first HETV crime drama to be set and filmed in the city. 

Dhand took a hands-on approach as both creator and executive producer, ensuring that the city was not just a backdrop but a vital character within the series.

Dhand shared: “I selected most of the locations used in the series because I wanted to show my city off! I wanted to show the contrast between old Bradford and new Bradford. I was trying to choose locations that fed into the story which had an emotional backdrop to them that could mirror what was happening on screen.”

As a proud Bradfordian, Dhand emphasised the importance of involving local talent and crew in the production, saying: “From the infancy of the show, we said that we wanted to have local people involved, to curate, develop and nurture local talent and create opportunities for them to enter this industry.”

To this end, the production company Magical Society collaborated with Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Screen Yorkshire and the BBC to create Screen Academy Bradford, that offers a series of training schemes and employment routes for entrants into the industry. 

Staz Nair, who plays the eponymous Virdee, enthused about the city: “Bradford was so welcoming, and everyone was so excited to part of it and understand what was going on, so I think that really inspired us all to continually put everything into it”

Virdee is a Magical Society production for BBC One, made in association with Screen Yorkshire. The 6 x 60’ drama is directed by Mark Tonderai, Milad Alami and Mo Ali; it is executive produced by Paul Trijbits for Magical Society, Dhand, and Jo McClellan for the BBC. Stella Nwimo and Himesh Kar serve as the producers.

Since August, Production Intelligence subscribers have had access to further details about the series, including the prep and shoot dates and contact points. To request a free walkaround of the site, click here.

You can watch the trailer for Virdee below; the series airs on BBC One from 10 February.