BAFTA star to head cast of new film based on songs of Take That set in Clitheroe

Aisling Bea, of This Way Up and Hard Sun fame, who won the 2020 BAFTA Television Craft Award for Breakthrough Talent, will star in the feelgood movie 'Greatest Days.'

'Greatest Days' will be filmed at various locations in Clitheroe and the surrounding countryside from April 4th to 13th, with a big song and dance number at Clitheroe Castle, followed by shoots in London and Athens.

Aisling is a classical-trained, award-winning actor, writer and comedian known for the recent Home Alone reboot Home Sweet, Home Alone on Disney Plus, the Netflix series Living with Yourself and her own Channel 4 and Hulu show This Way Up, for which she won a BAFTA in 2020.

Aisling said: “After two years of a pandemic, I am ready to Relight My Fire and get singing and dancing in this feelgood joy-fest of a movie.

“I have long waited for Take That to know who I am. I've played the long game, but feel like I am now so close. My dream is for them to ask me to sing the Lulu solo on stage, so I hope they read this quote and ‘take that’ into consideration!”

The rest of the cast includes Alice Lowe (Black Mirror, Sightseers), Jayde Adams (Serious Black Jumper, Alma’s Not Normal), Amaka Okafor (The Responder, The Split), Marc Wootton (Nativity), Lara McDonnell (Belfast), Jessie Mae Alonso (Little Joe), Nandi Hudson (Army of Thieves, The Nest). Carragon Guest and Eliza Dobson will also star in the film,

The film’s ’boy band’ will feature Aaron Bryan, Dalvin Cory, Joshua Jung, Mark Samaras and Mervin Noronha.

The film is based on stage musical, The Band by top writer Tim Firth, about a group of women who reunite after 25 years to see their favourite band.

The film will feature 16 of Take That’s greatest hits, including Greatest Day, Patience, Back for Good, A Million Love Songs and Shine.

'Greatest Days', described as ‘a feelgood universal story of love and friendship’, will introduce five schoolgirls – Rachel, Heather, Zoe, Claire and Debbie – who live in Clitheroe and have the night of their lives at a concert featuring their favourite boyband.

Twenty-five years later their lives have changed in a myriad of ways, as they reunite to reminisce about their past.

Ribble Valley Borough Council leader Stephen Atkinson said: “We are delighted that Greatest Days is to be filmed in Clitheroe.

“The last two years have been the most challenging the borough has ever faced and this film is just the tonic we need as we move into the post-pandemic period.

“Aisling and the film’s fantastic cast and crew can be assured of a warm Ribble Valley welcome.”

Greatest Days will be directed by multi-BAFTA-winning Coky Giedroyc and writer Tim is no stranger to Clitheroe – he holidayed in the town as a child.

Producer Danny Perkins added: “Greatest Days is a film about people coming together, with nostalgia, friendship and joy the beating heart of this universal story.

“This feelgood movie will resonate with audiences worldwide”