Following the Manchester Arena bombing , the first episode was re-edited prior to airing as there were scenes showing " a troubled student strap a fake bomb to himself in order to disrupt the merging of a predominantly white and a predominantly Asian school . " A spokesperson said " In light of the tragic events in Manchester , the first episode of forthcoming drama series Ackley Bridge is being re-edited . " Ahead of the first series premiere , additional content from the show was shared on Snapchat for " high school age characters to tell their stories in the way young people are " to introduce the characters . Further episodes will " be subsidised with additional videos that will help build the world outside of the allocated TV broadcast . " The cast , main and supporting , are a mix of experienced and trained actors , as well as street cast actors . Former '' EastEnders '' actors Jo Joyner and Paul Nicholls received the parts of married couple Mandy Carter , the headteacher of Ackley Bridge College and Steve Bell , a PE teacher . Joyner describes Mandy as " career driven " , who has " worked so hard over the years to get to the level she 's at . " Joyner adds she likes the fact her character is not interested in having children . Despite her character being " organised and driven in her business life ... she ’s not at all organised or in control at home . " Amy-Leigh Hickman , known for playing Carmen Howle in '' Tracy Beaker Returns '' and '' The Dumping Ground '' , plays Nasreen Paracha , daughter of Kaneez , who she describes as a " quieter and tamer " student , as well as " intelligent " , but " ballsy . " She felt comfortable acting scenes with Poppy Lee Friar , best known for playing Eve in '' Eve '' , who plays best friend Missy , due to having a friendship in real life . Friar says she loves portraying Missy , who she describes as " sassy , saucy and a survivor . " Television newcomers Nazmeen Kausar Hussain and Esa Ashraf play Razia and Saleem Paracha , Kaneez 's two other children . Maariah Hussain and Sam Bottomley , both students at Yorkshire School of Acting in Bradford , were cast as Alya Nawaz and Jordan Wilson respectively . Hussain described her character as " super intelligent , fiercely righteous , and a bit of a mean girl " , who is also " insecure as any teenage girl " but " has ambitions to run her own business , like her father , but struggles to make him see she 's capable of it . " Jordan is billed as " badly behaved and not fazed by getting into trouble " , however " he 's bright and a talented artist , but thinks school is pointless . " Matt Zina , principal of Hussain and Bottomley 's acting school said '' Ackley Bridge '' is Hussain 's first role and " she has taken to it like a duck to water . She has loved being part of a major TV series and was excited to be working with some of the big-name actors involved " and he called Bottomley an " exciting young actor . " Cody Ryan got the part of Hayley Booth through an acting workshop at her school , Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College , which was run by Beverley Keogh casting agency . Students from Trinity Academy , North Halifax Grammar School , The Crossley Heath School and Calderdale College feature in the series
Manchester Arena bombing
Manchester Arena bombing
Ackley Bridge