A Ripon teenager who attends a Harrogate drama school has landed a major role in a a children’s TV series.

Evie Elgie, 17, who studies at Articulate Drama School, had only done two auditions before and said she was surprised to get the part on the CBBC series.

The show, A Kind of Spark, follows the story of an autistic girl, Addie, who wants to create a memorial for women put on trial for witchcraft in her village. Addie believes many of the women condemned as witches were also autistic.

Evie plays the role of Addie’s 11-year-old best friend Jenna, who struggles with how being friends with an autistic girl affects her image at school.

A Kind of Spark is based on the award-winning novel of the same name by Elle McNicoll.

Evie Elgin (left) playing Jenna. Pic: BBC/9 Story Media Group

Talking about her experience on set, Evie said:

“It was fantastic! I filmed in Manchester for 11 weeks between August and October 2022, just after completing my GCSE exams.”

“The cast and crew were all great and I loved working with them all. It was a very friendly welcoming atmosphere.”

Evie added:

“I’ve wanted to be an actress since I was 10 years old so this was such an amazing opportunity.”

Evie has been attending weekly acting classes at the drama school in Harrogate, which trains and finds filming opportunities for child actors in the area.

The school has helped secure roles for their performers on programmes such as Gentleman Jack, All Creatures Great and Small, Waterloo Road and A Gentleman in Moscow.

A Kind of Spark is available on CBBC and BBC iPlayer.

Read more

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• Harrogate Ladies’ College opens new theatre

Comedian and presenter Hugh Dennis will be on TV revealing the archaeological secrets of a lost mansion at Studley Royal on Thursday (June 22). 

The Great British Dig episode, which was filmed over five days last September in the deer park next to Fountains Abbey, follows the show’s resident experts as they learn more about a mansion that stood there until 1946, when it burned down.  

The gutted house was demolished, and it was only years later, during Storm Arwen in 2021, that a tree on the site of the former mansion was blown down and its roots exposed some interesting masonry. 

The episode Studley Royal – the Missing Georgian Mansion will be aired for the first time on Thursday, June 22 at 9pm on More 4. 

Mark Newman, National Trust archaeologist, said: 

“There has been National Trust archaeological research at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal for 37 years, but no matter how much we discover there always seems to be more to find. It’s a rare and exciting opportunity to have a programme like The Great British Dig getting involved with our archaeological research. Understanding the detailed history of our properties, and the archaeological riches they conceal, is undoubtedly a ‘long game’. 

“The discoveries we made were extremely exciting and moved on our understanding of a number of Studley Royal’s mysteries considerably. We really look forward to them being revealed on air on 22 June, and to further explorations that will no doubt tell us even more.” 

The Studley Royal episode is followed on Thursday, June 29 at 9pm by The Great British Dig at National Trust Cherryburn in Northumberland, The Birthplace of a Celebrity Illustrator. 

The Great British Dig presenter Hugh Dennis, whose father John was Bishop of Knaresborough from 1979 to 1986, said: 

“It was a genuine treat to be able to dig at not just one, but two National Trust properties at Studley Royal and Cherryburn. We unearthed some amazing finds, met some great volunteer staff who were more than happy to get their hands dirty, and ate our fair share of scones too.” 

Read more:

• Repairs planned for listed weir at risk of collapse at Studley Royal
• National Trust plans major £3.6m building project at Fountains Abbey
• Studley Royal’s slavery links revealed in report

The son of the police officer who lead the investigation in to Dennis Nilsen is running this year’s London marathon for the Harrogate Police Treatment Centre.

Simon Jay is the son of DCI Peter Jay, who is currently being portrayed by actor Danny Mays on ITV’s drama Des.

The programme, whose last episode aired last night, follows the police investigation into the London serial killer which resulted in a life sentence for six counts of murder and two of attempted murder.

Simon speaks of his father as his “hero” and says seeing him on the screen is “strange”. Peter Jay died only a few months before the ITV researchers contacted him, and since then Simon has met them to offer his father’s files and information on the case.

After suffering with his own mental ill health, Simon works within that sector and closely with the Police Treatment Centres charity.

Simon said:

“It’s very strange – he’s always been my hero so it’s nice for everyone else to see him like that – it makes me very proud.

“It took five years to research – although it’s a drama it does tell the story as it would have happened. The only difference is that he wouldn’t have been scared of anything at the crime scene, but it’s to get the drama across.

“He was a little more assertive and would always take control, when Danny says, ‘He gets away with nothing’, that was Dad all over.

“I think he’d have been quite embarrassed by the show, but he would have liked that all the officers were highlighted rather than just him. To him it was just a job.”

Simon, with his mum Linda and dad Peter three months before he passed away.

Simon is running this year’s virtual marathon in aid of the Police Treatment Centres, including its service on Harlow Moor Road in harrogate. The charity treats around 4,000 police family patients each year from across the country, offering support for physical and psychological injuries.

He added:

“I was blown away by their dedication to police officers. They are so passionate and I knew they needed more support and I wanted to help.”

To support Simon, click here.

A spokesperson for the Police Treatment Centres said:

“We are delighted that Simon is taking part in the Virtual London Marathon in aid of The Police Treatment Centres. Simon has worked alongside us for some time now to facilitate a roll-out of the Thrive mental health app for our patients.

“As a charity, we rely heavily on donations. Whilst we had to close our residential facilities during the pandemic, we lost income. Fundraisers like Simon play a key role in raising the funds we need to ensure we are there for future generations of the police family.”