AN ANDOVER school has been used as a filming location for an upcoming BBC series, written by Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat and starring David Tennant and Stanley Tucci.

On Tuesday and Wednesday (October 5 and 6), John Hanson Community School welcomed a film crew from Hartswood Film Studios- the makers of Sherlock and the BBC dramatisation of Dracula - so they could use one of its stair wells to film a scene for a new four-part Netflix drama entitled Inside Man.

Headteacher Russell Stevens said: “While this all happened after the end of the school day, it did generate much excitement amongst those students staying for extracurricular activities and from the staff in the humanities subjects when they realised their store cupboard had been transformed into the entrance to some flats!”

He continued: “I now have a much better understanding of why popular drama and film costs so much to make – the film crew was well over 40 people in size.

“Putting all the excitement of knowing John Hanson will appear on the silver screen at some point in the future aside, the best outcome of hosting the film crew is that the film studio has agreed to come to our Careers Fair next year to talk about the wealth of opportunities in the industry and also offer one or more students the opportunity of work experience in Year 11.”

David Tennant, Stanley Tucci, Lydia West and Dolly Wells feature in the cast of Steven Moffat’s new drama.

The four-part BBC mini-series follows a prisoner on death row in the US, a vicar in a quiet English town, and a maths teacher trapped in a cellar, as they cross paths in the most unexpected way.

The show marks a reunion for former Doctor Who writer Moffat and actor Tennant, as well as with Dracula actresses West and Wells, while Sherlock director Paul McGuigan will helm the series.

Moffat and wife Sue Vertue, executive producer for Hartswood Films, said in a joint statement: “We’re a bit stunned, and very excited, at the acting talent we’re managing to assemble for this show.

“Can’t wait to crawl out of our lockdown bunker and get to work.”

Piers Wenger, director of BBC drama, said: “BBC One viewers will already know the television magic created when Steven Moffat writes for David, Dolly and Lydia.

“With the fantastic Stanley Tucci alongside them as our Inside Man, everything is in place for a series that will have the nation gripped.”

The series will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and on Netflix outside the UK and Ireland.