HOLLYWOOD star Robert Carlyle is in Bolton filming a major new drama for Sky.

Carlyle, best known for his work in Trainspotting, The Full Monty and as a villain in the James Bond film The World is Not Enough, plays the lead in the six-part series Cobra.

The Bolton News caught up with the besuited-Carlyle as he relaxed to Beatles music in his personal trailer parked-up on the site of the former Bolton Bus Station.

But the diminutive star, who played Hitler in the Emmy award-winning Hitler: The Rise of Evil, remained tight-lipped about the storyline.

The thriller revolves around the government’s emergency response committee and will be aired later this year.

One mystery that has been solved is the title of the series.

During the past few weeks passers-by have been puzzled about what would be filmed in the former BHS store on Victoria Square, which has been transformed to resemble a hospital.

Vans carrying filming equipment arrived in Victoria Square on Monday morning and filming will go on until Wednesday. Catering stations and dressing rooms are based at the car park.

“I want to meet Robert Carlyle, I want my photo taken with him,” said an exciteable Sophie Barnes, 18.

“I was only watching Trainspotting the other night!”

Paul Gleaves, 37, said: “I’ve been wondering what was going on with all these vans. It’s going to be weird seeing Bolton on television.”

William Whittaker, 44, said the arrival of the film crew was “absolutely brilliant”.

“It’s going to give the image of Bolton a huge boost.”

The Cobra crew arrived hot on the heels of Red television production company who were in town last Thursday filming a political thriller called Years and Years, which will star Dame Emma Thompson.

Scenes were shot outside the town hall in Le Mans Crescent and in Odessa Cafe in Exchange Street.

Cafe owner, Alex McVey said: “It was interesting seeing how many people were involved in just one simple scene.

“I saw the script but I didn’t recognise any of the actors’ names. The scene involved a man and a woman having a quiet chat sat at one of our tables, but I didn’t recognise them in the flesh either.”

Mr McVey, who closed his café last Thursday afternoon when the scene was being shot, said: “They bought actors to play café staff. I was quite disappointed because I fancied being an extra. I’d even put on my best apron specially.”