IT'S not difficult to see why Bolton School often lands a starring role in leading film and television productions.

The grand facade is a spectacular local landmark and is proving to be perfect location and backdrop­— with filming have taken place at the Chorley New Road school recently.

And the money made out of the "school set" goes to fund places for bright children who may otherwise may not be able to benefit from the outstanding education provided.

Adele Hughes, who coordinates the hiring out of school premises, said: “We do seem to be on a good streak at the moment. The word about Bolton School being a great location for filming seems to have filtered out to various film companies and their location managers. This week we have just filmed some scenes for a new Netflix series called The Stranger with Richard Armitage and for a forthcoming Channel 4/Netflix comedy. We are also involved in some exciting negotiations over hiring out the premises this summer.

“We are lucky to have such spectacular buildings and visitors often say how it feels like they are on the set of Hogwarts. In fact, thinking about it, the school was even transformed into Hogwarts for an episode of Don’t Tell the Bride! All the money that we make – along with revenues from hiring out our premises and services for weddings – is ploughed back into the School’s bursary fund which enables many pupils to study for free here.”

The school's credits include a recent Last Tango in Halifax as the school where Sarah Lancashire is headmistress, he school of choice for James Nesbitt’s son in Cold Feet, a series co-produced by former pupil Deanne Cunningham.

In recent years, the school has also featured in Bancroft, Our Girl with Michelle Keegan, in CBBC’s Creeped Out, in a Gambleaware advertisement and in the film Mark of Cain; previous to that it was used in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. And it has recently been featured in Scottish Widows advertisement.

Location shoots have so far taken place in the Great Halls, heads’ studies, on the sports fields, on the corridors, in the classrooms and laboratories, in the Arts Centre, in the Oxbridge-like quadrangles, on the headmaster’s lawn, in the sports Hall, the sixth form centre and on the memorial staircase.

And the school itself has produced a good number of well-known actors and tv personalities including Sir Ian McKellen, Mark Radcliffe, Carol Klein and Ralf Little.