Filming in Bolton has given local actor his big break

And one actor who has had numerous parts in shows filmed in the borough, is Ashif Ashik, 37, from Great Lever.

Ash picked acting up three years ago after a long break in his adult years while he worked as an accomplished boxing coach.

Since then, Ash has starred in A Gentleman In Moscow, which came to Bolton’s Victoria Square with Hollywood star Ewan McGregor, and in which Ash has a small line to say on the "snow" set in "Moscow".

Ash has also had parts in shows which filmed in Bolton including Ridley, Alma’s Not Normal, Toxic Town, Sleepover, The Full Monty and Domino Day.

He also filmed for After The Floods, Sherwood, Kidnapped, We Are Not Alone, Coronation Street, and Sugar Daddy.

He said: “A Gentleman in Moscow was different than the others because it was a much bigger production and that means you get looked after a lot more.

“It might be silly to some people, but the food and drinks are better, and I managed to get a featured role with a couple of lines and a little bit of interaction with Ewan McGregor and you know it was a nice experience being treated like a VIP.”

Last year, Ash also starred in award-winning comedy We Are Not Alone, an alien action comedy on Dave, in which he played a member of the anti-alien alliance and said this was one of his favourite shows to film.

He said: “Another favourite is one of the first main roles I did 10 years ago, playing Mohammed Yusuf in, In The End, which did really well on TV in Spain and Australia.

“I bump into people from the cast and crew now and it’s nice to catch up with them.”

Bolton’s Le Mans Crescent is a hotspot for film crews with Peaky Blinders having filmed scenes there, and It’s A Sin to name a few.

Ash said: “Bolton is a unique town, it’s a hidden gem, diverse, and we have some amazing architecture like the town hall and churches.

“We do have a lot of green spaces as well, so I think you can turn it into Moscow easily.

“They could film the next Batman here, we’ve got the right space for it in Le Mans Crescent.”

Ash loves Bolton so much he has even managed to bring a production to Bolton, called The City is Ours, a show based in the North West with 12 episodes.

He said: "It’s good for Bolton because when people see it, they will recognise the places.

"I have a supporting role in it and ended up becoming an executive director, so it has been a fantastic journey to be in front and behind the camera and bring something new to the town."

Ash plays an older drug dealer in the show, set in the fictional city of Redburn and is to do with gangs, crime, and disaffected youth.

The show filmed in places such as the Amir Khan Academy, and outside the town centre offices and will be ready for distribution later next year.

Speaking about what it was like working with Ewan McGregor and being in a scene with him, Ash said: “I was next to Ewan McGregor having a brew and just talking to him normally, asking for sugar and things without realising it was him.

“When they introduced me to him, I had already sat with him and had coffee and sometimes it just goes over me and I don’t easily get star struck.

“They appreciate too as they have fans and media in their face all the time so they like meeting neutral people too.”

Ash knew he wanted to be on stage when he was a child and when he went to secondary school. He decided to study drama at school before going to drama and theatre schools in Manchester and London.

An aspiring actor at the time, Ash continued with his studies and got into youth work and boxing. He is now also a boxing coach for professional athletes at the Round4Round X Amir Khan Academy.

Since 2020, Ash has been back acting on screens and balances it with being a boxing coach.

He said: “We took our first pro boxer to his fight recently and I was in his corner, so I have been busy with that too, but since he is now on a break, I have been getting in as much filming as possible before Christmas.”

Ash puts his good smile, good network and an amazing agent down to the reason he gets so many parts on shows.

Currently, Ash is starring in various small roles on Coronation Street as a doctor or a nurse and is excited for the future of his acting career.

He said: “It’s been quite fun with a lot of interaction with the main crew and a lot of the cast are remembering me now so it’s a nice feeling.

“I would love to star in a big movie as a main role, but you never know what life holds.

“I’ll stay acting and coaching and it just depends what comes along next.”