Educating Rita reprised her radio and Menier Chocolate Factory performance as Rita, and Frank was played by renowned actor Tim Pigott-Smith. Like the Willy Russell season at the Menier Chocolate Factory, the production ran in repertory alongside "Shirley Valentine" starring Meera Syal. A UK tour played in 2012, starring Claire Sweeney and Matthew Kelly as Rita and Frank respectively. A 35th anniversary production was staged at Liverpool Playhouse from 6 February to 7 March 2015, starring Leanne Best as Rita and Con O'Neill as Frank, directed by Gemma Bodinetz. The same year the Chichester Festival staged a production with Lenny Henry and
Educating Cardiff preparation for the programme she took advice from Johnny Mitchell, head of Thornhill Community Academy in "Educating Yorkshire". The first six weeks of production saw the documentary makers observing the school and "picking up stories". Filming began in October and lasted until Christmas. Educating Cardiff Educating Cardiff is the fourth series of the British documentary television programme "Educating" broadcast on Channel 4. The eight-episode series was broadcast from 25 August 2015 to 13 October 2015. The documentary follows previous installments in the "Educating..." series including the BAFTA Award-winning "Educating Essex" (2011), "Educating Yorkshire" (2013) and "Educating the East End" (2014).