A two-part drama, partly filmed in Ilkley, starring Billie Piper and Sue Johnston starts on BBC1 tonight.

A Passionate Woman, written and co-directed by Kay Mellor, is about a young wife and mother, Betty Stevenson, who falls in love with her Polish neighbour. The affair returns to haunt her 30 years later.

Filming took place last autumn at locations including King’s Hall, Ilkley, and St Luke’s Hospital, Bradford.

The cast also includes Alun Armstrong, Frances Barber and Bradford actors Andrew Lee Potts, John Duttine, Anthony Lewis and Rachel Leskovac.

The crew included Skipton set designer Grant Montgomery and Bingley hair and make-up artist Adele Firth.

Regional film agency Screen Yorkshire invested £250,000 and provided locations and crewing support.

The action is set in the 1950s and 1980s, when Betty looks back on her passionate affair. Billie Piper plays the young Betty and Sue Johnston plays the older version.

Real-life events inspired Kay Mellor to write A Passionate Woman, which started as a play 20 years ago.

“My mum and I were washing-up one day when she confided in me she’d had an affair before I was born,” said Kay. “It ended when her lover was killed. She’d kept it secret for 30 years and still loved this man.”

Billie revealed she is a fan of Kay’s 1990s TV series Band of Gold, filmed in Bradford. “It was my favourite show and one of the reasons I wanted to start acting,” she said. “I’ve always loved Kay’s work. With A Passionate Woman, it must have been emotional for her to watch this story played out.

“I felt profoundly moved by it. I’ve just had my first child and my marriage is young, it’s a testing time. I think Kay was reluctant to cast me – I begged for an audition. I felt confident with the accent but I’m sure that will be up for discussion! It was a tough job – lots of crying and screaming but well worth it.”

A Passionate Woman starts tonight on BBC1 at 9pm.