YORK Theatre Royal is to star in a BBC documentary about its £4.1 million redevelopment and huge community production, In Fog and Falling Snow.

The programme, narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi, is being shown next month as part of the BBC’s On Stage series, which celebrates Britain's theatre talent, from world-class actors to cutting-edge regional theatre.

For several months, cameras were granted privileged access to all areas of the theatre site as the massive project - pictured here - has been taking place.

They recorded the discovery of the remains of St Leonard’s Hospital under the site, and staff from the theatre, construction company William Birch & Sons Ltd and York Archaeological Trust were interviewed.

Theatre spokeswoman Abbigail Ollive said the programme would be an 'amazing' opportunity for people to see ‘behind the hoardings’ of the redevelopment project.

"With the theatre being covered in scaffolding, we get asked all the time about what is going on in the building and we’re really pleased to be able to show everyone what has been happening," she said.

"We only have £65,000 left to raise in our fundraising appeal and we hope that seeing this programme might spur people on to make a donation and help us to reach our target."

Also captured on film was footage from backstage at In Fog and Falling Snow, which took place at The Signal Box Theatre and in and around the collection at the National Railway Museum.

A theatre spokesman said that since filming concluded in September, work had progressed rapidly with the 'exciting' new layout of the auditorium and front of house areas taking shape.

"Where walls had been coming down, they are now going up again in new configurations, showing how open and spacious the box office, café and restaurant areas will be and the intimacy of the stalls with their new sightlines," he said.

"A massive skeleton of scaffolding known on site as ‘the birdcage’ has been erected in the auditorium in order for work to be carried out on the delicate and intricate plasterwork and decorations. Carpenters have also been busy installing the new tiered seating in the Dress Circle and Gallery."

The pantomime Dick Whittington and his meerkat, will be taking place at The Signal Box Theatre from December 10 – January 24, with the theatre due to re-open next spring.

*The York documentary will be screened at 7.30pm on Monday November 9 on BBC One in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and will be repeated nationally at 7.30pm on Tuesday November 17 on BBC Four, and will also be available on BBC iPlayer.