By Rebecca Cook

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Over a decade after he brought Educating Yorkshire viewers to tears, Musharaf Asghar is set to return to his school in scenes on the Channel 4 reboot of the show tonight.

As a former pupil at Thornhill Community Academy in Dewsbury, Musharaf became one of the breakout stars of the fly-on-the-wall documentary in 2013.

The show captured the moving moment when English teacher Matthew Burton helped Musharaf overcome a stammer to recite a poem for his GCSEs.

Mr Burton, who has since been promoted to head teacher at the West Yorkshire school, had Musharaf listen to music on headphones while he was speaking, so he couldn’t hear himself and could speak fluently.

In the return of the documentary that first aired in 2013, viewers will see Musharaf return to the school, amid a rise in anxiety amongst the Year 11 students, who are months from their own GCSEs.

Recalling the famous moment with Musharaf, Mr Burton tells the cameras: ‘It was just a random Tuesday afternoon. We were having a bit of a practice of speaking, listening, just trying a few things out.

In 2013, Musharaf became one of the show’s breakout stars (Picture: Channel 4)

Musharaf is now a journalist and a keynote speaker (Picture: Channel 4)

‘I think at that point we were going through a phase of him trying to tap the words out and get a rhythm going, but the massive game changer was putting the headphones on and putting some music on.

‘I remember just being absolutely blown away, completely and utterly blown away.

‘I’ve invited him back to speak to Year 11, to give them that bit of inspiration. That, “I was here. I was sitting in the seat you’re sitting in. I struggled with particular things, but showed that determination, that resilience, and look where I am now”.’

Musharaf, 29, now a journalist and a keynote speaker, is then seen delivering a speech to the students in their auditorium.

English teacher Matthew Burton helped him overcome a stammer (Picture: Channel 4)

‘It was one of the best moments I could ever have or live’ (Picture: Channel 4)

‘My journey also began in this school,’ he tells the seated teens, ‘and I remember one day I realised that there was something wrong, and that wrong was that I couldn’t get these words out.

‘After visiting the doctor’s surgery, I got told I couldn’t ever speak fluently, ever again.’

He then jokes: ‘Any job that I applied for, and of course, being Asian, it was either being a doctor or a pharmacist. I thought, well, I can’t do either.

Mr Burton is now the head teacher at the school (Picture: Channel 4)

‘I thought, if I couldn’t get these words out, I couldn’t achieve anything at all in life.

‘Being in that classroom and having a teacher that put all that time and effort in making sure that you can speak and finally getting those words out, it was one of the best moments I could ever have or live.

‘I guess for me, it was having a friend who was in my corner, having a person that really pushed me and believed in me. And I realised that if I actually put the time and the effort in, I can get these words out,’ he concludes, to a huge applause from the students in the room.

Educating Yorkshire airs at 8pm on Channel 4 on Sunday.

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