Waterloo Road actress Angela Griffin has reflected on the one reason she decided to return to the BBC programme.
Viewers will be familiar with her character, Kim Campbell, for her soft and caring nature, having been a firm fan favourite between 2006 and 2007 when she left.
However, Angela returned to the show between 2009 and 2010 before taking a 13-year-long hiatus after the school moved from Rochdale to Scotland.
Now, the Leeds-born actress is reprising her role with a major difference and revealed that this was the only reason she made the decision to return after being approached by Cameron Roach.
The former Head of Pastoral Care has stepped into the role of Headteacher, which Angela says instantly assisted her decision.
Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, the 46-year-old said: "That's why I came back because she's changed, she's evolved. She's not Kim of old.
"It's boring to play the same character, there's only a certain amount of kids you can help with their teen pregnancies, it's other people to come and fill that role.
"When it was pitched to me that she had gone down the managerial route, there's an absolute reason why she has seemingly really changed, which comes out as the series progresses."
Angela continued: "She's had a big trauma in her life, she's incredibly hurt, she's in a lot of pain and is unable to take on the pain and the horrors of the kids at the school.
"Obviously as head, you're across it all but not on a day-to-day basis, you're not the one who's having to go around the houses and so on.
"She has distanced herself away and ultimately, she's Kim, she's a pastoral teacher, she is someone who cares about the individuals, she's trying not to but she doesn't always necessarily succeed and I think it makes her so interesting."
She added: "One of the real attractions of coming back was, we were doing a long-running show, when we first started it was a drama and with the rebirth, we are a drama.
"There's going to be seven episodes going out, we're not churning this show out, there's so much work and effort going into it."
Angela will join her former co-stars Katie Griffiths and Adam Thomas, who are reprising their roles of Chlo and Donte Charles.
As a new school year begins in Stockport, Manchester, the pupils and staff at Waterloo Road will be adjusting to the ever-changing society including teenage homelessness, the cost of living crisis and the breakdown in families.
Waterloo Road airs at 8pm on Tuesday, January 3, on BBC One with the full series available on BBC iPlayer.
