At just 17-years-old Adam Thomas joined the cast of the first ever series of Waterloo Road with no idea what lay ahead. The actor from Salford was cast as bad boy pupil Donte Charles, whose relationship with Chlo Grainger, played by Katie Griffiths, became a staple of the BBC school based drama.
Viewers followed the pair's rollercoaster love life which spanned across four series and saw them get married at just 16 and featured one of the show's most memorable moments where Chlo gave birth to their daughter Izzie in the school toilets. The couple left the show at the end series four as they moved into a house together to bring up their child.
When it was announced that Waterloo Road would be returning with a brand new series in 2023, fans were thrilled to hear that the popular couple would be making a much anticipated comeback. More than 10 years since they were last on screen, this time the couple will navigate life as adults as they bring up their daughter Izzie, played by Adam's real-life niece Scarlett Thomas, and son Tommy, played by Adam's son Teddy.
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In an exclusive chat with the Manchester Evening News, the former Emmerdale actor, who went on to play Adam Barton on the ITV soap for almost ten years, revealed what it's been like returning to the show that put him 'on the map'.
"It felt absolutely amazing to be asked to come back, it's just one of those dream jobs," said Adam, now 34.
"This show means the world to me, it put me on the map and I've got so much to thank this show for so the fact that I got approached when they were thinking about bringing it back was incredible. I never saw it coming.
"I just got a phone call one day saying 'this producer wants to meet you, but I can't really tell you much about it'. I didn't have a clue, I just went to meet him and the next minute he said that Waterloo Road might be coming back and that they'd love me to be a part of it again, and I just said 'where do I sign up'."
The actor, who is the twin brother of 2016 Love Island contestant Scott Thomas, and the younger brother of Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas, said he feels 'very lucky' to be back playing Donte.
"It's just always been one of the best shows not only to watch but also to be in. Back in the day as a young actor it was just incredible to be surrounded by actors like Jason Done and Jason Merrells who had been in the game for so long," Adam said.
"I was like a sponge just trying to absorb everything that I could. But now I'm on the other side of it getting to work with so much incredible new talent and to be back with Angela Griffin and Katie Griffiths, I feel very lucky."
Fast forward 13 years and Adam now has his real-life family joining him on set with his son Teddy, 8, and his niece Scarlett, 14, who is the daughter of Ryan Thomas and Corrie actress Tina O'Brien, playing his grown-up daughter Izzie, who is now a pupil at Waterloo Road.
"Now we're back and I'm 34 with two kids, times have definitely changed. It feels like home on set, maybe a little too much. I thought it would be a good idea but on like day two they were having a fight, Teddy's crying and I'm like 'what have I got myself into here'," Adam joked.
He then revealed that his son Teddy wasn't originally cast to play his son on the programme.
"Originally Teddy didn't get the part," he admitted, "I think he got down to the last two and then they gave the part to someone else.
"But unfortunately that kid couldn't do it, so they called me up to the office and I thought 'oh god what have I done, I'm in trouble already', then they said 'we're thinking about giving the part to Teddy now, do you think he'd take it', and I said 'of course yeah'.
"So after telling Teddy that he didn't get the part, I had to go back and tell him that he got it. He just started crying."
The Donte Charles actor says it's 'magic' how things have turned out and that he hopes this kickstarts his son and niece's careers.
'It's just a dream come true the fact that Scarlett and Teddy get to start their career off on the same show that I did many moons ago, it's just unbelievable, it's full circle, it's magic how life works out," Adam said.
"As a family we like to be centre of attention and are clowning around all the time, and Teddy and Scarlett both have that abundance, they just love it. Teddy is like a sponge. He sees Scarlett and he just does whatever she does. He just wants to be in it more.
"If I can help put a foot through the door then I'm going to do it. But at the end of the day they've still got to do the talking and I think they do that the show."
Katie Griffiths is also returning to play Chlo Grainger, Donte's childhood lover and now wife and mum of their two children.
Speaking about reuniting to work with his on-screen wife, Adam said: "We've just picked up where we left off, it's like we've just gone back in time.
"There's so many memories when you start working together again, it all starts coming back and it's been amazing."
On returning to the show, Katie told the M.E.N: "It was an instant yes when I was asked to come back. Waterloo Road has got a very big place in my heart and I think it's the same for anyone who has watched it and been part of it. I started my career there and it is a show that lots of fans love, and it's got a new audience now, which is really exciting.
"I remember back in the day Jill Halfpenny had just won Strictly and the next thing she was sat next to me in the makeup chair and I knew that I was playing her daughter. The makeup trailer in the morning was just surreal with the likes of Denise Welch and Angela Griffin. I'd seen them on so many TV shows and respected them so much as actors and then there I was alongside them at 17-years-old."
On reuniting with Adam and working with his family, Katie said: "We spent so much time together on set all those years ago doing those four seasons and then we hadn't seen each other for a very long period of time apart from a few pops here and there, but going back to working together again just felt so normal.
"It's been amazing working with the Thomas'. They are all so lovely. Clearly they are a very close family and I think that what that does is make the scenes and the show even better because you see a real family dynamic.
"Teddy and Scarlett are absolutely fantastic and they are going to kill it, it's just really lovely that they're a part of it. I can't think of anyone else who this has actually happened to."
The reboot of the award-winning series, set and filmed once again in Greater Manchester, will see new and familiar faces join the cast including Vincent Jerome playing deputy head Lindon King, James Baxter as the second deputy head and Kym Marsh as a dinner lady and mum-of-two Nicky Walters.
Waterloo Road fans can watch the new series on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on January 3, 2023.
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