It has been a long time coming but Waterloo Road finally returned to screens at the start of January. Those who watched the school-based drama the first time around were thrilled in 2021 when the BBC announced it would be reviving the show.
The new series marks the school-based drama's first return to screens in almost eight years after it was axed. The show, which ran from 2006 to 2015, was first filmed at Hill Top Primary School in Rochdale before relocating to Scotland. And the reboot has seen the team return to Greater Manchester.
And while it is a new series, the new era of Waterloo Road also features original cast members including Adam Thomas, who has reprised the role of former bad boy pupil-turned-parent Donte Charles, and his on-screen partner Chlo, played by Katie Griffiths, as well as Angela Griffin as the school's new head teacher, Kim Campbell.
Many actors started their careers on Waterloo Road, including plenty of local stars. And while some familiar faces have returned for the reboot, some have gone on to do very different things. Remember Tom Clarkson? Loved grumpy Grantly Budgen?
From Netflix hits to soap debuts - here's where some of the original Waterloo Road cast are now.
Adam Thomas (Donte Charles)
Whether you're a new Waterloo Road fan or were hooked when it came out the first time around, Adam Thomas will be a familiar face. The Manchester-born actor actually got his major acting break when he starred in Waterloo Road as Donte Charles.
After leaving the hit BBC series in 2009, Adam went on to play Adam Barton in Emmerdale until 2018 and also came third on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! in 2016.
His twin brother Scott was a finalist on the ITV2 dating show Love Island in 2016 and older brother Ryan played Jason Grimshaw in Coronation Street.
Adam has since branched out into property and also opened his own restaurant, The Spinn, in Gatley, Stockport, with school friend Scott Graham. While The Spinn announced its shock closure back in September, the pair's second site - The Spinn Off bar at Stockport's Underbanks - is still open. Scott is also the mastermind of Oh My Glaze, the burger sauce company, which the pair both now focus on.
Jenna-Louise Coleman ( Lindsay James)
Waterloo Road was one of Jenna-Louise Coleman's first TV roles. She joined as Lindsay Hughes in 2009, the same year she left Emmerdale after playing Jasmine Thomas - the daughter of vicar Ashley - for four years.
After Waterloo Road, Jenna's career went from strength to strength. She went on to appear in Doctor Who as well as countless dramas including Titanic, The Cry and Inside No.9.
Two of Jenna's biggest roles to date since Waterloo Road were as Queen Victoria in ITV drama series, Victoria, and earlier in BBC's gripping real-life story, The Serpent, where she played Marie-Andrée Leclerc. Most recently she was in the Netflix adaptation of Neil Gaiman's graphic novel series, The Sandman.
Tina O'Brien (Bex Fisher)
Rebecca "Bex" Fisher was somewhat of a silent character as she was missing when her family joined Waterloo Road. But the hardened schoolgirl returned in series six and it was revealed she was abused in the porn industry.
The character was played by Tina O'Brien who at that point was already famed for playing Sarah Platt in Coronation Street. The Rusholme actress also appeared in Children's Ward in 1997, The Cops in 1998 and Clocking Off before joining the ITV soap in 1999.
Tina left Corrie in 2007, appearing in Waterloo Road from 2010 to 2011. She later returned to Weatherfield in 2015 and has been there ever since, but not before starring in the 2010 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Away from her TV roles, Tina has also set up her own drama school and casting agency, The Drama Mob, with classes taking place in Didsbury. Fans of the new series will also be seeing her daughter, Scarlett Thomas, playing Izzy, the daughter of Adam's character Donte. And it's a family affair as Adam is Scarlett's real-life uncle as Tina's shares the teen with former Corrie star Ryan Thomas.
Philip Martin Brown ( Grantly Budgen)
Many will remember Grantly Budgen for being the grumpy Head of English who quickly became a fan-favourite character. He was also the longest-serving, with Philip Martin Brown playing Grantly from the very first episode until series nine when he developed kidney failure.
Grantly found out he had an organ donor, but died in his chair during an assembly. After his tragic end in Waterloo Road, actor Philip went on to star in big budget films Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Darkest Hour. He was also Steve McDonald's therapist in two episodes of Coronation Street in 2015 - although he first appeared in the show as D.I. Pinnock in 2005.
In 2021, Brown appeared in the BBC One's Doctors as Marvin Bulis, having previously played various other roles in the show.
Chelsee Healey (Janeece Bryant)
Chelsee Healey played mouthy but kind-hearted pupil Janeece Bryant who couldn't keep away from Waterloo Road after finishing her education. She later returned as as a secretary after falling pregnant with daughter Cheryl.
Chelsee, from Eccles, competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2011 and was a finalist on the BBC dance show. She joined the cast of Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks as feisty mum Goldie McQueen, a member of the fearsome McQueen clan, in 2016.
A few moths later, she took a break from the show after announcing her pregnancy, welcoming daughter Coco in July 2017. Chelsee has also had roles in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Doctors and Casualty. In 2019, she appeared in the sixth series of E4 reality dating series Celebs Go Dating and is still starring in Hollyoaks.
Katie McGlynn (Scout Allen)
Katie McGlynn is now best known for playing one of Coronation Street's most-loved characters. But others will remember her for her role as tearaway pupil Jodie 'Scout' Allen in Waterloo Road, who lived with her mother and three-year-old brother Liam in a squalid flat.
She starred in the BBC1 show from 2011 to 2013 and her character was forced to provide for her family by stealing and dealing drugs. When she left Waterloo Road, Katie soon picked up the role of Underworld worker Sinead Tinker in Corrie.
The 28-year-old received high praise for her portrayal of pregnant Sinead, who found out she had cervical cancer while expecting a baby with new husband Daniel Osbourne in 2018. And in heartbreaking scenes in 2020, Sinead died, leaving her husband and baby son Bertie behind.
After leaving the ITV soap in 2020, Katie bagged a role in Hollyoaks where she played Becky Quentin. During her time in the Channel 4 soap, Katie also competed in the 19th series of Strictly Come Dancing. It was then announced before Christmas that the former soap star is heading for the stage and is set to make her stage debut in the lead cast of critically acclaimed author Peter James’ Wish You Were Dead national tour.
Lucien Laviscount (Jonah Kirby)
Waterloo Road wasn't Lucien Laviscount's first role. In 2009 he appeared in Coronation Street as Ben, a friend of Sophie Webster, before playing pupil Jonah in the BBC One series. Jonah caused controversy by falling for and marrying his Spanish teacher Miss Montoya, played by Karen David.
Lucien was later on Celebrity Big Brother, in 2011, and got involved in a love triangle with TOWIE star Amy Childs and Kerry Katona. In recent months new fans of the actor have been left shocked at his relationship with Kerry due to the age difference between the pair at the time.
in 2015 he went Stateside to star in the comedy-horror television series Scream Queens. He then went on to star alongside Rupert Grint in the American TV series Snatch, a remake of the hit Guy Ritchie movie, as boxer Billy Ayres. Lucien also recorded a single, 'Dance With You' in 2012.
But a new legion of fans now know Lucien for playing Alfie in the Netflix series Emily In Paris. He joined during the second season and was also in the third run which landed on the streaming platform just before Christmas. And in recent weeks, it has been rumoured that the 30-year-old may have caught the attention of movie producer Barbara Broccoli as the potential new James Bond.
Denise Welch (Steph Haydock)
Denise Welch played motherly French teacher Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road from the first series up until 2010. Before signing up for the school-based drama, the former Coronation Street actress was a panellist on ITV chat show Loose Women.
She left the afternoon show in 2015 before returning three years later and continues to make regular appearances. Denise also appeared on Dancing On Ice in 2011, partnered with Matt Evers, and she won Celebrity Big Brother in 2012. Denise, who is married to artist Lincoln Townley, also played Trish Minniver in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks from 2021 to 2022.
Her sons Matthew and Louis are also in the spotlight, with Matty the lead singer of The 1975 while his sibling Louis had a role in Emmerdale.
Jason Done (Tom Clarkson)
Tom Clarkson was the most popular teacher in the school. Starting out as an English teacher, Tom went on to become head of English and then deputy head. He was also the stepdad to pupils Chlo and Mika Grainger, and his son Josh joined the school in 2009.
Fans of the show were shocked when the much-loved character, who starred from series one until 2013 and endured the move from Rochdale to Scotland, died. He fell from the roof of the school trying to stop troubled student Kyle Stack, who was played by George Sampson, from committing suicide.
Salford-born actor Jason has since starred in Casualty, the ITV drama Lewis, Vera and the Netflix crime series Paranoid. In 2021 he appeared in both Innocent on ITV and BBC One drama Time.
Phoebe Dynevor (Siobhan Mailey)
Phoebe Dynevor will now be best known for being the lead star of one of Netflix's biggest hits. But it all started years ago in Waterloo Road. She made her TV debut in the BBC series when she was just 14 years old.
Phoebe played the role of schoolgirl Siobhan Mailey for a year, appearing in 20 episodes in the fifth series. The actress, who is the daughter of Corrie star Sally Dynevor, has since shot to worldwide fame for her leading role in Bridgerton.
The actress was the talk of the Netflix period drama which first landed on the streaming service on Christmas Day 2020. The series follows the Bridgerton family including Daphne, played by Phoebe, as a debutante in Regency London. Phoebe had a lesser role in the second season but Bridgerton is already commissioned for two more series.
Phoebe's first major role since landing the Netflix show saw her star in Sky Original film The Colour Room. She played the role of Clarice Cliff, a legendary ceramic artist from Stoke-on-Trent who rose to fame as a key figure for women in the workplace. Her next project is Netflix movie Bank of Dave, which will be released later this month.
Regé-Jean Page (Guy Braxton)
And on the subject of Bridgerton, Rege-Jean Page also caught everyone's attention in the first season of the show. He starred as Simon Basset, aka the Duke of Hastings, and quickly became the love interest of Daphne with viewers unable to stop watching their rollercoaster relationship which ended in them married with a baby.
But before his superstardom, Rege-Jean appeared in Waterloo Road as handsome teacher Guy Braxton in 2016. He has also been in countless TV shows, including Fresh Meat, miniseries Roots and American legal drama For The People. And while he didn't appear in the second series of Bridgerton, he did appear in Netflix's film The Gray Man.
He was also made the new face of Armani Code in 2022 and is set to appear in the fantasy adventure movie Dungeons & Dragons with Chris Pine.
Will Ash (Chris Mead)
William Ash appeared in three series of Waterloo Road (five, six, and seven) as Chris Mead, the deputy headteacher and science teacher who ended up accidentally sleeping with a pupil.
Before the school drama, Will was known for appearing in other television dramas including Soldier Soldier, Where the Heart Is and Clocking Off. After he appeared in Death in Paradise, Silent Witness, Casualty, Paranoid, The Lock, and Wanderlust. He has recently joined the cast of Emmerdale as Cain Dingle's long-lost brother, Caleb.
Ceallach Spellman (Harry Fisher)
Ceallach Spellman played Harry, the son of headteacher Karen Fisher, who found out his dad was having an affair and suffered from bulimia. He moved away with his family when mum Karen was fired from the top job.
Following Waterloo Road, Cel went on to host CBBC show Friday Download and presented his own show on BBC Radio 1 on Sunday Afternoons for five years. He's also still been acting, starring as Matthew in Cold Feet and the younger version of Marcus in the Netflix series White Lines. Manchester City fans may also know him as a regular host on We're Not Really Here.
Jason Merrells (Jack Rimmer)
Jason Merrells appeared as Waterloo Road's original, tough-love headteacher Jack Rimmer, who resigned halfway through series three after witnessing Izzie Redpath's death.
Prior to appearing in the BBC series, Jason was known for his roles in Casualty, Queer as Folk, and Cutting It. After playing Jack, the Essex-born actor went on to star in Lark Rise to Candleford, Safe House, Agatha Raisin, and most notably appeared as Declan Macey in Emmerdale from 2010 to 2014.
In recent years, Jason has appeared in Endeavour and Finding Alice while viewers will currently see him appear in the third and final series of BBC's Happy Valley.
Jill Halfpenny (Izzie Redpath)
Before joining Waterloo Road, Jill was best known for roles including Nicola Dobson in Byker Grove, nurse Rebecca Hopkins in ITV's Coronation Street and undercover detective Kate Mitchell in BBC One soap EastEnders. She also won the first series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2004 before getting the role of drama teacher Izzie in Waterloo Road.
Another much-loved character in series one and two, Izzie was also the mother of Mika and Chlo Grainger. In tragic scenes, Izzie was stabbed by Jed Seddon at the end of series two, after seeing headmaster Jack Rimmer in a fight with him, and fell into Jack's arms in the school car park.
Since leaving the show, Jill has bagged parts in a range of shows including Babylon, Murdoch Mysteries, Humans, Ordinary Lies, Tree Girls, Liar and Dark Money. In more recent years the 47-year-old has been praised for her portrayals in the ITV drama Liar and Channel 5’s mystery dramas The Drowning and The Holiday.
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