(BBC Studios)
Waterloo Road returns tonight at 9pm on BBC One for its 16th season, with brand new teachers and a promise of the usual day-in-the-life drama of both the school kids and teachers of Greater Manchester’s most chaotic school.
This brand new series includes a familiar location within a special full on-location episode directed by ex cast member, Angela Griffin. The episode storyline surrounds the pupils heading to the local estate to participate in a community clean-up that doesn’t quite go to plan. The local estate is based in Greater Manchester and has users of the social media platform X all buzzed about the new season. One particular user wrote, “Oooo they’re filming Waterloo Road at me flats kids,” with a clear picture of filming equipment outside the flats.
Location’s manager Jonny Cope spoke about wanting to capture the “original red brick old Manchester look and mixing it with the new high rise glass buildings”. The excess of beautiful locations that are just on their doorstep is something the producers as whole are keen to use.
(BBC Studios)
This new series brings on comedian and Lancaster’s own Jon Richardson (pictured above) as new media studies teacher, Darius Donovan. Richardson is described as bringing his signature charm and wit to the role with his character being described as shaking things up at the school which viewers should look out for.
More brand new additions to the teaching staff include ex Corrie actor Christopher Jeffers, playing head of SenCo (Special Education Needs Coordinator) Mitch Swift, and returning Waterloo Road legend Jason Merells reprising his role as Jack Rimmer, original Waterloo Road headmaster, after 19 years.
Connections to current headteacher Dame Stella Drake (Lindsey Coulson) also arrive at the school gates on the 23rd.Newcomer Fintan Buckard and ex Corrie actor Savannah Kunyo will play Ben and Hope Drake, Stella’s grandkids, with Christine Bottomley appearing as Stella’s daughter, Sam Drake. They will play a key part in this season’s evolving drama as BBC Press Office released the synopsis of Season 16 last week stating, “Headteacher Stella is forced to navigate a fresh set of challenges, and this family dynamic will undoubtedly alter how she manages things, as well as relationships with students and fellow teachers. With another tragedy on the horizon, the choices of some of Waterloo Road’s own will have some life-changing consequences”.
This series continued the encouraged effort to nurture creative talent in the North of England through schemes launched by the rebooted series such as their production development scheme which has already given over 40 trainees paid entry-level work in the TV industry since its launch in 2022. In addition they also have the Discovery (WBD) Access x Waterloo Road Director’s Programme which supports the growth of the pool of women directors in the North of England.
In a first for the show, BBC are releasing a new weekly broadcasting pattern of two episodes back to back every Tuesday at 9 and 10:40 pm giving viewers the double taste of the popular school drama. The whole series is also now available to watch on BBC iPlayer for those viewers that can’t get enough of the drama.