The BBC has announced the recommissioning of the hit school-based drama Waterloo Road, ordering two additional series to air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One until at least 2026. The show’s return in January 2023 garnered success, particularly among viewers under 35, and the new series will build upon this momentum with filming already underway in Greater Manchester.
Waterloo Road tackles real-life topics affecting teens, families, and school staff, offering a blend of sharp writing, warmth, and wit. The series has served as a platform for talent development in the North of England through initiatives like the Warner Bros. Discovery Access x Waterloo Road Directors Programme and its ongoing production development programme. These initiatives provide paid entry-level opportunities and outreach events for local students, fostering the next generation of talent in television and film production.
The upcoming series of Waterloo Road will introduce new cast members, including Jason Manford as the new headteacher Steve Savage, and Saira Choudhry as maths teacher Nisha Chandra. They join a returning cast that includes Adam Thomas and Kym Marsh.
Among the new students, Olly Rhodes portrays Billy Savage, Nathan Wood plays Boz Osbourne, Sonya Nisa is Aleena Qureshi, Miya Ocego as Lois Taylor-Brown, Danny Murphy as Luca Smith, and Matthew Khan portrays Jared Jones. These young actors join the returning student cast, including Aabay Noor Ali, Alicia Forde, Chiamaka Ulebor, Francesco Piacentini-Smith, Hattie Dynevor, Liam Scholes, Lucy Eleanor Begg, Maisey Robinson, Noah Valentine, Summer Violet Bird, Thapelo Ray, Tillie Amartey, and Zak Sutcliffe.
Waterloo Road is produced by Wall to Wall in co-production with Rope Ladder Fiction. Executive producers include Cameron Roach for Rope Ladder Fiction, Leanne Klein for Wall to Wall, and Gaynor Holmes and Jo McClellan for the BBC.
