'Waterloo Road' announces Adam Thomas' niece will join him for comeback cast

21 February 2022 at 11:58 am·2-min read

Adam Thomas will star in Waterloo Road opposite his niece. (Getty Images)

Waterloo Road star Adam Thomas' niece is set to play his daughter when the school drama makes its comeback later this year.

Scarlett Thomas is the daughter of Coronation Street stars Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas, Adam's brother, and this will be her debut starring TV role.

Her mum O'Brien has also previously appeared in Waterloo Road, which is due to be revived after seven years off air.

Programme Name: Waterloo Road S11 - TX: n/a - Episode: Waterloo Road S11 - Teaser (No. n/a) - Picture Shows: C/w from top left: Alicia Forde, Adam Ali, Summer Violet Bird, Chiamaka (ChiChi) Ulebor, Liam Scholes, Inathi Rozani, Lucy Eleanor Begg, Francesco Piacentini-Smith, Adam Abbou, Noah Valentine, Priyasasha Kumari, Scarlet Thomas, Ava Flannery - (C) Wall To Wall - Photographer: Paul Husband — Scarlett Thomas (bottom row, second from left) will star in Waterloo Road with her uncle. (Wall To Wall/Paul Husband)

Adam, who is also known for having starred in Emmerdale and is set to return to his role as Dante Charles in Waterloo Road, told BBC One's Morning Live: "Dante and Chlo had a little baby called Izzy many moons ago and she’s now grown up and my little niece gets to play her.

"My brother’s daughter gets to play my on-screen daughter."

He warned that his niece is a “triple threat” after seeing her audition tape for the role of Izzy Charles, saying: "She can sing, she can act, she can dance. She’s amazing, she’s absolutely amazing."

Programme Name: Waterloo Road S11 - TX: n/a - Episode: Waterloo Road S11 - Teaser (No. n/a) - Picture Shows: Kim Campbell (ANGELA GRIFFIN), Chlo Charles (KATIE GRIFFITHS), Donte Charles (ADAM THOMAS) - (C) Wall To Wall - Photographer: Paul Husband — Angela Griffin, Katie Griffiths and Adam Thomas all return to the cast. (Wall To Wall/Paul Husband)

Katie Griffiths is returning as Donte's wife Chlo Charles and Angela Griffiths is also back as Kim Campbell who has been promoted to headteacher.

Morning Live presenter Kym Marsh will appear as a canteen worker.

The young pupil cast announced alongside Scarlett includes Adam Abbou (Time) as Danny Lewis, Priyasasha Kumari (You Don’t Know Me) playing Samia Choudhry, Noah Valentine (The Bay) as Preston Walters, Adam Ali (Little America) as Kai Sharif, Liam Scholes (Coronation Street) as Noel McManus and Lucy Eleanor Begg as Caz Williams.

BLACKPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Ryan Thomas, Lucy Mecklenburgh and Adam Thomas attend 'Nickelodeon SLIMEFEST' at Blackpool Pleasure Beach on October 20, 2018 in Blackpool, England. Highlights from the slime-filled event will air on Nickelodeon on November 2nd. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Nickelodeon UK ) — Brothers Ryan and Adam Thomas with Ryan's partner Lucy Mecklenburgh and Scarlett in 2018. (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Nickelodeon UK)

Waterloo Road originally ran from 2006 to 2015 at the BBC and its stars included Denise Welch and Laurie Brett, with Rege-Jean Page, Phoebe Dynevor and Chelsee Healey getting their early breaks on the show.

The later series of its first run saw the school it is set in relocate from Rochdale to Greenock in Scotland, although this new series is back in the North West.

It began filming in Manchester today (Monday) and is expected back on screens later this year.

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