Waterloo Road shares first look at Lindsey Coulson as new headteacher
Waterloo Road spoilers follow.
Waterloo Road has shared a first-look clip of EastEnders star Lindsey Coulson, who has joined the show as the school’s new headteacher.
This series has seen Billy Savage accidentally kill fellow student Boz Osbourne, while trying to stand up for himself against Schuey Weever’s bullying.
Headteacher Steve (Jason Manford) helped his son to cover up the crime, but in tonight’s (October 29) series 14 finale, the truth came out and Steve was arrested.
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It was previously reported that Coulson had been cast as the replacement headteacher, but it has now been confirmed by the BBC that she will be taking the reins when the show returns in 2025.
Coulson plays Dame Stella Drake, who was once at the top of the Ofsted ranks but was brought down when a video of her talking about parental incompetence went viral.
Stella has a strong work ethic and strict moral compass, making her the perfect fit to reform Waterloo Road, while it is trying to shake off its reputation as the ‘murder school’.
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However, when she joins the academy, the students are more unruly than ever, she feels out of touch with the modern pastoral approach and her methods might just ruffle some feathers.
In a first-look clip released of the new series, which you can watch above, Stella is determined to work with the staff to turn things around. But her personal life will soon spill over into her career, and she could be hiding some big secrets.
Coulson, best known for playing Carol Jackson in EastEnders, said in a statement: "I’m delighted to be joining Waterloo Road as the new headteacher. It’s a role I haven’t played before so I’m really enjoying peeling back the layers of who Stella is and seeing how the teachers and students react to her no-nonsense approach.
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"Waterloo Road tackles social issues head on which is so important to see on television, and this series will be no different."
Cameron Roach, the show’s executive producer, added: "We’re really thrilled that Lindsey Coulson is joining Waterloo Road, she has absolutely embraced the ethos of the show, and she completely inhabits the role of Dame Stella Drake. We can’t wait for the audience to meet her.
"The fact that the show has attracted an actor of Lindsey’s calibre is a testament to the continued ambition and commitment from our writing and story teams, as well as our brilliant cast and crew."
Waterloo Road airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Read more Waterloo Road spoilers on our dedicated homepage
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