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indy100
Sinead Butler

Waterloo Road to return to our TV screens after six year break and fans are elated

Class is officially back in session at Waterloo Road after it was confirmed that the BBC school drama will return for a new series - and fans are elated at the news.

After a six-year break, the series will return and focus on the timely issue of how the school has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

From 2006, we followed the drama surrounding the lives of teachers and students at Waterloo Road comprehensive school located in the town of Rochdale and continued to watch when the school moved to a new location in Greenock, Scotland from series eight.

When it came to storylines, viewers saw it all - from a canteen explosion to car crashes, teen pregnancies, tragic deaths and even murder - no doubt there will be even more drama to come in the new series which will be set and filmed in Greater Manchester.

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The eleventh series of the show comes after BBC director-general Tim Davie pledged in March that there would be a new long-running drama series from the North of England.

Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, said: “Waterloo Road is the perfect lens through which to explore post-Covid Britain, from the perspective of those who have arguably been affected most: young people in education.

“We are thrilled to be returning to this brilliant format – its thrills and spills, unmissable characters and high drama – at a time when audiences across Britain need it most, and to be collaborating with the brilliant Cameron Roach and Wall To Wall on its return.”

Cameron Roach, Executive Producer, added: “I’m really thrilled to be working with the BBC and Wall To Wall, in re-igniting the iconic brand of Waterloo Road.

“The vital and urgent stories that are playing out in schools across the UK provide incredible and emotionally powerful themes, that we’re excited to bring to a new generation of fans.

“Waterloo Road will continue its reputation for kickstarting, supporting and enabling careers both in front of and behind the camera, in a truly inclusive way, from our base in Greater Manchester.”

In 2015, the series originally came to an end after 10 series as the BBC said at the time it had “reached the end of its lifecycle”.

Further updates, including casting, are yet to be announced, but the show has been the launching pad for many well-known UK actors such as Bridgerton’s Rege-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor, Doctor Who and Victoria actor Jenna Coleman and Emmerdale’s Adam Thomas.

Fans of the show have taken to Twitter to share their delight at the news and reminisce over the previous series.

While some are still not over the death of beloved characters Tom Clarkson in series eight and Grantly Budgen in series nine.

Some of the actors who starred in the show previously (Shannon Flynn who played Emily James and Shane O’Meara who played Connor Mulgrew) were also happy to hear the show is coming back.

Elsewhere, others have shared which past characters they would like to see in the new series.

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