Waterloo Road season one returning to TV
Season one of Waterloo Road is returning to TV screens in honour of the show's 20th anniversary.
Season one of Waterloo Road is returning to screens in honour of the show's 20th anniversary.
The school drama was first broadcast on 9 March 2006, and to celebrate the milestone, the BBC will air two installments from the first run of episodes every week on BBC Three from 7pm.
The full series has been available as a box set on BBC iPlayer since 2019, but this give viewers the chance to watch the show on terrestrial TV and sync watch with iPlayer.
Waterloo Road was first broadcast on the BBC between 2006 and 2015, and was revived in 2023, with original cast members Denise Welch, Jason Merrells, Adam Thomas, Angela Griffin, Lauren Drummond, Katie Griffiths and Chelsee Healey making their returns.
It helped to launch the career of the likes of Jenna Coleman, Jodie Comer, Holiday Grainger, Lucien Laviscount, Rege-Jean Page and Tom Payne.
Denise Welch confirmed last October that she was thrilled to be returning to Waterloo Road after a 15-year break from playing teacher Steph Haydock.
She said in a statement at the time: "I'm thrilled to see the return of Steph to Waterloo Road. 15 years older, but certainly not wiser.
"She’ll soon show that time has certainly not dulled her shine! Still unmarried but eternally hopeful, Steph is back as a supply teacher.
"What she is supplying remains to be seen, but I am having a great time stepping back into the shoes of a character I love."
Denise is delighted to be reuniting with her former Waterloo Road co-star Jason Merrells, who plays Jack Rimmer in the programme.
She added: "It’s also been great to reunite with some of my old castmates, like Jason Merrells. Steph and Jack go back a long way, but will they move forward?! You'll have to wait and see."
Waterloo Road bosses are also pleased to have "iconic" teacher Steph back in the building, and admitted Neil Fitzmaurice's history teacher character Neil Guthrie has "met his match".
Cameron Roach, founder of Rope Ladder Fiction and exec producer for Waterloo Road, said: "Steph Haydock is a Waterloo Road icon, so we knew we had to find the right story if we were to see her back in our world.
"We were thrilled that Denise enjoyed our pitch and that the fans will get to see Steph once more - her one liners are just as sharp, her lip stick is fiercely drawn, and the staff room atmosphere is changed for good.
"Neil Guthrie has met his match. We can't wait for the fans to see her episodes."
