Waterloo Road's Abdul Bukhari takes centre stage in tonight's episode (February 9) as he makes a shocking discovery about his past.
The drama begins when the schoolboy starts working on a genetics science project involving his family tree, which leaves his father Hassan deeply shaken. Abdul initially becomes worried that his dad is keeping the risk of a genetic disorder from him, but the truth is more devastating than he could have imagined.
We recently chatted to Armin Karima, who plays Abdul, to get some teasers on what to expect from the latest episode.
© BBC / Headstrong Pictures (WR) Ltd/Laurence Cendrowicz
Armin Karima as Abdul Bukhari
What was this episode like for you to film?
"It was amazing to film. I built up such a bond with Ian Aspinall, who played Abdul's dad Hassan. When you have such a bond with another actor, it means you can really perfect the scenes together. We also had a great director for the next two episodes coming up. These were my main episodes in the series, so they were really fun to shoot."
Did you always know this storyline was coming up for Abdul?
"No, it actually came as a surprise to me, to be honest. The cast received the scripts for the first four episodes and then we didn't receive the next ones until a month later. I wasn't expecting this storyline but I knew something was going to happen to my character, because Waterloo Road are so famous for their dramatic storylines! That's what makes the show really great."
How long after receiving these big scripts did you start filming them?
"We received the scripts about a couple of weeks before, but as we didn't have our call sheets then, we didn't know exactly what scenes we'd be shooting and when. The lines kept being amended as well, so you had to keep learning new versions of the scripts. You couldn't learn your scripts a week or a month before, you usually had to do them the night before!"
What can we expect from this week's episode?
"Abdul is doing a science project about genetics and his family tree. Abdul is really smart and organised, so if he wants to do something, he will definitely follow it through. The story really starts when Abdul notices that his father is acting really vague. Abdul starts asking questions about that, but the answers he gets are really weird and he wonders why Hassan won't tell him the truth.
"As the story develops and Abdul does find out the secret that his dad's been keeping, he starts questioning his identity. Then as it continues, I can also say that the police will be knocking down the door..."
© BBC / Headstrong Pictures (WR) Ltd/Neil Davidson
Hassan and Abdul Bukhari
We see a different side to Abdul once the truth is out. Did you enjoy exploring that?
"Yeah, I did. Abdul had always been really polite, organised and such a gentleman! He never got into any trouble. After Abdul finds out the truth, he does change - but anyone would in this situation that Abdul ends up in. The teachers try their best to take care of Abdul, but he gets put into a really hard position."
Is Abdul's relationship with his father strong enough to survive all of the drama coming up?
"Abdul has got a really great connection with his dad. After school, Hassan always tries to make plans for them and he really does love Abdul a lot. There's a lot of drama coming up, but they could probably overcome it because their love is really strong.
"After [Abdul] finds out the truth, though, he really doubts his existence and he breaks down. He starts questioning himself and wonders why he exists. It really does hurt him and he goes through such a journey, especially with his dad. They had such a great bond before this."
How do you look back on your time on the show?
"I can simply say that it's been amazing. Waterloo Road has been such a success over the past ten years and it's been a privilege to work on it. When I was in secondary school, everyone talked about Waterloo Road. The school looked so cool - there was always so much drama going on and then when you looked at your own school, it seemed kind of boring! (Laughs.)
"This was my first big job and working with such established actors really helped me, because I could pick up many things from them. It's a real privilege to have worked with them."
Was it a long audition process to get the role?
"The audition process was very quick because it was just one recall. They were shooting the first episode while I was auditioning and they had to cast Abdul really quickly. The first audition was very quick - it was just eight lines! I think they wanted to see who had the right look for the part, but then there was a proper recall afterwards and thankfully I managed to make a good impression!"
© BBC / Headstrong Pictures (WR) Ltd/Laurence Cendrowicz
Abdul Bukhari, Carrie Norton and Leo Fitzgerald
What kind of reaction have you seen from the fans?
"I was really surprised by the reaction. Abdul hasn't really appeared much compared to some of the other new characters yet, but the support that the fans show is still really solid. You really wouldn't expect it. This is my first major job and the support I'm getting is really surprising. I was waiting for my storyline to at least pop up before people would be supportive, but it's happening already! The fans are really great."
How did you feel about being part of the show for the very end?
"I was gutted in that sense, because Waterloo Road is such a unique show for the BBC. It's been such a success for the past ten years and watching it go kind of hurts me because all of my friends and everyone I know has been watching it. There's such a solid fanbase and being part of the final series was overwhelming. I couldn't believe I was there at the wrap party and was part of finishing Waterloo Road!"
Who did you make friends with from the cast?
"All of the young cast. I got along with the older cast members as well, but we were separated because we had our own apartment and everyone was really nice."
Who did you look up to from the older cast?
"I could pick many things up from Laurie Brett - she's an amazing actress. Angus Deayton is so brilliant too and he really enjoyed playing George. His acting always seemed very natural. It was the same with Neil Pearson and everyone else, to be honest - I was just observing everyone!"
What have you been up to since the show finished filming?
"I've shot a feature film with a prominent actor from Iran who came over here to film it. I think being part of Waterloo Road will also be helpful for the future. When you go to a casting it's great for them to know you've done already something major. The show can open up many doors for actors, including myself hopefully!"
Love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe