Waterloo Road Series 10 Spoilers

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road's Christine Mulgrew struggles to cope in tonight's episode (January 15) as she learns that her son Connor has landed a job in London.

Christine (Laurie Brett) fears the worst when Connor (Shane O'Meara) tells her that he'll be moving down south straight away to work in the kitchen at a top restaurant.

Although Christine claims that she is worried about the impact on Connor's education, it's clear that her main concern is whether she'll be able to carry on without him - knowing that her sobriety could depend on him being around.

Maggie Budgen and Connor's wife Imogen both think that Christine is being selfish by refusing to support his decision, but whether this will be enough to change her mind remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, when George Windsor (Angus Deayton) takes a more sympathetic approach with Christine, he soon shocks her by revealing that he wants them to be more than just friends. How will she react?


Waterloo Road continues tonight (January 15) at 8.30pm on BBC One.

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road airs Barry Barry's return scenes next week as he makes a surprise appearance on a night out organised by newcomer Gabriella Wark.

The storyline kicks off as Gabriella (Naomi Battrick) tries to isolate Barry's sister Dynasty, sabotaging her schoolwork and her friendship with Imogen Stewart.

Gabriella picks on Dynasty during a lesson
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Gabriella picks on Dynasty during a lesson

When the plan pays off, Imogen falls out with Dynasty (Abby Mavers) and decides to spend more time with Gabriella and Rhiannon Salt instead - starting off with a wild night on the town.

Although the evening starts out well, the three girls soon finds themselves in a dangerous situation due to a troublesome combination of alcohol, poker and Gabriella's outrageous behaviour.

As events come to a head, Barry arrives on the scene unexpectedly and quickly catches Gabriella's wandering eye…

Barry catches Gabriella's eye
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Barry catches Gabriella's eye

Waterloo Road airs these scenes on Wednesday, January 22 at 8pm on BBC One.

[alan45]

Waterloo Road's Carol Barry continues to grow closer to George Windsor next week.

Last night (January 15), viewers saw the unlikely pair strike up a bond after George defended Carol (Zöe Lucker) in a row with her sleazy boss at a bar.

Next week's episode sees George (Angus Deayton) get involved in Carol's problems once again when she is asked to cater for a staff gathering at the school and quickly finds herself out of her depth.

Keen to help out, George advises Carol on the best wine to serve and helps her to make a good impression, knowing that every penny counts for her at the moment.

As George and Carol work together, the chemistry between them is obvious and they soon share a kiss. Could this new romance have a future?




Carol and George lean in for a kiss
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Carol and George lean in for a kiss

Waterloo Road airs these scenes on Wednesday, January 22 at 8pm on BBC One.

[alan45]

Waterloo Road's Carol Barry continues to grow closer to George Windsor next week.

Last night (January 15), viewers saw the unlikely pair strike up a bond after George defended Carol (Zöe Lucker) in a row with her sleazy boss at a bar.

Next week's episode sees George (Angus Deayton) get involved in Carol's problems once again when she is asked to cater for a staff gathering at the school and quickly finds herself out of her depth.

Keen to help out, George advises Carol on the best wine to serve and helps her to make a good impression, knowing that every penny counts for her at the moment.

As George and Carol work together, the chemistry between them is obvious and they soon share a kiss. Could this new romance have a future?




Carol and George lean in for a kiss
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Carol and George lean in for a kiss

Waterloo Road airs these scenes on Wednesday, January 22 at 8pm on BBC One.

[alan45]

Waterloo Road's Imogen Stewart finds herself in a dangerous situation in tonight's episode (January 22) as she ends up in a dodgy bar on a wild night out.

Imogen heads out for some fun with Gabriella Wark (Naomi Battrick) and Rhiannon Salt (Rebecca Craven) after her husband Connor leaves to take up his new job in London. However, she soon lives to regret getting involved with troublemaking Gabriella…

We recently caught up with Kirstie Steele, who plays Imogen, to hear more about the dramatic episode for her character.

How is Imogen feeling on the day of Connor's departure?
"When Imogen first heard that Connor was leaving, she was a bit surprised because she had no idea that he'd applied for this job. She had some mixed feelings then, but she has come to realise that it is the best thing for Connor.

"Imogen does want the best for Connor, so she wants to let him get on with his life and have the best opportunities he can. She knows that she'll be reunited with him once the course is finished. At the same time, though, she's heartbroken that he has to leave! Not having him around will be tough to start with."

Normally Dynasty would be a support to Imogen, but that's not the case in this episode. Why is that?
"Imogen is really upset on the morning of Connor's departure, because she knows that it's the last time she's going to see her husband for a while. She's feeling a bit vulnerable and needs some comfort from Dynasty, but she just doesn't seem to get it that day.

"Imogen tries on many occasions, but Dynasty is in her own headspace and is being distracted by arguments with Gabriella. At this point in the storyline, Dynasty and Gabriella keep sabotaging each other. Gabriella even steals Dynasty's homework, so with Dynasty focusing on that, Imogen feels that she's not getting the support and comfort that she needs from her at the moment."

What happens next?
"Gabriella steps in Dynasty's place as Imogen's friend for that day, and that's quite hurtful for both sides - for both Dynasty and Imogen. Dynasty has given Gabriella the attention rather than the friend that needs it, but Dynasty is also having a tough time and needs some attention herself in this episode. Imogen's not in the right frame of mind to help her, though. They both need comfort but they're not giving it to each other, which is a shame!"

As Imogen spends most of her time with Gabriella in this episode, did you enjoy that opportunity to work with someone new?
"Definitely. It's always great to work with new people, and Naomi Battrick who plays Gabriella is brilliant to work with. I think she's brought a new freshness to the show and also a wild side! Gabriella is quite reckless and I think that's quite exciting. It's a good way to mix up characters.

"Gabriella didn't give Imogen the best impression to start with when she kissed Connor, but in this episode, Imogen thinks that Dynasty is being a bit harsh with Gabriella. Imogen doesn't see the side of Gabriella that Dynasty sees, but later on, all is revealed and Gabriella maybe isn't the kind of person that Imogen wants to hang around with."

What were the bar scenes like to film?
"They were really fun to film. Anytime that we're outside the school, it's always like a little trip or adventure - they're always quite exciting scenes to do.

"I find doing drunk scenes quite hard. They're very challenging because we obviously didn't have any alcohol, but you have to put yourself in that position and time everything correctly. We don't always film the scenes in chronological order, so I had to ask the director to find out how intoxicated I was in each scene. But it was a great challenge as an actor to do it, because I've not had to play drunk before."

Imogen ends up in a dangerous situation at the bar. What can you tell us about that?
"Imogen is in a situation where there's some underage drinking going on - quite a lot of drinking in fact! She gets herself into a state, and Gabriella continues to be quite reckless at that point, which is the total opposite of Imogen. They end up in a bad situation.

"It's probably never a good idea to be with someone who's a loudmouth like Gabriella in a dodgy place like that. You'll have to wait and see what happens, but they find themselves in a bit of trouble and Gabriella leaves Imogen and Rhiannon by themselves to figure out what to do. It's not very good for them!"

Were you glad to see the show tackling underage drinking in this way?
"Definitely. Waterloo Road has such a wide variety in its audience, with kids, parents and maybe even grandparents all watching it. It's great to be able to see these things on screen and then have a chat afterwards with people at home. The show brings up conversations and gets people talking about things that need to be said.

"Waterloo Road shows what happens in these sorts of situations and the risks involved. It's great to cover these topics."

Barry Barry also puts in a shock appearance in this episode. Is Imogen involved in that?
"Imogen is involved as she's there when Barry turns up at the bar. She's obviously shocked to see him and Rhiannon is too. The last time they saw him was when he was banished from his family, but now he's back again. Imogen doesn't understand why he's there when they all thought he was in Liverpool at the time. It'll be good to see the reactions when that face pops up!"

Was it strange to have Shane O'Meara (Connor) away for these episodes?
"It was, actually - I said this to Shane when he was away. I was quite used to having him on set with me most of the time from the very beginning. It was even just simple things like walking down a corridor and not having a tall person standing beside you!

"It was like I'd lost a part and I felt quite sad when I was sitting in the classroom scenes and not beside him. Dynasty and Kevin were sitting together, when I'd normally have Shane. But it was also different because we did have new characters to interact with like Gabriella."

What do you make of the fans' reaction to Imogen and Connor's storylines?
"It's been really positive and it's not something that I was ever expecting. To get a reaction from fans and to hear what they're saying is always brilliant. Being on TV, we don't get a live audience, so you get the reaction on Twitter instead. A lot of fans take the time to message me about the storylines and that's all you can ever ask for. I'm really pleased that they've enjoyed the stories and I've also enjoyed playing them, so that's even better."

There are rumours that you've finished filming with the show now, so what's next for you?
"Career-wise, I'd like to continue with acting and see what other roles I can get my teeth into. I've got a taste for it now and I'd like to do more television if I could, especially dramas as they're more fun. All of the students on Waterloo Road do grow up and it's a natural progression when you play it that you will have to graduate at some point, but that keeps things fresh and exciting.

[Perdita]

has spoken about her upcoming Waterloo Road role, revealing that her character Mrs Windsor is a "really horrid person".

Craig, who played Ria in BBC sitcom Butterflies during the 1970s and '80s, makes her debut on screen next week as George's mother Mrs Windsor.

Wendy Craig
Lionel Blair celebrates 60 years in showbusiness at the Dorchester hotel
London, England - 31.05.09
© WENN / Vince Maher
Wendy Craig

Mrs Windsor surprises George when she pays a visit to the school. However, her rude behaviour embarrasses her son and he becomes keen for her to leave.

Speaking to Inside Soap, Craig said: "I was quite excited when I was sent the script, because Mrs Windsor is a really horrid person, a terrible snob - and it's such fun playing that sort of role.

"I have always thought Waterloo Road is very well written and extremely well acted.

"Working with Angus Deayton (George) was delightful. It's still a bit daunting, coming into a new show, but he was so friendly. He's a lovely man."

Craig also praised the show's younger cast members, saying:"I was impressed by the younger members of the cast - they were extremely disciplined.

"When you have a big gang of youngsters together it can be fairly chaotic - but it wasn't the case there. I have great admiration for the young people on the show."

Waterloo Road airs Mrs Windsor's debut on Wednesday, January 29 at 8pm on BBC One.

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Carol Barry's unlikely romance with George Windsor hits some challenges on Waterloo Road next week as she meets the schoolteacher's mother Marjorie.

When Marjorie (Wendy Craig) pays a visit, it's immediately clear that she has a superior attitude and a sharp tongue - and won't be best pleased if she discovers that Carol is George's new girlfriend…

We recently caught up with Zöe Lucker, who plays Carol, to discuss what's in store next for her unpredictable character.

Carol Barry is becoming a lot more prominent in this series…
"Yeah, I've absolutely loved it - I've been so much more involved in the show in my second year there, and the character of Carol has also developed a lot more. When we were first introduced to Carol, we only really saw her when she was turning up to the school and was speaking to the teachers about problems with the kids, so it was very much all on one level.

"Last year, I started back filming in May and was working all the way through until November, and the character went down a very different route. Barry is not in the house anymore and Kacey has gone off to America, so it's just Dynasty and Carol left behind. Carol really wants to be able to support Dynasty and give her a chance for a future, the same way Kacey has had.

"It's also gone down a bit more of a comedy route, and I've really enjoyed playing that. I love all of the 'angry Carol Barry' stuff, but now it's also been nice to find lots of different layers to that character. She shows a much softer side, a funnier side and that gave me so much more to play."

Was it an adjustment to deal with a much busier filming schedule?
"It meant that I was in Glasgow a lot, but it still worked out brilliantly with my daughter Lily. We managed to make it all work so that I was never away from home for longer than three or four days at a time.

"Obviously Lily was always cared for by her dad and the rest of the family, and she's totally fine with all that. Because I knew she was happy, safe and busy in school, it meant that I could carry on with doing the job and enjoying it. The cast were absolutely amazing and we had so much fun together."

What kind of response have you seen to the character of Carol since you started playing her?
"I try not to read too much of the response, so all I can really base it on is what people say to me out on the street. I think people really enjoy watching Carol, but I think they're going to enjoy her a lot more with these latest episodes.

"People like Carol because she's protective over her children and is very naughty - she has a distorted view of what's right and wrong. I think people like that you never know what you're going to get from her!"

Were you surprised when you found out about Carol and George's romance?
"Really surprised! It's strange, because I think they're the most unlikely pairing. I thought it was hilarious when the producers suggested that those two would get together. However, George is misunderstood by the pupils and his colleagues, and Carol is misunderstood too - although that's not surprising due to the way she presents herself!

"As George has recently come to Carol's rescue at the pub, there's a twinkle and connection between them. You don't really understand how or why it's happened, but I think George is surprised by Carol, and Carol is surprised by George.

"They develop a fun little friendship, but for Carol, there's definitely more in it. She finds out that George's mother Marjorie is incredibly rich, so it's a double-edged thing. She does really like him, but she also sees that there is possibly money to be made out of the situation."

Can we expect clashes between Carol and Marjorie?
"Yes, definitely! Marjorie is a terrible snob and thinks that nothing is good enough for her George, who is obviously very well-travelled and well-educated.

"George and Carol are keeping their relationship secret at this point, because they know that them being together is a bit weird. Carol feels slightly embarrassed, because George is posh and a teacher, while she is the wife of a convict and mother of three wayward kids. So you just know that George's mum isn't going to approve of the relationship at all! They keep it quiet at first, but then everything unfolds…"

How will Carol react to Barry's return?
"Barry was always the apple of Carol's eye, but when he betrayed his sister, he broke a golden rule by stealing from family. Carol was presented with a real 'Sophie's Choice' at the end of the last series. She didn't want to banish Barry from the house or their lives, but she felt that she had no choice.

"When Barry comes back, he's got a real dark edge to him, which is very unnerving for Carol. She can see that she doesn't have any control over Barry anymore, so there's lots of interesting scenes between the two of them.

"Barry obviously wants to come back home, and Carol is not having any of it, but then he starts blackmailing Carol so that he can get back in their lives. What's coming up is quite dark, but Carl who plays Barry is such a great actor and I absolutely loved the scenes with him. Carl is such a wonderful person and I get on so well with him.

"It's the same with the rest of the Barry family, too - they're all such good actors. I've loved being part of the Barry family and I've had such a great time on Waterloo Road."

[Perdita]

12th February


Chalky makes a return to Waterloo Road to lend support to Kevin ahead of his bursary interview, but events take a dire turn when Kevin is suddenly taken ill. Nikki tries in vain to hide her betrayal from Vix, and Audrey vows to support Lula when she’s threatened with deportation.
Kevin is a bag of nerves as his university bursary interview looms despite the legendary Chalky arriving to lend his support. Kevin’s anxiety gets the better of him and he and Dynasty bicker over their very different ideas about the future. Before they can reconcile, Kevin suddenly collapses and is rushed to hospital, sending shockwaves rippling through the school.

Full of regret, Nikki frantically tries to cover up her one night stand with Hector but when a vindictive Gabriella finds out, she sets out to destroy Nikki’s relationship with Vix.

Lula’s overjoyed to be offered a university placement but her excitement is short-lived when her family is threatened with deportation.

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road science teacher Sue Lowsley is currently enjoying happier times on screen after a tough introduction to the school last year.

The BBC show's last run of episodes saw Sue hit rock bottom after constantly struggling to control her classes, but her life has since taken a turn for the better.

Digital Spy recently caught up with actress Vanessa Hehir, who plays Sue, to chat about her character's turnaround and where she goes from here.

Are you pleased with how Sue has developed since we first met her?
"Yes, I really am. The first ten episodes were a right old rollercoaster, both for Sue and for me as an actress playing her. It was a huge journey that she went on and now it's just nice to see her happy and not crying! Sue spent most of the first term either in hysterics or popping pills, so it's lovely to see her happy and settled with her husband Simon.

"Sue's teaching is also going a lot better and she's gaining a bit more respect from the kids. For example, Dynasty Barry was lovely when she was doing the First Aid course. Sue is still going to be teased sometimes as she's an easy target and highly sensitive, but I think she's definitely finding her feet and she's starting to enjoy herself a bit more as well."

What's coming up for her in the near future?
"In the next few episodes, you'll see Sue supporting Simon with his Resilience Camp project. She really wants to be there for him, so she rallies the kids around to take part. Things have calmed down, which is nice because I don't think we could have maintained the same level of hysteria with her!"

Did you hear from a lot of viewers who felt sorry for Sue during her tougher times?
"Yes, the feedback that I've received from people was that they felt really sorry for her, though I'm sure there were also some people out there who were really glad to see her become such a victim! (Laughs.)

"At the end of the day, Sue is only trying to do a job and she's not a malicious or horrible person - she's just ambitious for herself and Simon. She's trying to do a job that she knows she's not very good at, but she's always wanted to please other people. Hopefully her confidence will grow and she'll start doing things to please herself rather than the men around her, like her dad and her husband."

What was it like to film so many scenes of Sue being humiliated?
"For any actress, to have a part like that is just a dream, because it's nice and juicy and you get a chance to flex your acting muscles. But they were also exhausting to film. It was hard and when I watched them back, even I was affected watching them because it was so horrible.

"Usually when you're on set, you have a joke and mess around in between takes, but for these scenes I'd tend to keep myself to myself and stay in Sue's headspace. They were hard to film, but as soon as you get home at the end of the day, you just get back to normal life."

Are you glad they've brought in more of a family element for Sue with the introduction of her sister Vix?
"Yes, it's lovely when you get to find out more about the character, because that also gives you a lot more backstory for yourself. Vix and Sue don't have their mum as she died when they were young, so they're there for each other. Like any sisters they don't get along half the time, but they try to be as supportive of each other as they can.

"Sue is also a bit of a prude with Vix being a lesbian - she thinks that it's just a phase and she'll grow out of it! It's not how Sue sees her 'perfect family', but at the end of the day, she just wants her sister to be happy."

We've heard that you're now close friends with Kristin Atherton, who plays Vix, in real life.
"Yes, she's absolutely lovely and as soon as we met, we just clicked. It was like we'd been friends forever and I really hope that shows in the relationship we have on screen, because we felt so at ease with each other. It was great to have that female companion on screen and a new person to play off. She's a surrogate sister for me off screen now too!"

In real life, your husband is Leon Ockenden who plays Hector. What was it like for you when he joined the show?
"It was really surreal - I couldn't quite believe it! It was like a dream come true but also weird because I'd be sitting in make-up, hear his voice and then think, 'I know that voice! Oh, it's Leon!' It still felt like a shock to have him on set even after he'd been filming for a while.

"To have Leon there was really lovely, though. It felt like we were finally able to talk, because we have a toddler and our home life completely revolves around her. That's brilliant, but we rarely get a moment to chat. It was lovely to sit down at lunchtime and have a conversation! We didn't have much to do on screen together, so it was more catching up in dressing rooms or in the canteen at lunch."

How difficult is it to juggle work and family life when you're both filming?
"It's incredibly difficult, but we're the luckiest people in the world because my mother kindly moved up to Glasgow with us. She had her own apartment in the building we were living in, so she looked after our daughter each day. We were so lucky to have her support as she was always there.

"The filming schedules on the show can change at a moment's notice, so we wouldn't have been able to rely on a nanny. It was really hard, but you always want to provide for your daughter's future and set a good example as a working mum."

How often do you get recognised by Waterloo Road fans?
"It probably happens but I'm oblivious to it! I wear glasses, but I always lose them so I hardly ever notice anybody looking! (Laughs.) We did go out for dinner the other night and some teenage girls noticed me straight away after we walked in. I was also out feeding the ducks with my daughter Lilah once and some girls said, 'Oh my God, that woman over there looks like that really awful teacher on Waterloo Road!'

"I'm currently back to blonde hair as we're not filming at the moment, so that means less people will probably recognise me!"

How have you found working with such a young cast on the show?
"It's been incredible. Michelle Smith, the show's casting director, has cast the best people. The young actors are the ones to watch as they're going places. Naomi Battrick who plays Gabriella is so talented, beautiful and lovely.

"They're all so professional and it's amazing how good their improvising skills are too. Mark Beswick who plays Darren has to be my favourite because he's so funny. He improvises so much and it ends up in the show. They should give him a writing credit, because he throws in such Darren-esque lines! I love the energy of working with the kids."

Would you like your next role to be completely different to Sue?
"Yes, I think so! Although what I've enjoyed playing in the next series is that Sue gets a little bit political and becomes a little bit of a baddie! I loved playing that side of her, so maybe I could play a nice baddie character!

"I watched The Musketeers the other night, which was great fun. I've also always wanted to play a nurse on telly, so a part in Holby City or Call The Midwife would be really good and a bit different!"

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road headteacher Christine Mulgrew finds herself on a collision course with Carol Barry next week as she disapproves of George Windsor's relationship with the mouthy mum.

Upcoming episodes see Christine (Laurie Brett) become concerned when she discovers that her close friend has started dating Carol (Zöe Lucker).

Christine doesn't trust that Carol's feelings for George are genuine, and her suspicions escalate when the Barry family matriarch is doing some temporary secretarial work at the school.

Working with Carol in close proximity gives Christine the opportunity to examine her behaviour, and she is soon convinced that Carol is only interested in George's money.

When Christine confronts Carol with her suspicions, Carol accuses her of being lonely, jealous and not wanting George (Angus Deayton) to be happy. Is Carol's theory correct, or is Christine right to be suspicious?

Christine disapproves of Carol and George
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Christine disapproves of Carol and George

Waterloo Road airs these scenes on Wednesday, February 5 at 8pm on BBC One.