Waterloo Road Series 10 Spoilers

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road's PE teacher Hector Reid panics in tonight's episode (February 5) as he realises that schoolgirl Gabriella Wark has put herself in danger as part of her desperate quest for attention from him.

When a group of teachers and students head off for Waterloo Road's resilience camp, reckless Gabriella decides to go out rowing alone on the nearby lake, putting herself in danger just so Hector can rescue her.

Digital Spy recently chatted to Leon Ockenden, who plays Hector, to hear more about the episode and his time on Waterloo Road.

What can we expect from this week's episode?
"It's the pinnacle of what Simon and Hector have been working towards with their resilience education ideas. Filming this episode was a lot of fun, because we were up in a beautiful loch.

"There's some good stunts in the episode when things go wrong, and I think visually it's going to be quite spectacular. You also see the real beginnings of Hector's affection blossoming for Nikki and him really trying to get involved with her."

What is it about Nikki that attracts Hector so much, especially as she's with Vix?
"Hector thinks Nikki Boston is fit in every single way, and he sees a bit of himself in her. She's a slightly more conservative version of him. Hector sees a woman who's dynamic, authoritative and yet physical. There's a real physical bond between the characters and that's what draws him towards her. Over the course of the series, Hector is caught out by how genuine his attraction is for Nikki."

What has the Gabriella storyline been like to film?
"Naomi Battrick who plays Gabriella is a cracking actress. I think we'll be seeing a lot more of her in all kinds of different mediums in her future career. We started on the show pretty much at the same time, so it was nice to do our introductory scenes together.

"It's so off Hector's radar that there would ever be a schoolgirl interested in him. He's not unaware of getting female attention, but the students are so off-limits to him, so he's been a bit slow on the uptake with regards to this."

Does Gabriella finally see the error of her ways after her antics in this episode, or will the story run further?
"The story will run across the length of this series and it definitely reaches a climax where it can't continue as it has been, that's for sure!"

Are you in the show just for this set of ten episodes, or longer?
"I'm going to be in the show for a while longer. Scheduling-wise, there won't be a summer term this year because of the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, but I've filmed another ten episodes which will go out in the autumn."

How have you found being part of the show in general?
"I fell in love with Scotland as soon as I moved up there. Michelle Smith, the show's casting director, does such a good job so it's also great to work with a young cast who are extraordinarily talented and will go on to have great careers.

"As well as that, you have the chance to work with actors you've always admired. People like Angus Deayton, Melanie Hill and Neil Pearson were great heroes of mine growing up so it's been brilliant to work with them."

How has it compared to your previous work?
"It's been a while since I've done a continuing drama, where the schedule is so busy as you're filming four episodes at any one time. That takes a bit of getting used to, but because the cast and crew are so helpful, it does all work out. It's also really good fun to film something that's set in a school!"

We know that Vanessa Hehir, who plays Sue, is your wife in real life. What was it like to work on a project with her?
"It was such brilliant fun, actually. We'd been preparing auditions together and helping each other for so long, but our dream was always to work together. Initially when we moved up to Scotland as Vanessa had joined Waterloo Road, it was going to be the case that my acting would take a back seat for a while, because we've got a young daughter and needed to think about childcare.

"Acting can take you all over the place, so then to be able to work on Waterloo Road nearby was really brilliant. Vanessa is a hugely talented actress, so I felt like I had somebody looking out for me and giving me helpful acting notes - which she's not shy of doing! She definitely makes me a better actor, that's for sure!"

Have you been recognised by any fans in public yet?
"We're in Manchester at the moment, where they used to film the show. There's a girl next door who I've known for a while, and she's right in the demographic of people who enjoy Waterloo Road. Vanessa and I are actually going into her school in a couple of weeks to teach a drama lesson. She set that up with her teacher and is very excited about it. But I haven't had anyone who I don't know recognise me yet!"

We read online that you used to be a baker. How did you make the jump into acting?
"Essentially what happened was that I was given the opportunity to work in Germany and Sweden on an international exchange of labour for trainee chefs and bakers. I'd just qualified as a baker at that point. I went to Germany for six months and Sweden for six months. I got to see a bit of the world, grow up and become more confident. Then I worked in London in the kitchen in a posh hotel, but I ran away from that job on April Fool's Day! I ended up working in Amsterdam and it was there that I had the epiphany and decided that I should be an actor.

"I came back to the UK, went into a careers advice place and said, 'I want to be an actor'. They said, 'No you don't!', but I explained that I had something to fall back on. They asked if I'd thought about drama schools, so I did a BTEC in performing arts and then applied to drama schools. I ended up going to a drama school in London."

What have your career highlights been?
"Definitely finally getting to work with Vanessa - that's been a big highlight. I was in a really fun play called Muswell Hill which was certainly one of the best pieces of writing I've been involved with.

"I also did Tripping Over, a show created by Mike Bullen who did Cold Feet. Filming-wise it was the best job. We filmed for three weeks in Bangkok, three weeks in London, three weeks in Sydney and seven weeks in Melbourne. I got to play a real off-the-rails guy from the north of England called Callum. That was a lot of fun because the character I was playing was either ecstatic and taking lots of drugs or crying his eyes out! As an actor, you always like those extremes."

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road's Kevin Chalk is rushed to hospital in next week's episode after suffering a stroke.

Kevin, played by Tommy Lawrence Knight, is preparing for a university bursary interview when his health takes a sudden turn for the worse.

Kevin in hospital
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Kevin in hospital

A day of surprises for Kevin begins when Chalky (Mark Benton) unexpectedly arrives at the school to lend his support, promising to accompany him to Edinburgh for the interview.

Unfortunately for Kevin, he can't rely on the same support from girlfriend Dynasty Barry (Abby Mavers) as she reveals that she doesn't necessarily share his plans for their future.

Just as Kevin is trying to reason with Dynasty, he suddenly collapses in a classroom and is rushed off for emergency medical treatment.

When doctors confirm that the teenager has suffered a stroke, it's touch and go as to whether he'll pull through…

Dynasty is distraught over Kevin's health scare
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Dynasty is distraught over Kevin's health scare

Chalky and Maggie hope for the best
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Chalky and Maggie hope for the best

Waterloo Road airs these scenes on Wednesday, February 12 at 8pm on BBC One.

[Perdita]

26th February

Dynasty is faced with a terrible dilemma when she discovers how Barry is making money; Christine is angry to find Darren with inappropriate images again but discovers some shocking truths when she visits his home, as the school drama continues.
Dynasty sets off for a police interview but her hopes are dashed when her family’s criminal background is revealed. She's soon distracted by Barry’s cagey behaviour and is shocked to uncover the truth behind his new job. To prove she’s not cut from the same cloth, she is forced to make a weighty decision that will change the Barrys' lives once and for all.

Darren is in serious trouble when he’s discovered with indecent images on his phone yet again. Determined to get to the root of his behaviour, Christine makes an unannounced visit to his home but is left appalled and shaken by what she finds.

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road airs a big episode for teenager Kevin Chalk this evening (February 12) as he suffers a massive health scare ahead of his university interview.

Kevin will find his life turned upside down after he collapses whilst arguing with girlfriend Dynasty Barry over their future and it later becomes apparent that he has had a stroke.

Digital Spy recently caught up with actor Tommy Lawrence Knight, who plays Kevin, to hear more about tonight's episode and what it will mean for his future.

What was your reaction when you first found out that Kevin would suffer a stroke?
"Instantly it was fear, I think. When I was first told, my heart nearly stopped. I got quite scared at first because it's a big deal. There is obviously a chance it could offend people as well, so I was scared about that. Pride also came in as I thought because they have given me this storyline, they must think I am capable of doing it which is a nice gesture. I was quite proud of myself. But I am pleased to be given this opportunity, even though it comes with a lot of fear."

Did the producers let you know about the storyline in advance so that you could prepare?
"I was told about two or three weeks before we got the scripts which would have been about a month before we started shooting it. So I knew about a month in advance what the storyline was going to be, and so I spent the month researching, standing in front of a mirror practicing and asking for advice."

So did the storyline require quite a lot of research on your part, or was it mostly left to the writers?
"I started off researching it myself as soon as I was told and finding out all I could. There are videos on YouTube, like speech therapy and from different stroke victims to try and get an understanding of what the recovery process was like. There are no videos of anyone actually having a stroke because that would be quite terrible but there are adverts out where you see the side of someone's face and they say 'Can they lift their arms?' 'Can they smile?'

"I think FAST is the acronym that they use to say look out for. So I did a lot of research myself, and as we got closer I went and spoke to some of the writers and they prepared a little sheet for me in more detail on the type of stroke Kevin had, which is an ischemic stroke and is one of the most common types of strokes. I think 80 per cent of strokes are ischemic and so I was able to find out more about that, research it and do all I could."

Many people probably don't realise that young people like Kevin can suffer a stroke. Did you know much about this issue before taking on the storyline?
"I think like a lot of people, I also assumed that strokes were an old age thing. I think most strokes they say happen to people over the age of 65 but last year in the UK, there were over 120 kids under 18 who had a stroke and that is a lot of people. So it does happen and I think it's great that the awareness is out there now and that the show is able to do that. If you see something like that happen, you don't necessarily think 'he is having a stroke' if he is a young person. You just don't think of that straight away."

On the day this episode takes place, Chalky returns unexpectedly. How does Kevin react to his surprise return?
"Obviously, he loves Chalky. He is his foster dad and he has effectively saved his life. He is over the moon. He has his Edinburgh interview coming up so he is very nervous and then Chalky turns up and it is a sigh of relief at first. He thinks he has got someone on his side now and someone to help him feel good about it, but then as the episode goes on, you find out that Chalky is as nervous as Kevin which doesn't really help the situation at all and he turns Kevin into a bit of a bag of nerves."

How did you feel about having Mark Benton (Chalky) back for such an important episode for Kevin?
"It was brilliant. Mark's amazing. He is fun to work with and a right laugh on set. He makes me feel really relaxed because when I started Waterloo Road, I did a lot of scenes with him. Obviously there has been some time since he left so I hadn't seen him for a while. It was a great opportunity to laugh with him again."

Kevin and Dynasty have a bit of a row just before he's due to leave for his big interview. Can you tell us about the row and why they fall out?
"Well, so far we have seen a growth of Dynasty as she is finding out through the resilience camp how she is a lot stronger. She is finding all these leadership skills and all sorts from this camp and she is getting drawn to going into the police force. In her head, she is set on joining the police force, but Kevin and everyone else around him has been assuming she would be going to join him in Edinburgh so he is a bit hurt. So she is saying 'No, I don't want to go to Edinburgh with you. I want to stay here and join the police force' and that is when the argument starts."

Can you tell us about the scene where Kevin collapses and what it was like to film?
"It was terrifying. I have seen little pre-cuts of it but I haven't seen the final episode. I was quite nervous on the day. Basically Kevin is about to leave for his interview, but he decides that he doesn't want to go with a clouded mind of guilt over the argument he had with Dynasty. So he rushes back in to apologise to her and I think all the stress reaches a peak and it causes him to have a stroke whilst he is apologising to her. Dynasty is left completely distraught."

Kevin has obviously been under a lot of stress. Could this have triggered the stroke?
"Yes, in this case it did. It is all due to high blood pressure which stress can obviously cause. It is not the same for all cases, but in this situation, it is definitely triggered by stress."

It's going to be touch and go as to whether Kevin will pull through - is he in a lot of danger?
"Yeah he is. There is a recovery process that goes on for a while and it is quite severe for Kevin."

This incident will be a wake-up call for Dynasty - could it bring her and Kevin closer together again if Kevin pulls through?
"You'd hope so. She would be feeling a lot of guilt and is obviously a very loyal person. She is the sort of person that would want to stick by him but then that is also pulling her away from her dreams. She can't go running off to the police force because now she feels guilty and obliged to stay with Kevin."

You've been on Waterloo Road for a few series now - how would you sum up the experience?
"It's been quite enlightening I think. I've had a great time and met so many actors and I've met a lot of people but I think it is the reaction outside of work that has changed my life the most. Going into Topshop or something and having people follow you around while you are trying to pick a new pair of socks out can be quite intimidating. You try your hardest not to let it bother you but it has completely changed my life."

What kind of reaction do you get from the fans and are they supporters of the Kevin/Dynasty romance?
"Mostly positive. I am quite lucky because I haven't really had any bad experiences. You get the odd rude person who demands a picture but everybody is quite nice and positive. I think they like Kevin and Dynasty's little storyline. I am with Abby a lot of the time outside of work so we probably get noticed a lot more than we should."

Kevin and Dynasty are in their final year at the school - are these current 10 episodes your last, or will you be in the next 10 too?
"Without saying too much, what this stroke means is that Kevin doesn't finish his last year of school because the recovery process takes up a lot of time. He was anticipating university and a happy life after that but this gets him away and completely throws him. He becomes lost and he doesn't quite have the drive for things anymore. When people suffer from ischemic strokes, it really affects them mentally through speech and movement. It slows them down and simple things like adding up can become a big problem even for someone that is very intelligent. He could sit there and speak to you in another language but he can't count five blocks on the table. It really throws him and alters all his dreams."

Which episodes or stories have been your favourites to film?
"The resilience camp episode was great – I love things like that. We spend so much time in the school and one scene kind of drags to another and the whole thing is all one big blur looking back apart from the days where we are outside and we have scenes in public. Also, the heavy episodes we had last year with Steve-O and Dynasty and the rape storyline, that was great to film as that was outside of the school. I really liked that. It puts you in a new environment and it always feels quite fresh when you are in a new place."

You're known for playing likeable characters - would you enjoy the challenge of playing a nastier character in the future?
"I'd love to give it a go. I go off for the odd audition for a nasty character but it doesn't happen, I don't know what it is. I think I need to practice being a bit mean. I don't have it in me."

We know that acting runs in your family - how did you get into it?
"I started off doing dancing and singing when I was little and then I went to a local dance school like my older brother and sister had done. They had done local pantomimes and things and I watched them and thought it was great. I did an open audition in the West End when I was 6 and it pulled through and after that I got myself an agent. I have kind of fallen into it. I have always told myself that I would get an education and I will do something else, but then I get a nice job and it's become my life."

Read more Waterloo Road spoilers and news

Waterloo Road airs on Wednesdays at 8pm on BBC One.

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road's former Maths teacher Daniel 'Chalky' Chalk makes a return visit in a big episode for Kevin this evening (February 12).

Chalky arrives back to support Kevin (Tommy Lawrence Knight) on the day of his university bursary interview, but the happy day takes a horrifying turn for the worse when the teenager suffers a stroke and is rushed to hospital.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Mark Benton, who plays Chalky, to hear his thoughts on the emotional episode.

How did it feel to return to Waterloo Road for this episode?
"It was great. It was just like stepping back into familiar shoes. It was like I'd never been away, so I really enjoyed it and it was nice to go back and see everybody."

Did you always expect to come back at some point?
"When I left, I started in Hairspray but Waterloo Road asked me back a few times. I couldn't do it because I wasn't available, but in the end we were able to squeeze in an episode between venues for Hairspray.

"It was great fun and we filmed my scenes over two days. I did Hairspray on the Saturday night and then I flew to Glasgow on the Sunday morning. I filmed all day Sunday and Monday, but then flew back on the Tuesday. It was literally full-on filming for the two days."

What made you want to come back?
"I was all for it once I heard about the storyline they had planned. It's an interesting topic for the show to explore and I knew that it wasn't just going to be a comedy story, so that's what swayed me."

What can you tell us about Chalky's return?
"Chalky returns to support Kevin on the day of his university bursary interview, but then the gist of the storyline is that Kevin has a stroke before he's due to leave for the interview. That was what interested me, because many people don't realise that a lot of young people do have strokes.

"There's a charity called Different Strokes that looks after young people in these situations. I don't think this has been broached on a soap before, so that's what drew me back."

What are the consequences for Chalky and Kevin?
"The lovely thing about the writing in this episode is that you get the full gamut of Chalky, if you like! There's a bit of comedy and fun, but then it gets very serious and emotional towards the end of the episode. Hopefully it will then turn out to be quite uplifting, so it's a really lovely journey that Chalky goes on in the episode. I hope people will really enjoy it and be glad to see Chalky back."

Has life been going well for Chalky?
"Yeah, he has new trendy glasses so it must be going well! He's doing really well in London, so all is good - that's part of the reason why it's such a shock when Kevin does have a stroke."

Who did you most enjoy catching up with on set?
"A lot of the people from my time had already gone, but it was obviously really good to see Melanie [Hill, who plays Maggie]. She's such a good person and a wonderful actress as well. Tommy is also a great actor and a lovely guy.

"I'm still in touch with a lot of the actors from my time on the show, including Alec Newman, Philip Martin Brown and Melanie. You also tend to bump into people at various places, which is always nice."

Would you return to the show again?
"Never say never. It would all depend on storylines, really. If there was a good storyline and something interesting to explore, then I'd definitely come back. I wouldn't like to rule it out, because I loved playing Chalky so much. He's such a lovely character so it's not a difficult thing to get back into."

What's next for you?
"I've been doing the Strictly Come Dancing live tour, and as for the future, I don't know yet - we'll see what happens! There's a few offers and irons in the fire, but nothing definite yet. I love doing both stage and screen work. They're so different, so I love them both for different reasons."

If we don't see Chalky again, how would you like him to be remembered?
"Fondly, I guess. I think he's a lovely character and he had a strong journey on the show. He got stronger as time went on and had a great story with Kevin. I hope people remember him with a smile!"

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road's Audrey McFall leads the school in a huge protest in next week's episode.

The history teacher insists on decisive action when she learns that the immigration office are threatening the future of teenage pupil Lula Tsibi (Marlene Madenge).

Audrey (Georgie Glen) is horrified when she learns that immigration officials have already taken away Lula's mother and are now searching for her too.

Unfortunately, the timing couldn't be worse as headteacher Christine Mulgrew has the day off and her stand-in George Windsor (Angus Deayton) isn't entirely sympathetic towards Lula's cause.

Feeling frustrated as the situation starts to divide the teaching staff, Audrey turns to the students for support and urges them to organise a protest…

George takes over as headteacher for the day
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
George takes over as headteacher for the day

Harley comforts Lula
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Harley comforts Lula

The students protest over Lula's future
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
The students protest over Lula's future

Waterloo Road airs these scenes on Wednesday, February 19 at 8pm on BBC One.

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road has released a new spoiler video previewing Lula Tsibi's turmoil as immigration officers take away her mother Cecile during next week's episode.

When the officers arrive at the Tsibis' front door, Cecile panics and forces the teenager to escape out the window and run away.

After successfully escaping, a devastated Lula (Marlene Madenge) watches on as Cecile is escorted away and put in the car.


As previously reported, Audrey McFall (Georgie Glen) will lead the school in a huge protest after learning of the situation Lula is in.

Waterloo Road airs these scenes on Wednesday, February 19 at 8pm on BBC One.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2...ers-watch.html

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road bad boy Barry Barry doesn't face an easy time as he tries to impress Gabriella Wark in next week's episode.

Barry (Carl Au) is determined to secure a long-term future with Gabriella, so he tries to show his romantic side by inviting her out for lunch at an upmarket hotel.

Gabriella (Naomi Battrick) accepts the invite but seems to have sabotage in mind when she asks her friend Rhiannon Salt to come along on the date, well aware that Barry doesn't like her.

Later, when Barry turns up at the school showing off a flash car and a stylish suit, his enthusiasm is short-lived when Gabriella announces that Rhiannon (Rebecca Craven) will be joining them for lunch.

Things go from bad to worse during the meal as Rhiannon doesn't respond well to the exotic food on the menu. As Barry loses patience, what will this mean for his future with scheming Gabriella?

Barry tries to impress Gabriella
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Barry tries to impress Gabriella

Barry greets Gabriella
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Barry greets Gabriella

Rhiannon causes a scene during the lunch
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Rhiannon causes a scene during the lunch

Waterloo Road airs these scenes on Wednesday, February 19 at 8pm on BBC One.

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road's Audrey McFall organises a huge protest at the school in tonight's episode (February 19) after learning that pupil Lula Tsibi is in danger of being taken away by the immigration office.

The History teacher rallies her students to support and protect Lula (Marlene Madenge) before it's too late, but her drastic actions aren't supported by many of her colleagues.

Digital Spy recently chatted to Georgie Glen, who plays Audrey, to hear her thoughts on the dramatic episode.

How does Audrey react when she finds out that Lula could be sent away?
"Audrey is horrified and completely shocked by it. Lula is one of her best students as she's hard-working with fabulous prospects. She has a good chance of getting to university, she's very committed and she has a wise head on young shoulders, so Audrey can't believe that the law would ride roughshod over that. Audrey thinks that the situation is a grave injustice."

Would Audrey feel so strongly if one of the other students was in this position?
"That's a tricky one! I think Audrey is a very fair-minded teacher and I'm sure that she'd like to think that she treats all of her students the same way, but she is human and she does have a soft spot for Lula. I don't think Audrey would feel quite as strongly with some of the other pupils.

"She would hope not to show that, but Audrey has got a steely eye and there are some kids she'd probably be glad to see the back of if she has tried to win them over and hasn't succeeded. At the same time, Audrey would always fight injustice and if she felt something was wrong, she would always stand up to it."

When Audrey organises the protest, doesn't she worry about getting into trouble at work?
"I don't think she does! Audrey has got a history because she's done this kind of thing before, and once she gets the bit between her teeth, she doesn't think about the consequences. She's come unstuck in the past with things like that, as she doesn't always do things by the book!

"At face value, Audrey is old-fashioned and a stickler for discipline, but I think she's got a bit of rebel in her as well. If she does feel strongly about something, she doesn't mind if it goes against common beliefs or the establishment. She's prepared to stand up and be counted, often without a thought of the consequences. I quite like that about her, because she does things with the best of intentions."

The students protest over Lula's future
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
The students protest over Lula's future

Not all of the teachers share Audrey's strong feelings on the situation. How does she feel about that?
"Sue becomes very outspoken about immigration, which Audrey feels angry about. There's also George, who takes a very laid-back attitude towards everything and doesn't like getting involved. On the other hand, some of the characters are sympathetic but they very much want to play it by the book. People like Christine and Simon think that Lula having to leave doesn't seem right, but they have to obey the law.

"Audrey ends up feeling frustrated on all sides because she feels the law is wrong. She even takes it out on the immigration officer. He's just doing his job, but it's beyond her understanding that something like this could happen.

"It's realistic that there are so many different responses to it, and Audrey isn't really surprised by the way other people react. She wouldn't bear grudges, but she's disappointed that the others won't join her. Audrey would rally the troops if she could."

Maggie gets involved too, doesn't she?
"Yes, Maggie and Audrey have very different backgrounds but when they get together, they're quite a strong team - although they would usually tackle things in a different way. They're united in this situation and they work as a team, until Maggie takes things into an area that Audrey is not comfortable with."

You've been on Waterloo Road for a while now. How would you sum up your time there?
"I've really loved it. I hesitated before accepting it, because I've never really got committed to a long-term project before. I've always ducked and dived and gone in and out of quite a wide variety of work. I've really appreciated that - I've loved doing films, costume drama and comedy.

"I was worried that I could just disappear down a one-way street by doing a continuing drama, but it's been a great experience for me. It presents different challenges and I love the fact that we have the luxury of time to get to know the whole team and work intimately together. That's something you don't do if you're just doing a show for a week or a day. I'm lucky to have had the experience."

What kind of reaction do you get from the show's fans?
"It's so fantastic as they're so positive. I've been amazed at how many people come up and talk to me. I think Audrey is very approachable, polite and understanding, so people sometimes confuse the actor with the character and feel comfortable enough to come up for a chat with her! I'm delighted to talk to anybody if they want to speak to me, so it's great.

"I get a real mixture of ages approaching me, too. I think older women love to have an older woman on TV who they can relate to, while younger viewers respect her as a teacher. I know they laugh at her because she's old-fashioned, but they know where they stand with teachers like that and they see the good in her."

Do you share many similarities with Audrey?
"She's more like me than I'd probably care to admit, I have to say! She's like my sensible older sister and she's got a moral compass because she does so many good things. She goes out to Africa in the summer breaks, which is something I've never done. She's a better person than I am, but at the same time, I think she can perhaps be more misguided.

"I'm married with two children, and who knows whether Audrey has children or whether she's been married? It's never been written about, but she does wear a wedding ring. Inevitably in acting you use a lot of yourself in the character, so I am quite similar to her in many ways. Often if I don't know what to do in a situation I think, 'What would Audrey do now?' because she'd probably make a better decision than I would!"

Georgie Glenn as Audrey McFall in Waterloo Road
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Audrey has more drama on the way

What's coming up next for Audrey after this week's episode?
"It's never long before she gets another cause to fight! She goes off on another tangent further down the line and she's just as rebellious."

Do the younger cast approach you for advice?
"If I'm honest, I often approach them for advice! They're an amazing bunch of kids. I'm always just blown away by their professionalism and their maturity. They're an incredible team and they're so supportive of each other. I would never give advice if it wasn't asked for, but when it is, my advice is always things like, 'Keep your head down, be professional and don't make waves'.

"The acting world is small so the reputation you want to make is a good one. Fortunately the younger cast do that anyway. They're regular characters in a primetime show so they've already proved their worth and they work very, very hard."

Is there anyone in particular among the young cast who you'd tip for a bright future?
"In our business, it just depends on which opportunities come your way and whether that presents a wave that you can ride. An awful lot is down to luck. You can have all the talent in the world, but without luck it can go unrewarded, which is an awful truth.

"You have to just keep trying. A series could come up that would be perfect for one of them and suddenly propel them higher up the ladder. It just depends on what happens and whether they seize the opportunity."

[Perdita]

12th March 2014


A sober Christine deals with the repercussions of her drink-driving offence. Kacey is selected for the Commonwealth Games but Gabriella soon puts an end to her happiness. Nikki’s future at Waterloo Road is suddenly thrown into uncertainty.
Connor returns to support a vulnerable Christine amid the fallout of her drink-driving incident. Though she vows to make amends, both the school and the Education Board are divided on her future at Waterloo Road.

Kacey and Gabriella’s feud escalates and turns nasty as Gabriella causes an accident that leaves Kacey’s boxing dreams in tatters.

Nikki’s career is called into question when a student makes an accusation against her. Vix reaches out to her in support, but will there be time for them to reconcile before Vix leaves for good?