Waterloo Road Series 10 Spoilers

Waterloo Road will have a new head teacher in series ten, it has been revealed.

Neil Pearson, who is to star as incoming teacher Vaughn Fitzgerald in the next series of the continuing BBC One drama, will play the new head next year.

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© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) / Alan Peebles
Neil Pearson as Vaughn Fitzgerald in Waterloo Road


The news was revealed online after a fan visited the set in Greenock, Scotland. Pictures showing filming for the tenth series, due to air in 2014, were posted on Inverclyde Now and show the school's sign on a wall outside.

Closer inspection reveals that the sign says "Head Teacher: Vaughn Fitzgerald".

Last month, it was revealed that the 54-year-old Drop the Dead Donkey actor and actress Nicola Stephenson had been signed up by Waterloo Road bosses as two new teachers, Fitzgerald and Allie Westbrook.

Speaking about joining Waterloo Road in a BBC press release, Pearson commented: "Waterloo Road has a long and successful history, an impressive list of alumni, and a highly talented and enthusiastic cast. All of which makes me very excited to be joining my new school."

Waterloo Road airs a big episode for Nikki Boston tonight (October 17) as her estranged daughter Eve turns up at the school unexpectedly.

Nikki hasn't seen Eve (Sophie Skelton) for many years, as she gave up responsibility for her when she was just a baby.

Digital Spy recently chatted to Heather Peace, who plays Nikki, for all the gossip on an emotional time ahead as her character's past is explored.

Was this an enjoyable episode to film?
"Yes, I enjoy the challenges of scripts that are difficult. I get quite easily bored with anything in life unless I'm being challenged, so this was great. The director Craig Pickles gave me a lot of freedom with the scenes. We worked together as a team, so hopefully it's come out alright. I haven't seen the episode myself yet, though!"

Did you always know about Nikki's past, or was it just a surprise to read about it in the scripts?
"I didn't know at first. It's at the start of each series that the producers tend to let you know what your next story arc is going to be, so you can prepare for that. But certainly when I joined Waterloo Road two and a half years ago, I didn't know about this at all.

"It was quite exciting when I was told, because we don't know much about Nikki. She's very private and she's one of the only characters whose house we haven't seen on screen. I always joke that she must just sleep in the school!

"It's also interesting to see a character like Nikki start to break down. It would have been very easy, with the material given, to spend the whole episode sobbing my heart out. But I just thought there needed to be a pivotal moment where she cracks. Nikki is the type of person who would hold things together for as long as possible."

What is Nikki's initial reaction when Eve turns up?
"Shock! Nikki doesn't even know what Eve looks like, as she gave her up when she was a baby. At first she just thinks that Eve is another teenager who is perhaps looking to join the school."

Had Nikki thought about Eve much over the years?
"No, she's put Eve to the back of her mind, without a doubt. I think subconsciously that's why Nikki has developed a relationship with Kacey, who is almost a replacement for the daughter that she gave up. Kacey is the same age as Eve, and there's quite a maternal bond there. That's another interesting part of the episode, as there are jealousies between the two girls and they end up vying for Nikki's attention.

"I think Nikki is a great believer in nurture, not nature. At the end of the episode, she realises that she feels more maternal towards Kacey than the child she gave birth to. It's quite controversial, really, as we don't often get to see stories of mothers leaving children."

Why did Nikki give up Eve?
"It's not scripted - it's something I had to build myself. Nikki was very young, in her early 20s, so I presumed it was something to do with her ambitions for the military. Nikki also says in the scenes that she just didn't feel anything - she wasn't a maternal person.

"Throughout this series and the next series, we get to see that Nikki doesn't really like herself very much. In her own weird, warped way and being young, she thought it was better if Eve's dad brought her up on his own. She genuinely believed that Eve would be better off with just her dad around. I think Nikki possibly knew that she didn't have that stability and didn't feel the way she should feel."

Grantly's final episode aired last week. Was it sad to say goodbye to Philip Martin Brown, who played him?
"Yeah, he's one of my best friends from the show and we still speak every couple of weeks. I was absolutely gutted when he left because he's a fun guy to have around. We'd always hang around socially outside of work and go for dinner of an evening, so he was massively missed. But he's alright and really happy - he's not stopped working since he left!"

Will Nikki stay busy on screen in future episodes?
"Yeah, there's a nice arc to the end of this series, to do with Kacey, the Barrys and the boxing. Then in the next series, which will come out in the New Year, we find out a heck of a lot more about Nikki."

A beautiful new girl enrols in the school but doesn’t waste any time in causing mayhem amongst both staff and pupils with her outrageous behaviour. Simon launches his new Resilience Education plan to make the pupils tougher and Nikki returns from the holidays with a new love interest.
When blonde bombshell Gabriella Wark explodes on the scene, she immediately causes problems for staff and pupils. Gabriella is sassy, smart and stunning but has already had her marching orders from several schools for her disruptive behaviour. With her sights firmly set on hot new PE teacher Hector, this is one girl who won’t blend into the school furniture.

Newlywed Simon’s brand new Resilience Education scheme kicks off the new term with a bang and a disagreement with Christine. But he’s determined to prove that this is exactly what the school needs to get the pupils ready for life in the real world.

Nikki is enjoying the bliss of a brand new relationship with Sue’s sister Vix and is unaware that she’s also caught the attention of someone else.

Gabriella is played by Naomi Battrick, Hector by Leon Ockenden, Simon by Richard Mylan, Christine by Laurie Brett, Nikki by Heather Peace, Vix by Kristin Atherton and Sue by Vanessa Hehir.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s1...#ixzz2muKrthgx

8th January 2014

8.30pm - 9.30pm

A beautiful new girl enrols in the school but doesn’t waste any time in causing mayhem amongst both staff and pupils with her outrageous behaviour. Simon launches his new Resilience Education plan to make the pupils tougher and Nikki returns from the holidays with a new love interest.
When blonde bombshell Gabriella Wark explodes on the scene, she immediately causes problems for staff and pupils. Gabriella is sassy, smart and stunning but has already had her marching orders from several schools for her disruptive behaviour. With her sights firmly set on hot new PE teacher Hector, this is one girl who won’t blend into the school furniture.

Newlywed Simon’s brand new Resilience Education scheme kicks off the new term with a bang and a disagreement with Christine. But he’s determined to prove that this is exactly what the school needs to get the pupils ready for life in the real world.

Nikki is enjoying the bliss of a brand new relationship with Sue’s sister Vix and is unaware that she’s also caught the attention of someone else.

Gabriella is played by Naomi Battrick, Hector by Leon Ockenden, Simon by Richard Mylan, Christine by Laurie Brett, Nikki by Heather Peace, Vix by Kristin Atherton and Sue by Vanessa Hehir.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s1...#ixzz2muKrthgx

12/20

Carol Barry’s money-making ventures lead her down some unexpected paths. Connor is offered his dream job but has to convince his mum to let him go. Nikki and Vix take another big step in their relationship.
Carol Barry is flat broke. Desperate to pay for Dynasty to go on the school trip, she takes a job in the school kitchen and soon starts to enjoy some ‘added extras’. With the bailiffs still on her back, Carol needs a second job. She reluctantly returns to her old bar job, but it’s not long until her sleazy boss is up to his old tricks. When a familiar face comes to her rescue, Carol wonders if romance – and the answer to her monetary problems – may lie a little closer to home.

With Maggie’s support and Imogen’s blessing, Connor is beaming from his job offer in London. All he has to do is convince a devastated Christine to let him go.

Vix presents Nikki with some beautiful handmade jewellery; Nikki’s left confused. On one hand, it’s all going so fast but on the other she was hoping for something a little bit smaller and… box-shaped.

12/20

Carol Barry’s money-making ventures lead her down some unexpected paths. Connor is offered his dream job but has to convince his mum to let him go. Nikki and Vix take another big step in their relationship.
Carol Barry is flat broke. Desperate to pay for Dynasty to go on the school trip, she takes a job in the school kitchen and soon starts to enjoy some ‘added extras’. With the bailiffs still on her back, Carol needs a second job. She reluctantly returns to her old bar job, but it’s not long until her sleazy boss is up to his old tricks. When a familiar face comes to her rescue, Carol wonders if romance – and the answer to her monetary problems – may lie a little closer to home.

With Maggie’s support and Imogen’s blessing, Connor is beaming from his job offer in London. All he has to do is convince a devastated Christine to let him go.

Vix presents Nikki with some beautiful handmade jewellery; Nikki’s left confused. On one hand, it’s all going so fast but on the other she was hoping for something a little bit smaller and… box-shaped.

22nd January

13/30


Gabriella continues to make more enemies than friends, leading to a dangerous situation for the girls on a night out. Christine struggles with her emotions as Connor leaves for London and Nikki worries about Eve’s reaction to her engagement.
When Dynasty embarrasses her in front of Hunky Hector, Gabriella declares war and begins to sabotage Dynasty’s friendships and schoolwork. Imogen and Rhiannon join Gabriella for a night out but it doesn’t take long for them to find themselves in trouble. A knight in tarnished armour makes a shock return and quickly captures Gabriella’s wandering eye.

Connor flies the nest, leaving Christine feeling irritable and upset. After one too many run-ins with Simon, she is uninvited to a staff get-together and is left feeling lonelier than ever.

A thrilled Vix can’t wait to spread the news about the engagement but Nikki blows hot and cold as she prepares for a visit from her daughter, Eve.

Waterloo Road introduces a new bad girl to the cast this evening (January 8) as Gabriella Wark joins the school.
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Gabriella enrols at Waterloo Road following a number of previous expulsions at other schools, but it's clear that she hasn't learned many lessons when she immediately starts causing problems for staff and pupils.

Digital Spy recently chatted to Naomi Battrick, who plays Gabriella, to hear what her rebellious character has in store.

How have you found your time at Waterloo Road?
"I've loved it. I joined the show in June and it's been very different to anything that I've done before, in terms of the longevity of the role and moving away for a long period of time. Everybody has been so wonderful, though - the cast, crew and everyone behind the scenes were all really welcoming when I joined.

"The younger cast all live together in the same block of flats, so that's been really lovely - being able to mingle and chat about scenes. It's also nice to have a bit of a life outside of work!"

When did you first hear about the role of Gabriella?
"My agent gave me a ring and told me that something really exciting could be in the pipeline, as Waterloo Road were casting for a new series regular. I was excited but I didn't want to jinx it, so I tried to play it cool!

"After that I was given a couple of scripts - not whole episodes because they obviously didn't want to give too much away, but I was given a few scenes. I learned those and then had the audition a couple of days later. I met with the team at Waterloo Road, went over the role and did the scenes that I'd learned.

"A few days after that I was told I had the role, which was really exciting and I had a meeting with the producer. It was great to move up to Scotland and then just get on with it, really!"
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Gabriella with her fellow Waterloo Road pupils
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) / Alan Peebles
Gabriella with her fellow Waterloo Road pupils

What can we expect from Gabriella?
"She's quite outrageous! She is naughty but what I found enticing about her is that she isn't that everyday naughty character who's just misbehaving. Gabriella is actually very, very intelligent when it comes to manipulating people and she comes out with some really brilliant lines which completely stump teachers!

"Deep down Gabriella isn't a horrible person. She's a bit like Barry Barry in that sense, as Barry comes across as a really nasty guy but deep down he's just a bit of a lost soul. Gabriella is very similar to that and a lot of the things she does are just for attention. Her parents don't give her much attention, love or anything like that, so she's reaching out to get some of that attention and love."

We've also heard that Gabriella sets her sights on the new PE teacher Hector. Why does she do that?
"We touch on the fact that this is something that she's done before. Gabriella has been expelled from quite a few schools before she comes to Waterloo Road, and I think that's probably one of the reasons she's been told to go away - because she's quite inappropriate!

"Gabriella likes Hector as soon as she sees him. She's one of those characters where as soon as she sets her sights on someone, she's going to do absolutely everything in her power to get him. Gabriella thinks, 'Maybe I'll stay here and pursue this!' Leon who plays Hector is a good-looking chap but what starts out as an everyday crush actually turns into something quite dark. It's a good storyline!"

Does Gabriella go on a journey across the course of the series?
"Oh, definitely. In each episode she goes on a bit of a journey, really, but across the series it becomes more apparent. Gabriella is a troubled person and the thing with Waterloo Road compared to her other schools is that her actions have a lot more consequences. As the viewers know, Christine doesn't really take any rubbish! So Gabriella gets quite a few telling-offs.

"You can expect a bit of a transformation over time, but there are also a couple of teasing transformations where you think that she's changed only to then find out that she absolutely hasn't. Hopefully eventually she'll see that she doesn't have to put a bravado on."

Does Gabriella find it easy or difficult to make friends?
"When Gabriella comes to Waterloo Road, that isn't really something that she sets out for. She honestly never saw herself staying at the school for that long! The first thing she does is mistakes Connor for just a random person and snogs him! Dynasty and Imogen tackle her over that, which obviously doesn't help much with making friends.
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Gabriella kisses Connor
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) / Alan Peebles
Gabriella kisses Connor

"There's a few other problems along the way, but you will see Rhiannon and Gabriella form a twisted friendship. Rhiannon is quite taken in by the façade that Gabriella puts on. Rhiannon is almost like a puppy following her around, but it's the only real friendship that she forms."

This isn't your first TV role, so did your previous work prepare you well for Waterloo Road, or has this been very different?
"It definitely did prepare me well but Waterloo Road is also very different in terms of the way it's filmed, but I think any experience is always going to be great. There are various aspects of being on camera that you have to get used to, so having that experience definitely helped."

Do you have any plans for when your first episode goes out?
"I'm hoping to have a few friends over to watch it with me, but to be honest I'll probably be watching it behind a cushion and cringing!"

Waterloo Road star Zoe Lucker has said that viewers will see a lighter side to her character Carol Barry this series as she embarks on a new job.

Carol takes on a role as a dinner lady in the school after she complains that she hasn't got enough money to send daughter Dynasty on a trip.

Lucker said to Inside Soap: "Carol's not shouting all the time which has made a nice change. We are going to see a much lighter side of Carol, and I think viewers will be surprised.

"I've been working with such an ace set of people and I have had a lot of laughs myself.

"I'm having so much fun with Carol working in the canteen. The new job comes after she goes into the school to see Christine and plead poverty over her daughter Dynasty's school trip.

"She's wearing no make-up at the time and she thinks it will help her cause if she looks terrible! But rather than offering to pay for the trip, Christine sends her straight off to work in the kitchens!"

Lucker also revealed that Carol's new job leads her to strike up an unlikely friendship with languages teacher George (Angus Deayton).

She said: "George ends up stepping in to defend her when her creepy boss misbehaves, and the ball starts rolling from there.

"Carol finds out that George's mother is rich - and of course, Carol will always go for the money. But she is also surprised by how fond she becomes of him!

"They are total opposites but a genuine connection develops between the two of them."

Waterloo Road airs tonight (January 8) at 8.30pm on BBC One.

Waterloo Road's Nikki Boston has a new girlfriend when the BBC One drama returns to screens this evening (January 8).
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As a new term begins at the school, Nikki is enjoying a romance with free spirit Vix Spark - who is the sister of established regular Sue.

Digital Spy recently chatted to actress Kristin Atherton, who plays Vix, to hear what fans can expect from her character's arrival in the programme.

How's it all gone for you as a newcomer to the show?
"It's been absolutely amazing. It sounds like such a clichéd thing to say, but it's just been the best experience possible. I've mainly done theatre since becoming a professional actress, so this was my first screen job and it was great to have a crew who were so patient, warm and good-humoured. They taught me the ropes and it was really enjoyable.

"I was also really glad to have such a fun character to play. At my age you often tend to get cast as ingénues or women who don't have much tooth to them, but Vix was really cool - I'm not nearly as cool as her in real life!"

What was the audition process like?
"It was a relatively short process. I got the audition way back in May and I wasn't really expecting to get the part, because I hadn't done much screen work before. Even when I did my first audition, I was convinced that I'd done the worst job in the world and that I'd never work in television!

"Two weeks later my agent told me that I'd actually got a recall, so I went in to audition again. Then I had a nervous two-day wait before receiving a really enthusiastic text from my agent saying, 'Call me!' At that point I was doing my regular non-acting job and I remember running through my work screaming rather loudly! It was kind of a whirlwind, as within five days after that I was up filming in Greenock."

What can viewers expect from Vix?
"She's one of those wonderfully confident people who knows herself really well. Vix is very comfortable about her sexuality and she's not shy about the fact that she's a lesbian. She's also an adventurous spirit - she's covered in little tattoos that she's got from her travels.

"Vix is also a businesswoman as she runs her own jewellery-designing business, so she's artistic, creative and a lot of fun. Mostly what people can expect from her is a lot of humour, which will hopefully bring Nikki out of herself a bit. Nikki is amazing and very strong, but probably a bit shyer about her sexuality and shy about what an amazing woman she is. Vix helps her to be more confident."
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Vix Spark and Nikki Boston in Waterloo Road
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Vix Spark and Nikki Boston

Have Vix and Nikki built up a strong relationship?
"Oh, definitely. It won't be a smooth ride, but despite them being quite different as people and not really knowing where their relationship is going at the beginning, their effect on each other is really positive. Without giving too much away, it is going to be a whirlwind and there'll be lots of ups and downs."

We know that Vix is also Sue's sister...
"Yes, and what will hopefully be interesting for the viewers is just how different Vix and Sue are. You think, 'How are they raised by the same parents?!' There's going to be a bit of drama around whether Sue accepts Vix's relationship or not.

"You'll see a lot of sibling rivalry to start with. Sue is quite prim and not very confident in herself, but Vix is very much the centre of attention and very adventurous. By contrast Sue feels a little bit jealous, but further down the line there's also a lovely sibling bond as they matter an enormous amount to each other."

Do Vix and Nikki go on a journey across the course of the series?
"Definitely - there are some characters who the viewers haven't met yet who will really influence that relationship. There could possibly be a new teacher and possibly be a new student who are going to make that relationship quite a rocky one, so there's a lot of drama to come."

Did you enjoy filming in Greenock?
"I loved filming there. I was born and raised in the Peak District, so I'm a countryside person and I loved driving from Glasgow to Greenock every morning and enjoying all of the scenery. When I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend visiting, we'd also go travelling and enjoy the amazing countryside. Some people find the countryside a little bit sleepy, but I'm as happy as anything there!"

What were Heather Peace (Nikki) and Vanessa Hehir (Sue) like to work with?
"They were amazing. Essentially me and Vanessa are now like adopted sisters! We bonded really quickly and we now go for cocktails and have a gossip together.

"With Heather, it was great to work with someone who's such a pro and who's been doing it for so many years. One of our first scenes was having to kiss each other and that's quite an intimate thing to do with a total stranger, but to have someone so professional, patient and generous was really lovely."

For your next role, are you hoping to stick with TV or do more theatre?
"What I'd like to do is more TV. It's been so much fun, but I also still love theatre, so I'd be really happy with whatever I end up with!"