Waterloo Road Series 10 Spoilers

Waterloo Road star Carl Au has spoken to Digital Spy about life after the show and his future plans, after returning to his theatre roots with a lead part in his home city.

The 27-year-old actor, who played popular bad boy Barry Barry on the BBC One drama, is currently appearing in a brand new play called Bright Phoenix at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool.
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Carl Au at the 2013 Inside Soap Awards, Ministry of Sound, London.
© Ian West/PA Wire
Carl Au at the Inside Soap Awards

Au's new project sees him playing the role of Alan 'Icarus' Flynn, part of a diverse gang of misfits who is convinced that he can fly.

Speaking in a catch-up chat with Digital Spy, Au commented: "Theatre was first for me when I started acting. I originally trained in theatre in London, then did some shows and lots of other things before TV came along. I love theatre and TV for different reasons as they're both very different, but theatre is great for the adrenaline that you can get from the audience.

"Once you start, there's no way that you can get off that rollercoaster ride and you just have to play your journey right the way through to the end. As an actor you feel alive, especially when you've got good actors to play with. In this case, the show changes every night and you really feel like you're in the moment."

He continued: "It was a really quick turnaround with the audition process for Bright Phoenix. I went back to London and got a place there with some friends, but no sooner than I went there, this audition came up.

"I didn't know anything about it at first, but when the script came through, it was very raw, very vivid, anarchic and wild in its nature. It sounded awesome and I found it very interesting. I decided I'd really like to go for it because I knew it would be special."
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Carl Au in Bright Phoenix at the Everyman Theatre
© Everyman Theatre
Carl Au in Bright Phoenix at the Everyman Theatre

Written by Jeff Young, Bright Phoenix tells the story of Alan's gang of friends as they were in the 1980s and in the present day.

Featuring live music and unique staging, the production explores the magic of forgotten and abandoned places against the backdrop of recent regeneration in Liverpool.

Au explained: "Obviously the play is quite political because it talks about the degeneration of Liverpool and the regeneration. Those are the themes explored throughout. The regeneration has been awesome and brings a lot of people to the city, but we also talk about the historic buildings that we've maybe neglected.

"It really challenges people and I think they come away thinking about that. It also talks a lot about invisible people in the city - those down the back alleys and people you maybe don't usually see about. That's what the writer wanted to capture.

"Generally it's been received really well. Everyone seems to think that Jeff's writing has really captured the spirit of Liverpool by touching on the humour, but also including his own wild imagination. People have understood that and appreciated his vision. He is in love with Liverpool and that's why he wrote it."

Waterloo Road troublemaker Lisa Brown is up to her old tricks in tonight's episode (October 22) as she spots an opportunity to make some quick cash using unsavoury methods.

When new headteacher Vaughan Fitzgerald launches a community hub at the school, Lisa and her friend Shaznay Montrose (Je'taime Morgan Hanley) hatch a plan after spotting what seems to be a vulnerable target.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Caitlin Gillespie - who plays Lisa - to hear about her character's cunning idea, Waterloo Road's remaining episodes and lots more.
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Caitlin Gillespie as Lisa Brown in Waterloo Road
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) / Alan Peebles
Caitlin Gillespie as Lisa Brown

What can you tell us about Vaughan's big idea for the school?
"Because Vaughan is a new headteacher who has come into Waterloo Road, he wants some new initiatives in the school. He wants the school to be a bigger part of the local community, so he opens up a community hub where local people can come in for a chat or for a coffee.

"When Lisa and Shaznay are made to work in the hub, an older man called Mr Carmichael comes along. They look at him and they realise that he's probably worth a lot of money. They come up with a horrible scheme to try to get some money from him!"

We'll see Lisa and Shaznay find an excuse to visit his house and steal from him! Do they find it easy to fool him?
"Well, at the start it's fine for them. They play it very nicey-nice in front of Mr Carmichael and they act like butter wouldn't melt! But they do come into a few problems later on when they think they've got what they want from him…"

Who is the ringleader in this situation?
"Oh, definitely Lisa! Shaznay has much more of a conscience and morals than Lisa does. It's a horrible plan that Lisa brings Shaznay along into."

Will Lisa have to face the consequences of her actions?
"Definitely - just like everything else that Lisa tries, she doesn't end up getting away with it! Let's just say there's definitely a scene in the cooler in this episode!"
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Shaznay and Lisa hatch a plan
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) Ltd/Alan Peebles
Shaznay and Lisa hatch a plan

Would you like to see Lisa change or do you prefer it when she's being bad?
"I like it when Lisa is causing trouble, but she is getting older as the episodes go along, so she is growing up a little bit too. She's maybe not as involved in childish behaviour as she would have been a while back, but she's still getting into trouble and causing a lot of problems."

Could Vaughan manage to put Lisa in her place?
"Vaughan has just come into the school and he's definitely got a really big presence there, so Lisa does listen to him. She does think that what he has got to say is important, and he's actually quite a scary and intimidating headteacher. Lisa has to listen to him!"

Does Lisa form relationships with any of the new characters?
"She takes a bit of a liking to Vaughan's son Justin, because he's the new bad boy of the school. She's got her eye on him, but so does Shaznay!"

Will Lisa be busy on screen across the rest of the series?
"Yeah, Lisa is definitely busy and she's got a lot of stuff coming up in this series. There's a lot of stuff with Shaznay and with Lenny too. Lisa and Lenny go through some problems in this series, so she is still very busy, causing mayhem and causing trouble."

Is Lisa staying in Waterloo Road until the final episode next year?
"Yeah, I'm in the show until the very end. We finished filming the last ever episode in August. It had been really nice actually, because it was almost like we were cherishing the last moments that we had together as a cast. We were all spending a lot of time together and appreciating the time that we all had with each other. We wanted to make the time as fun as possible."

Were you surprised to hear that the show would be ending?
"Nothing is ever certain in this industry and that's the thing - a show is never going to last forever. Waterloo Road ran for a really long time and it had to end at some point, but it's definitely going to go out on a high.

"For the remaining episodes, the storylines are great and they've got lots of new characters in the show. The characters are brilliant and the plotlines are brilliant. There's also a good ending next year with a nice way to round it all off."

What have you been up to since you finished filming?
"It's really nice just now because I'm just living normal life again. When you're filming, you're in a bubble and I didn't really get to do anything or see anybody. I've just bought a flat, I'm getting to see people again and I've been able to make plans to go on trips. I'm actually just enjoying having a little break from work just now.

"With working on River City and Waterloo Road, I'm so lucky with the career that I've had at the age that I'm at. I'm so proud of the work that I've done and I'd like to think that it will hopefully carry on."

What are your fondest memories that you're taking away from Waterloo Road?
"Everybody will say this, but it's the people. We all get along so well and I've made really, really good friends for the rest of my life there. I learned so much on Waterloo Road. All of the people I got to work with, especially the teachers, have given me such great advice and I've had really good mentors there. I'll definitely take a lot from it.

"Georgie Glen who plays Audrey was a great help to me. She's the loveliest woman. Georgie has had the most amazing career, but she's just so down to earth about it all. Laurie Brett who plays Christine has also had an amazing career and I look up to her a lot. I had great advice from Neil Pearson who plays Vaughan too. The established actors all took their time to talk to the younger actors and give advice. They were aware that we're young actors and they were in the same position themselves once."

Do you keep in touch with your friends from the show?
"Yeah, we talk to each other all the time! It's hard sometimes because everybody has got different things going on, but we all make an effort to really speak to each other a lot. We still see each other and talk to each other."

Would you like to do more TV or perhaps move into theatre?
"I love doing TV. Theatre is a bit out of my comfort zone - it scares me a wee bit! It'd be really good to do theatre just to push myself a little bit, but I really love filming as that's where I feel most comfortable. I'd love to carry on filming TV dramas."

Joe Slater and Caitlin Gillespie as Lenny and Lisa Brown on Waterloo Road
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) / Alan Peebles
Caitlin with on-screen brother Joe Slater

Your on-screen brother Joe Slater (Lenny) was a hopeful on The X Factor in the summer and is now concentrating on music. Do you think he has a bright future?
"Oh yes, there's no doubt at all that he does. He's incredible - he can play every instrument and his singing is just amazing. Joe could have the most amazing acting career, but music is where he wants to go and I totally support him in that."

Do you think the X Factor judges were slightly harsh on him towards the end?
"Yeah, it almost seems like they're looking for a certain type of thing on that show. Joe is so talented and he is a musician - he's not just some singer who doesn't really understand the industry. He'll make it, definitely.

"It's incredible to think that Joe did make it to boot camp, as there were a lot of stages that he went through to get to that point. I think it's a positive thing that's come out of it and people will look at Joe as a young, aspiring musician. He's lovely - he totally has the personality for it as well."

Waterloo Road airs Zöe Lucker's final episode tonight (October 29) as her fiery character Carol Barry bows out from the show.

Following a chaotic couple of years, Carol has one last card to play as she fakes an accident at the school in order to secure some quick compensation.
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Zöe Lucker as Carol Barry in Waterloo Road
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR)
Zöe Lucker as Carol Barry

Carol's antics will bring her into conflict with Waterloo Road's no-nonsense headteacher Vaughan Fitzgerald, so has she finally met her match?

Digital Spy recently caught up with Zöe for a chat about her exit from the show and what the future holds.

Were you sad to leave Waterloo Road?
"I filmed my final episode a year ago now, but it was sad to leave. Apart from anything else, it was just because we'd all formed such lovely friendships while working together in Glasgow. Carol was also a character who I really enjoyed playing.

"I think it did come to its natural end, in terms of the character of Carol and where she could go. She's exhausted a lot of options just because of the way she is and the situation that she has found herself in yet again! Every time it looks as if she's maybe got her head above water, something comes up and she sinks again!"

What can we expect from Carol's final episode?
"After all of the stuff with George and the compensation, Carol sees an opportunity to make some more money from the school. She stages an 'accident' and from there on, she's up to no good again as she's trying to get compensation money.

"I don't think Carol expects the outcome to be what it turns out to be, though! She thinks that she's definitely going to get away with it, but when you watch, you'll see what happens!"
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Carol stages an accident
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) Ltd
Carol stages an accident

Will there be tension between Carol and the school's new headteacher Vaughan?
"Yeah, there will be! At this point, Carol hasn't had the time to get the measure of the new headteacher. She's slightly in denial about how much she can and cannot get away with! I think because Vaughan is very savvy, intelligent and bright, he sees through Carol quite early on. She messes with the wrong person, really!"

The viewers seemed to enjoy seeing Carol's softer side in the last series. How did you feel about that?
"I would say that you saw a softer side to Carol at the end of the last series because of everything that had happened with Barry, Dynasty and Kacey. Unfortunately, it does always seem to be the case that just as Carol is starting to get back on track and things are looking positive, that doesn't last for long!

"I think Carol did have quite a nice relationship with George. Even though that might not have been something that she would ever have expected and it was an unlikely pairing, Carol did have a real fondness for him, even though she saw a financial opportunity there as well.

"When George split up with Carol, she found that experience very humiliating and she has to go back into fighting mode afterwards. You see a much more mischievous side to Carol, so that sensitivity and softness isn't really there because she's got to toughen up again!"

Would you say the public reaction to Carol has changed over time?
"I'm not on Facebook or Twitter, so I have to be honest and say that I have absolutely no idea how people react to Carol! The younger actors on the show all follow their fans avidly and know exactly what the reactions to the characters are, but all I know is that I've allowed a softer side to come through.

"With any character, and especially a mum, it can't just be fighting and hardness the whole time. There has to be an element of something more vulnerable and a caring side underneath. It was important to me for that to come through."
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Carol schemes for compensation
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) Ltd/Alan Peebles
Carol schemes for compensation

Are you taking fond memories away from Waterloo Road?
"Absolutely. I'm still in touch with the girls and with Carl who played Barry. I'm also in touch with Heather Peace, Vicky Bush, Georgie Glen and Mel Hill. We're all still in contact, as we text each other and call each other. It was a lovely group of people and I really enjoyed the job, so I've got really fond memories."

What have you been up to since leaving the show?
"For the first six months after I'd finished Waterloo Road, a lot of the stuff that was coming through was all stuff that would take me away from home for too long, like theatre tours and things like that. I had to say no to a lot of those things.

"I have just finished a project for the BBC, but I can't talk about it yet as I've got to keep it very hush-hush! For the rest of the time, I've just been doing school runs and looking after my daughter Lil. It's all about finding the right balance, I think."

Would you be interested in another soap role in the future?
"I absolutely loved working on EastEnders, so absolutely. If it was the right character, I would definitely think about that. It's nice to have that developing journey as you're going along - getting the new scripts and characters evolving the whole time. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on EastEnders, so I'd definitely consider it."

What do you make of the decision to bring Waterloo Road to an end?
"I think they wanted to go out on a high, and that's what we're going to see. We've still got this block of ten episodes and then in the New Year, there'll be another ten episodes, so there's still lots more to come. To have that many series is so unusual and a really brilliant achievement for the show."

A new Waterloo Road spoiler video sees Gabriella Wark face a miserable time after returning to school.

Gabriella (Naomi Battrick) becomes a hate figure among the teachers and the pupils, as nobody seems prepared to forgive her after her shocking behaviour last term.

Despite Gabriella promising that she has changed her ways, Kacey Barry's friends team up to play a number of cruel revenge pranks on her in class.

Waterloo Road reintroduces Gabriella Wark in tonight's episode (November 5) as she returns to the school hoping for a second chance.

Gabriella promises that she has changed her ways as she comes face-to-face with those she wronged last term, but nobody seems ready to forgive her vicious attack on Kacey Barry (Brogan Ellis).

Digital Spy recently caught up with Naomi Battrick, who plays Gabriella, for all the gossip on her character's return.
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Naomi Battrick as Gabriella Wark in Waterloo Road
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) / Alan Peebles
Naomi Battrick as Gabriella Wark

Are you looking forward to Gabriella being back on screen again?
"Yeah, of course! There's a difference with Gabriella when she comes back, because she's very much reformed and really trying hard to make amends. It's such a different side of Gabriella for everyone to see and I'm really excited to see what people think of that."

Have you been hearing from fans who are missing Gabriella?
"I have and it's been really sweet, actually. Lots of people on Twitter have been asking where Gabriella is and why she hasn't been on screen so far! I wasn't really expecting that reaction but I've been reassuring everyone that she's going to be back!"

How did you feel about Gabriella taking her bad behaviour so far in the last series?
"It was obviously nerve-wracking having such a big storyline where Gabriella was doing something that was so outrageous. I'd been there for a while when the story kicked off and I'd never thought that it would go that far. When I was reading the script I was genuinely surprised, but it was good fun to be involved in the stunt on the climbing wall.

"Brogan and I also did a lot of climbing beforehand in order to prepare for the scenes. We'd go to a climbing wall at weekends, which was really good for prep. Working with Brogan was lovely, especially having her back on set when she'd been away for a while."

How is Gabriella feeling about returning to school?
"I think Gabriella has genuinely been working quite hard with a therapist and she really does see the error of her ways. It's obviously up to the other pupils whether they want to believe that or not, but I do think that she is feeling very positive about being back.

"Once Gabriella has returned, she wants to prove to everyone that she isn't a horrible human being and she genuinely has changed. She'd love to make some friends."
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Kacey won't be pleased to see Gabriella back
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) Ltd
Kacey won't be pleased to see Gabriella back

What's the atmosphere like when Gabriella and Kacey come face-to-face again?
"It's not all cuddles and bunny rabbits! There's a really good shot when Gabriella comes back and you see the reaction from everyone. Nobody is happy to see her, not even Rhiannon. The new headmaster pulls Gabriella and Kacey in and they have a chat in his office, but it's not looking good for them to reconcile. It isn't until something really horrible happens to Gabriella that Kacey thinks she can maybe give her a second chance…"

Is the backlash at the school worse than Gabriella expected?
"Yes, Gabriella hopes that people will just be glad that she's been to therapy and tried to change. She knows she has to work at it, but I don't think she realises that the Waterloo Road gang are quite so tough to crack!"

Does Gabriella have any chance of settling in?
"Yeah, on the horizon there are some friendship options and maybe even a slight hint of romance, but before that, there's a lot that goes down in the first couple of episodes and it's going to be quite dramatic for Gabriella.

"Afterwards, Gabriella tries to settle back into the rhythm of school. She starts to realise that school isn't about making a drama all of the time - it's just about keeping your head down and getting on with it!"

Will the show continue to delve into Gabriella's past?
"Yeah, there's more to come with that and it's really, really heartbreaking! Gabriella has made two extreme enemies in Shaznay and Lisa, and they do some pretty terrible stuff to her at her house. I'm not allowed to say too much about that, but it reveals more about the life that Gabriella lived and why she is the way she is. The show will delve into some really sad aspects of Gabriella's life."
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The Wark family
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) Ltd
The Wark family

What do you think about Waterloo Road coming to an end next year?
"I think it's very sad. It's something that's been going for such a long time and it's been so popular. They've also got such a strong and loyal fanbase. I'm happy and really honoured to have been a part of it. But these things happen and I'm sure there'll be something else that will come along. I don't think anything will ever replace Waterloo Road, but I'm sure there'll be other amazing shows for people to watch."

What have you been up to since finishing up at the show?
"I've been working on a few different projects. I did a couple of feature films - one has just been released and it's called Down Dog. I'm really excited about that because it was a really good project.

"I've also been doing Ripper Street, Moving On, a horror film, and I've also just started on a new BBC drama called Stonemouth, which is an adaptation of the Iain Banks novel. I'm really excited about that because it's an incredible script and an incredible cast."

Has Waterloo Road helped to boost your profile?
"Absolutely. Gabriella was a fantastic role to play, with such depth and fantastic storylines. Waterloo Road is also such a brilliant show which brings fantastic exposure. I learned so much from the job through working with so many talented people. I really appreciated being on it."

Have you stayed in touch with many of the cast?
"I've stayed in touch with quite a few people. I met up with Caitlin Gillespie (Lisa Brown) while filming in Glasgow recently. Weirdly, the two people I'm arch-enemies with in the show in the next couple of episodes are the ones I'm closest to! Je'Taime who played Shaznay comes and stays with me quite a bit. I've kept in touch with Becky Craven quite a lot, and also Chris who played Archie Wong.

"I've kept in contact with a lot of people and made many good friends - hopefully I'll stay in touch with them all for quite a long time."

What are your hopes for the future?
"Just to work, really! I'm quite lucky as none of my family are in the business, so there's not much pressure coming from anybody. I'm just happy to do whatever. I love my job, I love being on set and I love getting totally scared about stage work! I'm just happy to keep going. I couldn't say that I'd prefer to do one type of acting over another, because I love them all and I'm just happy to bumble along!"

26th November 2014


Kevin and Leo’s hacking lands them in serious trouble. Floyd confronts Justin and Tiffany about their relationship and Sonya puts her friendship with Christine at risk.

Kevin sparks a serious security risk when it’s revealed he’s hacked into a multinational data organisation. The school is in lockdown but Kevin sees it as a chance to prove his skills and turns the situation to his favour.

Justin and Tiffany’s relationship is uncovered by a shocked Floyd. After he and Justin get into a fight, Tiffany fears he will tell Vaughan and Allie and decides to take matters into her own hands.

When Sonya’s story – a thinly veiled reference to Christine’s alcoholic past – gets circulated around the school, it’s a race against time to stop it landing in Christine’s hands.

Waterloo Road airs a big episode for Lenny Brown tonight (November 12) as he hits rock bottom due to exam stress.

Desperate to do well in his preliminary tests, Lenny relies on all-night study sessions and excessive energy drinks to get him through - but his bad decisions soon catch up with him in dramatic fashion.

Joe Slater, who plays Lenny, recently caught up with Digital Spy for a chat about the worrying times ahead for his character.

What was it like to film such a big episode for Lenny?
"I loved filming this episode and David Innes Edwards, the director I was working with, was amazing. He was great with me, but it was really challenging because it was the very first time in the show that I'd been heavily featured in an episode.

"When I was reading through the script, my name was on every page so it was a big task for me and a lot of pressure, but I loved it."

Lenny gets much more nervous about the exams than the other students. Why is that?
"Lenny really wants to do well for himself and go to college and uni. He wants to make something of himself, so with anything that he does, he always wants to do his best. Because Lenny wants to do so well, he just starts getting himself all worked up and he stays up all night trying to study.

"Lenny's sister Lisa is not like that and a lot of the other pupils in the school aren't either, not even his best friend Darren. They haven't got the responsibility to stand up and say that they want to do well for themselves.

"Lenny is different because he really wants to pass these exams. They're only mock exams, they're not even proper ones - but it just shows that Lenny wants to put his mind to things. That's why he gets stressed out. The problems he has are self-inflicted, but Lenny only means well!"

Given Lenny's troubled background, have you enjoyed showing him genuinely wanting to do well?
"Yeah, definitely. When Lenny first came into Waterloo Road, his life was rubbish but he really does want to turn himself around now. He also wants to prove some things to himself, as he doesn't come from the best background. He wants to achieve something and live for something, so that's why he's very passionate about anything he does."
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Lenny struggles in his exams
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) Ltd/Alan Peebles
Lenny struggles in his exams

We'll see Lenny suffer a panic attack when the pressure becomes too much. Was that challenging to film?
"Yeah it was, but like I said, the director was great with me. I've had panic attacks myself before so I know what it's like, but trying to portray that with a character on screen is hard.

"When you suffer a panic attack, it's one of those moments in time where everything else around you means nothing at all and it's just you in that moment. I hope it does look as real as possible, but it was quite hard."

Lenny's sister Lisa really opposes his hard work in this episode. Is she jealous?
"She is. When I was playing Lenny, I tried to change him so that he was growing up a lot throughout his story. Lisa is jealous because she doesn't really have the brains or the responsibility to turn around and say that she wants to make something of herself. Lenny does and that's where they're different.

"Because Lenny is trying to do good, Lisa knocks him down for it and calls him a nerd! Deep down she probably does understand, but it's just not her style to support him. I felt a little bit sorry for Lenny in this story because all he's trying to do is do well, but everyone around him is knocking him down a little bit. That's the way it's always been for Lenny, which is why he's quite a shy and vulnerable person."

What else is coming up for Lenny in the longer-term?
"What I can say is that Lenny is featured more than last year in this series. He's got a little bit of drama going on, but then in the next series which comes on television next year, he's in it a hell of a lot more. Lenny gets a new best friend and there could be a lady involved!"

How do you feel about Waterloo Road coming to an end?
"I love Waterloo Road. I've never aspired to be an actor - I'm a musician and singer-songwriter and that's what I do - but Waterloo Road is a period of my life that I'll never forget. I'll always remember the people I worked with, everything I learned and everything I experienced. It was great and I wouldn't change it for the world. If I could turn back time and do it all over again, I would!"
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Christine will try to help Lenny
© BBC / Shed Productions (WR) Ltd/Alan Peebles
Christine will try to help Lenny

Who were you closest to on set?
"The people I spent most time with were Mark Beswick who played Darren, Max Bowden who played Justin, Becky Craven who played Rhiannon, and Zebb Dempster who played Leo. We always did our own little thing. I still say hello to the others every now and again and see how everyone's doing."

In real life, you have a Liverpool accent so was it a challenge to take on a Scottish one for the show?
"People ask me this a lot and I never know what to say! For me, I just do it and I don't think about it. I lived in Scotland for a few years before I did Waterloo Road and I think I just picked it up through socialising with people and going to school there. I don't know how I do it, it just comes out!"

We know that music is your passion and you also appeared on The X Factor this year. Have you closed the door on acting now?
"Right now I'm focusing on music, but if acting jobs came up along the way, it's not that I wouldn't take them because I'd love to do it again. When I was acting in Waterloo Road I loved it, but at the same time it's putting my time onto acting when I could be putting my time into music and progressing with that.

"You can do both, but I want to take it seriously. I want to do my music first of all, because that's where my heart lies and it's what I want to do for the rest of my life. For now that's what I'll be focusing on."

Do the Waterloo Road fans support your music as well as your role as Lenny?
"Yeah they do - they support my music, but I think they're always going to see me as Lenny! I'm always posting stuff to do with my music on Twitter and at the moment I'm working towards a little EP. Once that's finished I'll get it out there, and I'm quite lucky that the fans do support me for both."

How did you get into the business in the first place?
"It does take a lot of hard work. I'd be lying to you if I said that I just went into the audition for Waterloo Road, got the part and started filming the next day - it doesn't work like that. In this industry - whether you're an actor, singer or dancer - it's really hard work and you've got to graft for it.

"For years, my family and me spent loads of money on getting on trains, buses and planes or driving to places like Newcastle and London for five-minute auditions where you could end up getting a no. Waterloo Road was my first ever acting job, but since I was about 14, that's what I'd been doing by going for different jobs. It can all come down to little things like what colour your hair and eyes are. I don't think people understand how hard it is, but we do work hard and that's the most important part about it."

3rd December


Despite their parents’ objections, Justin hatches a plan to keep him and Tiffany together. Rhiannon tries her hand at plus size modelling and Hector begs Sue to leave Simon.

The Vaughan-Fitzgerald household is in full lockdown following the revelation that Justin and Tiffany have been sleeping together. Justin is furious to find out he’s being sent to boarding school and hatches a plan of his own to keep him and Tiffany together.

Rhiannon is horrified to see how thin the models are while visiting Gabriella’s mum on a fashion shoot but wrestles with her own morals when she is invited to join in as a plus size model.

Sue is determined to put her affair with Hector behind her and looks forward to a fresh start with Simon in Wales. But when Hector hears of their plans, he makes an impassioned plea for her to stay.

10th December


Leo reaches out to a mysterious new girl at school but soon realises that there’s a lot more to her than initially meets the eye. Sue is desperate to stop Simon finding out about her affair but Hector has other plans.

A neglected Leo is pleased to be befriended by mysterious new girl Mandy but is taken aback by her sudden burst of violent behaviour towards a raging Justin. As she reveals the truth about her situation, Leo takes pity and vows to help - but alarm bells start to ring for Audrey and Vaughan when neither she nor Leo can be found.

Hector has had enough sneaking around and threatens to reveal his affair with Sue to Simon. Can Sue reach Simon before he does?

17th December


Justin’s temper erupts with extremely serious consequences, meanwhile Sue is nursing a broken heart. A familiar face makes a surprise appearance at the school dance with some interesting information about the school.

Unable to deal with the breakdown of his and Tiffany’s relationship, Justin erupts into a fit of uncontrollable rage that sets off a chain of events that will change the whole family’s lives forever.

Hector pushes Sue to move forward with their relationship but is left in the cold when she makes it clear that she needs some space.

George Windsor makes an unannounced appearance at the school dance with some important information about the future of Waterloo Road.