Waterloo Road Series 8 (***with spoiler*******)

[Perdita]

Former EastEnders and Shameless actor Jody Latham has been cast in Waterloo Road as a new bad boy character, Digital Spy can confirm.

The 31-year-old will be seen on the BBC One drama in a few months' time as manipulative criminal Steve-O Malone.


© Rex Features / AKEM Photos/Rex Features

Steve-O is an ex-con who has history with current character Dynasty Barry (Abby Mavers) as they used to be in a relationship.

While further storyline details have not been disclosed, show bosses are tipping Steve-O's arrival to "rock the foundations of Waterloo Road".

Latham will make his Waterloo Road debut in the third instalment of the eighth series (episodes 21-30), which is scheduled to transmit on BBC One later this year.

The actor is best known for playing villain Rob Grayson in EastEnders and Phillip 'Lip' Gallagher in Shameless.

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

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road star Mark Benton has admitted that he is missing the show's cast after bowing out as Maths teacher Daniel 'Chalky' Chalk.

The actor filmed his final scenes for the BBC One drama last autumn, but will remain on screen for a few more weeks as his fostering storyline with Kevin Skelton (Tommy Lawrence Knight) continues.

Speaking on ITV's Lorraine today (January 31), Benton explained that his decision to bow out for new projects was a difficult one to make.

Asked whether he is missing the show, Benton replied: "I am! [I had] two years on and off - I've done 50 episodes.

"Because we moved up to Glasgow, we were all up there together, and I miss that. I still miss them and talk to them. I was talking to Philip Martin Brown and Jason Done just yesterday."

He continued: "I think it's one of those programmes that appeals to all the age ranges. I do get a bit shocked when children of 4, 5 or 6 come up and say, 'You're Mr Chalky!' I'm like, 'You're watching Waterloo Road?' With some of the subject matters that are covered!"

Away from Waterloo Road, Benton is currently in rehearsals for a touring production of stage musical Hairspray. He will be donning a dress for the role of Edna Turnblad in the show.

Benton commented: "Coming out of Waterloo Road, they asked me to go and talk about it and I just thought, 'What an adventure', because I've never done anything like that before.

"It's amazing. It's one of those musicals that's really uplifting."

Waterloo Road continues at 8pm on BBC One tonight (January 31) with a big episode for Chalky and Kevin.

[Perdita]

Waterloo Road welcomes back Bolton Smilie tomorrow evening (February 7) as he returns to the show for a dramatic guest appearance.

Bolton turns up at the school's new Scottish home in his army uniform as he wants to see Tom Clarkson, and his arrival causes quite a stir among staff and pupils alike.

Hailed as a great role model by Nikki and Lorraine, Bolton is roped into giving a speech to the sixth form students. However, it soon becomes clear that all is not well with Bolton - and there are tense scenes on the way as he completely snaps…

Digital Spy recently chatted to Tachia Newall, who plays Bolton, to hear more about his character's comeback.

How did it feel to return to Waterloo Road after quite a while away from the show?
"It was quite nice! It was good to think that people remembered the character and the work that I'd done, so it was great to get the offer to come back."

Was it a surprise to you when you received the call?
"I was very surprised, actually. With me being in a completely different angle in life and following different things now, I just didn't expect it.

"I had a little think about whether to say yes, because I had to cancel a few little things that I had to do in Manchester. But once that was sorted, I went up to film in Scotland. I'd been in Scotland the year before when I was filming Waterloo Road Reunited and had a really good time then, so it was nice to be back there. I started filming in August 2012 and I was there for about a month."

Did you have a chance to get to know the newer cast members?
"Not that much, but I did get a chance to chill with a few of them. We went out for a few drinks and whatnot. There wasn't really enough time to get to know them all properly, especially as we were all staying in different areas, but they're all a lovely bunch."

Was Waterloo Road something that you'd looked back fondly on?
"Yeah, I loved it - it was brilliant. That's where I got my training, really. I didn't go to a drama school, so I got my training on the job and I learned to do everything on the Waterloo Road set."


© BBC


Has Bolton changed much since we last saw him?
"He's completely different. You'll see that he's a lot more serious, and he's only really interested in saying the things that are needed in a conversation. Bolton won't say any of the flowery stuff that you don't really need, so all of his charisma seems to have just disappeared."

Was it a challenge to step back into Bolton's shoes?
"It was a bit of a challenge, because there were so many changes compared to the way that Bolton was before. Plus, I've changed loads myself in real life.

"The way that I used to play Bolton was as an extension of myself, but because he's changed loads and I've changed loads too, we're both at different angles in life. It was pretty difficult and I'm not sure the character's going to come across the same as he used to!"

What brings Bolton back to Waterloo Road?
"I think it's the whole idea of looking for advice and going back to old mentors like Tom, who he trusted previously. He has some things that he needs to talk about.

"Fortunately, everyone seems pleased to see Bolton. They're all happy that he's back, apart from maybe Bolton himself!"

Is Grantly pleased to see him?
"Well at first they feel like old friends and they're pleased to see each other again, but it all turns sour pretty quickly between those two. They're back to their usual tricks of antagonising each other!"

Is Bolton proud when Lorraine suggests that he should make a speech to the students?
"Not at all! He's not interested in that in the slightest, and he doesn't want to do it. He's not at the school for that, so it comes as a bit of a shock and there's a lot of pressure. That pressure gets on top of him and things start coming back - memories of stuff that he'd rather forget…"

What's gone wrong for Bolton?
"Well, he was in the army and that's about as much as I can say! He joined the army and it certainly seems that something has gone wrong, but you'll have to tune in to see what."


© BBC


What happens next? Pictures from the episode seem to show him in a dramatic showdown with Grantly…
"Well, there's a lot of running around, first of all. Bolton's army bag goes missing, so there's a lot of running around trying to find that. Emotions are running high and there's a lot of confusion that comes up. As for him and Grantly, let's just say there's a lot of tense scenes between them in a classroom that's locked…"

Do you think the fans will be pleased to see Bolton again?
"I think it's going to be half and half. Half of them are going to be real happy that Bolton's back, but a lot of them might be angry that he's not the same! I don't know how they're going to take it."

Would you return to Waterloo Road again?
"Yeah, there's always room for that. I don't know how they would work it back in, but you never know!"

We know that you're into music as well as acting. How are things going on the music front?
"The music's going quite nicely, actually. I'm starting to get quite a bit of recognition from producers in Manchester, so there's quite a few people who I'm hoping to work with.

"I released an EP last year and I've just released another one - they're both available for free download from my Twitter page. I want to work with more producers, release some singles and get some videos done."

How do you describe your sound?
"It's all experimental stuff! There's a lot of hip-hop and rap, but then it blends into ballads and there's a lot of electronics. It's kind of a new sound, I think. There's a lot of experimentation. Music is my first love - I've always been a musician."

Are you concentrating more on music than acting now?
"I'd like my music to kick off, but at the same time, I love to be doing other things. I don't like to do just one thing, because I think that's boring. I'd like to mix the two and have a balance."

[Katy]

Waterloo road seems to have lost its way at little bit this last series, I don't know why. It's just not got the same edge that it used to

[alan45]

..

[alan45]

Waterloo Road's pregnant teenager Jade Fleming has a life-changing decision to make next week after she welcomes the arrival of her baby daughter.

Jade (Paige Meade) is secretly planning to have her young child adopted, but all of her careful preparation is thrown into chaos just moments before she goes into labour.

Next week's episode begins with disapproval from Scout and Maggie when they hear that Jade wants to give the baby away, but she is certain that it's the right decision - putting her full trust in would-be adoptive parents Sarah and Kaz.

However, a guilty Sarah and Kaz later drop a huge bombshell on Jade - confessing that they're not together any more and have only been pretending for the sake of the adoption.

As Jade's dream of finding a perfect couple to raise her baby appears to be crushed, she gets stressed over the new pressure she's facing and unexpectedly goes into labour…

Later at the hospital, will Jade decide to keep the baby, or go ahead with the plan to give her away?


© BBC



© BBC



© BBC


Waterloo Road airs these scenes on Thursday, February 14 at 8pm on BBC One

[JustJodi]

Waterloo road seems to have lost its way at little bit this last series, I don't know why. It's just not got the same edge that it used to

I was saying the same thing to my hubby the last episode,, I said I just can't get into this series,,, yep its sorta lost its edge,,, :-(

[Perdita]

Thursday 28 February
8.00-9.00pm
BBC ONE


Barry’s behavior makes Sian snap, putting her teaching career on the line; Christine discovers Connor and Imogen’s secret engagement; Kevin and Chalky’s new phone app causes a stir; and Scout’s mum, Tina, makes an unwelcome return.
As the Barry family continue to avoid confronting Kacey’s identity issues, Sian takes it upon herself to mediate. However, her plans go awry when Carol makes it clear she doesn’t welcome any meddling into her family’s business.

After private pictures of Sian and Michael appear all over the school, Sian suspects Barry is responsible and takes decisive action. But when Barry tries to humiliate Sian in front of Kacey and the rest of the class, she snaps, slapping him.

Michael is put in a difficult position – under the circumstances he should sack Sian but he has a professional, and as Christine suspects, personal loyalty to his deputy.

When Kacey and her classmates join forces to thwart Barry’s attempt to have Sian sacked, it looks as though good will prevail. But then a guilt-ridden Sian makes a life-changing decision about her future at Waterloo Road.

Elsewhere, after finding Imogen’s ring, Christine confronts Connor, urging him to break off the engagement. But far from heeding his mother’s warning, a defiant Connor tells Imogen he thinks they should get married, sooner rather than later.

Kevin and Chalky’s new addictive game app ‘Chalk & Cheese’ sweeps the school and spikes Lorraine's business interest. And Scout’s university plans are thrown into jeopardy when her good-for-nothing mum, Tina, turns up looking for a place to stay and a second chance with her daughter.

[alan45]

Waterloo Road's Jade Fleming makes a life-changing decision this week after giving birth to her baby daughter.

Thursday's (February 14) episode of the BBC One drama sees Scout and Maggie discover Jade's secret adoption plans for her young child. Surprised by the news, they immediately try to change her mind.

The situation comes to a head when Jade unexpectedly goes into labour at school. Meeting her daughter for the first time, will Jade go ahead with the adoption?

We recently caught up with Paige Meade, who plays Jade, to hear more about this week's emotional episode.

How did you feel about taking on a teen pregnancy storyline?
"I found it quite challenging, to be honest, but at the same time I really enjoyed it. Obviously I've never been pregnant myself, so it was nice to play something that's very different to my own life.

"I also felt that I could relate to my friends a bit more, as a few of my friends have children. I'd say the storyline was easier than I expected in the end."

Have you seen much feedback for Jade and her storyline?
"A lot of people seem to be liking the pregnancy storyline, because there isn't anyone else who's pregnant on Waterloo Road at the moment! They've also only done a few of these storylines in the past.

"With this generation, I feel like a lot of people out there can relate to my character, because there are quite a lot of young pregnancies nowadays. People seem to be liking Jade too."

Why has Jade decided to have the baby adopted?
"Jade makes this choice because she doesn't really have a family to look after her. She's staying in the schoolhouse at the moment, so she doesn't really have parents in her life who could help. Jade doesn't feel like she'll be a good enough mum, so adoption is definitely one of the options that she's considering."


How do the other characters react when they discover Jade's plans?
"They do become supportive, but everyone is shocked at first. Everyone thought that Jade wanted to keep the baby!"

Maggie seems to give Jade a lot of advice. Is Jade grateful for that?
"Jade does like Maggie's advice, but she tries to hide the truth from Maggie in the beginning. She doesn't want to tell Maggie that she plans to put the baby up for adoption. Maggie is like Jade's mum in a sense. Because Maggie lives with Jade and helps her a lot, Jade is scared to be honest with her.

"When Maggie does find out about the adoption plan, she ends up throwing loads of advice at Jade, wanting to change her mind. But Maggie does start to come round to Jade's way of thinking."

Maggie even offers to adopt the baby herself at one point. How does Jade feel about that?
"Jade thinks that's nice, but she just wants the child to grow up with a young mum and dad. That's all Jade wants - she just wants her child to grow up with the parents that she never had."



Would-be parents Kaz and Sarah are the two characters who have been lined up to adopt the baby. What can you tell us about those two?
"They're lovely! They've always wanted a baby, but have never been able to have one. They see it as an opportunity to start their own family. But you'll see that they're hiding a secret, and it's a secret that might cause problems for Jade's plans…"

Jade also goes into labour in this week's episode. When she meets the baby, could Jade change her mind about putting her up for adoption?
"You'll have to stay tuned to see what happens after the birth, but there are times where she's still sitting on the fence. She doesn't know what to do. There are times where she considers keeping the child, and there are times when she considers going ahead with the adoption. Keep watching!"

You've already finished filming on Waterloo Road, so are you missing it?
"I do miss it, especially all the people who I worked with there. I made some really good friends when I was on set, so I do miss them, but I'm hoping to go and visit."


How would you sum up your time there?
"I thought it was the most incredible experience. It was amazing, especially as I've never done anything like that before - I've never had to move away. I'm from London and had to live in Glasgow for nearly six months. I had a brilliant time and I'd love to do it again.

"I'd say that I learned a lot from the show. I definitely learned how to organise my time and wake up early! I also learned how to interact differently while on set. With all of the other jobs I've done, I've played a completely different type of character - I've often played the rude girl.

"Jade was more of a shy, timid type character who started school and didn't really have many friends. It was a challenge, but it was nice."

You're a rapper as well as an actress, so which are you concentrating most on at the moment?
"I like both, but at the moment I'm just going to concentrate on music for a little bit. But I did a film before Waterloo Road and I'd love to do another one, definitely.

[Perdita]

Ep 20/20

Thursday 7 March
8.00-9.00pm
BBC ONE


It’s exam day and Scout’s promising future is in jeopardy thanks to mum, Tina; Connor is torn between the two women in his life as his secret wedding to Imogen approaches; and opportunity comes calling for Chalky and Kevin.
The PRU’s brightest hope, Scout, is distracted from crucial exam prep as she secretly tends to her sick mother, Tina. In desperation, she tries to steal the school nurse’s prescription pad but gets caught in the act. Michael is furious and threatens to expel her.

However, when Scout discovers her mother is thieving again, Michael comes to the rescue, helping her track Tina down. But as Scout chastises her mother, Tina collapses, coughing up blood.

In hospital, Scout discovers Tina was stealing in order to get a deposit for them to start a new life together. As mother and daughter grow close again, Tina urges Scout to go and sit her exams. But their future plans are suddenly thrown into disarray.

Connor faces a dilemma after Christine reveals she’s booked a surprise trip to Paris for them straight from school – exactly the same time he’s planning to marry Imogen. Snubbing his mother’s travel plans, Connor and Imogen exchange wedding vows in an emotional ceremony witnessed by some of their school friends.

Elsewhere, Kevin and Chalky meet with a business contact of Lorraine’s to pitch their game. But Chalky gets more than he bargained for when he’s offered his dream job. There’s only one drawback - it’s in London.

Grantly seems to be suffering from a serious bout of man flu but when he collapses and is rushed to hospital, the results prove shocking.