SCHOOL drama Waterloo Road returns to our screens tonight nearly eight years after it was axed by the BBC.
The show, which originally ran from 2006 to 2015, makes a comeback after it featured among BBC iPlayer's most popular programmes during the pandemic.
A number of the old cast are reprising their roles too, including ex-Emmerdale star Adam Thomas, Katie Griffiths and Angela Griffin.
Many famous actors walked the corridors of Waterloo Road as both students and teachers and many have carved impressive careers since leaving the show.
From big soap storylines to one star tipped to be the new James Bond – we reveal what happened next to its original stars.
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Denise Welch
Denise, 64, was one of Waterloo Road’s original cast members, playing French teacher Steph Haydock.
She went on to portray dance teacher from hell Trish Minniver on Hollyoaks, and has been a regular on Loose Women for years.
Away from the show, Denise has been married three times – including to Benidorm star Tim Healy for 24 years.
Speaking of their 2012 divorce, she said they were "making each other miserable" and later claimed "there were infidelities on both sides".
One year after the split, Denise married painter Lincoln Townley and said he was someone she could "trust 100 per cent"
Denise added: "I didn't use to think that there was anyone I could meet that would give me everything and stop me wanting to cheat, I really didn't… and then I met Lincoln and we took alcohol out of our lives."
One of her sons, Matthew Healy, is the lead singer of band The 1975 and her other son, Lewis Townley, works in post-production.
Neil Morrissey
Neil played Waterloo Road deputy head Eddie Lawson from 2007 to 2009.
The TV regular, best known for Men Behaving Badly, has more recently appeared in Line of Duty, The Night Manager and The Good Karma Hospital.
The 60-year-old was also the voice of Bob The Builder and in 2011, produced a beer called Palace Ale in conjunction with Crystal Palace FC.
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For a time Neil also used to own a chain of pubs before selling many of them off, and now runs Stoke-on-Trent boozer The Plume Of Feathers.
Tina O'Brien
On Waterloo Road Tina played Bex, who joined in season six and was abused in the porn industry.
Later she returned to Corrie where she's been a key part of the iconic Platt family for decades, playing Sarah from 1999 to 2007 and from 2015 until now.
She also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010.
Away from TV screens, Tina was in a relationship with Corrie co-star Ryan Thomas for six years until 2009 and the pair have one daughter together.
Last year she hit the headlines after smashing up her ex's Range Rover following a late-night row.
The 39-year-old married crime fiction writer Adam Crofts on New Year's Eve in 2018. They have one son.
Jason Done
Actor Jason played Tom Clarkson, a supportive English teacher, who eventually became deputy head teacher.
Since leaving the show he's landed parts in Casualty, Time, Four Lives and Death In Paradise, as well as a recurring role in the Netflix series The Innocents.
Jason, now 49, has also narrated documentaries for BBC about the NHS and fly-on-the-wall factual shows for Channel 5.
Adam Thomas
Adam, 34, played Waterloo Road bad boy Donte Charles and viewers will see if his character has matured in this new season.
He’s arguably better known as trouble-prone farmer’s son Adam Barton on Emmerdale, a role he played from 2009 to 2018.
Adam has also been on reality TV back in 2016 – placing third in 2016's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me OUt Of Here! and appearing alongside brothers Scott and Ryan in 2020 series Absolutely India: Mancs in Mumbai.
The star, who used to run a restaurant named The Spinn, was believed to have quit acting before his return to Waterloo Road was announced.
Speaking of his comeback, he told the BBC: "I never saw it coming. I was literally in my restaurant doing dishes at the time that I got the phone call."
Katie McGlynn
On Waterloo Road, Katie played Jodie Allen, better known as Scout – an intelligent pupil who was forced to provide for her family by stealing and dealing drugs.
After leaving the show in 2013, she played Sinead Tinker in Corrie for seven years until 2020 and jumped across to Hollyoaks a year later.
Katie, now 29, had brief stint on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021, dancing with Gorka Marquez, before being eliminated in week three.
Phoebe Dynevor
She’s now recognised around the globe for her starring role as Daphne in Netflix’s smash hit period drama Bridgerton.
But Phoebe, whose mother Sally plays Sally Metcalfe on Coronation Street, started out on Waterloo Road.
She played Siobhan Mailey, a teenager who tried everything to fit in, including joining a girl gang and then struggling to free herself from its clutches.
The 27-year-old dated US comedian Pete Davidson for six months, before his relationships with Kim Kardashian and Emily Ratajkowski.
Chelsee Healey
Fans will be thrilled that Waterloo Road fixture Chelsee is making a return to the show as gobby Janeece Bryant.
Between her appearances on the BBC hit, the actress landed roles in Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps, Doctors and Hollyoaks.
She was a runner-up in the ninth season of Strictly Come Dancing in 2011, alongside professional Pasha Kovalev.
Chelsee, 34, donned her dancing shoes once more for a Sport Relief special and also helped to raised £1m for the charity by canoeing with other celebrities down the Zambezi River.
She's also bagged a number of reality TV gigs, including Celebs Go Dating, The Real Dirty Dancing and Come Dine With Me Celebrity Christmas Special.
Jenna Coleman
Jenna appeared on Waterloo Road as Lindsay, who was jailed after she took the rap for her mum by confessing to killing her abusive father.
Since then she's wowed audiences as the young Queen Victoria in ITV’s drama Victoria, and also appearing as Doctor Who companion Clara Oswald.
Jenna, now 36, last year appeared in Netflix superhero hit The Sandman and a year earlier played one half of a real-life murderous couple in 1970s backpacker drama The Serpent.
Lucien Laviscount
A lot has changed for TV hunk Lucien since he last appeared on Waterloo Road in 2011 as student Jonah Kirkby, who attempted to run away with his Spanish teacher after she became pregnant.
The same year as his departure, the actor had roles in Casualty, New Tricks, Shameless and Celebrity Big Brother.
The reality show led to a brief romance with Kerry Katona, who was 12 years his senior.
Lucien, now 30, went on to star in Emily In Paris, Supernatural and Skins – and was recently tipped to be the next James Bond.
Away from the screens, he's had a very colourful dating life, reportedly having flings with Amy Childs, Little Mix members Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Kelly Osbourne, and Corrie's Brooke Vincent.
Since he's based in the US now, it's unlikely Lucien will return to Waterloo Road.
Philip Martin Brown
Philip played Waterloo Road’s grumpy Head of English and fan favourite Grantly Budgen, who came to the school to cover for a week and stayed for 29 years.
The actor went on to appear in big budget films Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Darkest Hour – but may be better known for his TV roles.
He's had a range of parts including two episodes as Steve McDonald’s therapist in Corrie and stints on Vera, Midsomer Murders, Endeavour and Holby City.
Additionally Philip, now 66, has played at least seven different characters in the series Doctors since 2005.
Jason Merrells
Jason appeared as Waterloo Road’s original, tough-love headteacher Jack Rimmer, who resigned halfway through series 3.
Since departing the show, his best-known role was in Emmerdale playing ruthless businessman Declan Macey for four years until 2014.
Now 54, Jason's also appeared in The Bill, Death In Paradise, and Midsomer Murders as well as writing scripts and directing.
This week he cropped up in the new series of Happy Valley.
Jill Halfpenny
Jill won the first series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2004 and played undercover detective Kate on EastEnders before appearing as drama teacher Izzie in Waterloo Road.
Since leaving the shw she's bagged parts in a range of shows including Murdoch Mysteries, Humans and Ordinary Lies.
In recent years, Jill, 47, has been praised for her portrayals in the ITV drama Liar and Channel 5’s mystery drama The Drowning last year.
Angela Griffin
Angela has starred in a number of TV dramas including Netflix's White Lines and ITV's Lewis and Midsomer Murders.
She's also enjoyed success on the stage in One Man, Two Guvnors alongside James Corden.
The mum-of-two, 46, hosted her own daytime chat show, Angela and Friends, and revived her Corrie role, Fiona Middleton, for one episode in 2019.
In Waterloo Road, she played kind-hearted Kim Campbell, between 2006 to 2007 and from 2009 to 2010 and is among the former stars set to return to the show.
