The BBC has recommissioned hit school drama Waterloo Road for two further new series.
Made by Rope Ladder Fiction and Wall to Wall North for BBC One and iPlayer the new, two-series order is in addition to the next, eight-part series which has already been filmed, meaning that three new series of Waterloo Road are on the way in total.
Filming on the two newly-commissioned 8×60’ series will begin in Greater Manchester this autumn, with further details due to be announced soon.
Waterloo Road initially ran on the BBC between 2006 and 2015, and following its breakout success on BBC iPlayer during lockdown it returned with new episodes at the start of 2023 with a cast including Angela Griffin, Adam Thomas and Kym Marsh among the school staff, and an ensemble of newcomers and rising stars as pupils.
Two new series have aired this year so far, and Waterloo Road remains especially popular on BBC iPlayer, where it is in the top three most-watched titles of the year so far for 16-34 year olds, alongside Happy Valley and EastEnders.
With a track record of launching new talent both on screen and behind the camera, Waterloo Road will continue to cast key roles via open auditions at schools and youth clubs, and will once again offer workshops and production training schemes for newcomers to the industry, further boosting drama production skills in the North of England.
So far 20 trainees have gained entry-level, paid work in the industry via six-month placements on Waterloo Road since the start of 2022 across departments including costume, art direction, post-production, camera and sound. A further eight trainees will join the series when filming begins this autumn.
Cameron Roach, executive producer of Waterloo Road and founder of Rope Ladder Fiction, said: “We’re beyond thrilled with the triumphant return of Waterloo Road, and so thankful to the BBC for committing to the show so fully. We love that the show has the potential not only to be a crown jewel for BBC iPlayer, but also serve as a true beacon for training, and inspiring next generation talent. In addition to our open auditions and full-time production trainee placements for industry newcomers, our workshops across Greater Manchester this Summer for 14-16 year olds, in partnership with BBC Young Reporter, have truly demonstrated the infectious power of this show.”
Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, added: “It’s been a joy to see Waterloo Road return to the BBC this year, delighting new and returning fans with its fantastic ensemble of relatable characters and a winning mix of heart, humour and high drama. It’s been especially exciting to see the new boxsets prove so popular on iPlayer, and to see the next brilliant generation of acting and production talent break into the industry via their work on the series. Life’s never dull for the staff and pupils at Waterloo Road, and there’s a lot more drama to come.”
Waterloo Road is set and made in Greater Manchester, and produced by the award-winning Wall To Wall in co-production with Rope Ladder Fiction. Lindsay Williams is the series producer, with Adam Leatherland and Nasreen Ahmed as producers and Si Wall as story producer. Waterloo Road is executive produced by Cameron Roach for Rope Ladder Fiction, Leanne Klein for Wall To Wall, and Gaynor Holmes and Jo McClellan for the BBC.
Viewers can stream all episodes of Waterloo Road, including 2023’s two new series, exclusively on BBC iPlayer now. Fans can also get behind-the-scenes news and gossip from the set via Waterloo Road – The Official Podcast on BBC Sounds, presented by cast members Adam Thomas and Priyasasha Kumari.
The next series of Waterloo Road will premiere on BBC One and iPlayer early next year, with a trailer available here.
