What do Jodie Comer, Jenna Coleman, and Regé-Jean Page all have in common? Apart from being successful young British actors, they all also had early roles on the hit BBC drama Waterloo Road.
Set in an comprehensive school, Waterloo Road has dealt with a lot over its 230 episodes – and it hires many actors. So, if you fancy joining the ranks of Coleman, Page, and more, read on.
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Now in its 15th series, Waterloo Road is a BBC One drama following the lives of the teachers, pupils, and parents at Waterloo Road school in Manchester. Full of drama and occasional comedy, the show has featured well established names such as Jason Manford, Sarah Hadland, and Robson Green working alongside a cast of up and coming child actors.
As well as the endless machinations onscreen, there’s also been some drama behind the scenes. Initially set in a Rochdale comprehensive (Series 1–7), the show and the school were relocated to Scotland for Series 8–10. However, viewing figures dwindled, and the BBC cancelled the show in 2015 after its 10th series.
During lockdown the show became popular on BBC iPlayer, particularly with younger viewers, so the scene was set for a reinvention. In 2023, Waterloo Road returned as an inner-city Manchester comprehensive. Old characters such as Kim Campbell (Angela Griffin) and Tom Clarkson (Jason Done) were reintroduced, new blood brought in, and the show was given an edgier, more contemporary feel.
On series 15, which has now launched, Waterloo Road has a strict new leader, Dame Stella Drake, played by Lindsey Coulson, who will no doubt bring even more drama to the corridors and classrooms.
Waterloo Road was created by Ann McManus and Maureen Chadwick. The writers were behind earlier hit dramas like Footballers’ Wives and Bad Girls for ITV, and BBC asked them to create a “contemporary drama that would be relevant to the lives of ordinary people in Britain.” McManus began her career as an English teacher and wanted this new show to take on topical social issues with a school as its backdrop.
Shed Productions produced Series 1–10 for the BBC, and the first episode was broadcast on BBC One on 9 March 2006. Originally commissioned for eight episodes, the show was quickly renewed and each new series steadily got longer runs.
Since its successful reinvention in 2023, the show has been made for the BBC by the production companies Wall to Wall and Rope Ladder Fiction. In August 2024, the BBC announced the show will be recommissioned for Series 16 and 17, securing its future until at least 2026. Follow official BBC and Waterloo Road media channels for news on the next series.
See Also: How to Become an Actor in the UK
Waterloo Road is filmed and set in Manchester – a fact that Roach says is crucial to its success: “Manchester is in the lifeblood of Waterloo Road. The sense of pride the cast and crew have for the show is absolutely connected to its Greater Manchester base. The production of Waterloo Road in the region has not only made a significant impact on the local economy, but it has also helped energise a vibrant creative sector in a region where the screen industries are flourishing.”
As well as giving opportunities to new acting talent onscreen, the show also offers full-time production trainee placements for local industry newcomers. Previous trainees have worked in departments such as costume, art direction, camera, and sound, with some earning permanent positions.
One of the great success stories of Waterloo Road is its casting. Page, Lucien Laviscount, Jack O’Connell, and Phoebe Dynevor are just some of the talent spotted early by the show’s casting team before going on to bigger and brighter things.
The show’s longtime casting director is Manchester-based Michelle Smith. She says her team looks for “raw new talent” in workshops, schools, and theatre groups, leaving “no stone unturned.” Smith accepts showreel submissions and CVs, and you can find out more details about file formats, etc., here. Keep an eye out on Backstage’s casting pages for more information about audition opportunities.
Series 11 director Jesse Quinones told Directors UK about his experience working alongside Smith. “The casting director went through all kinds of agencies, and for every role there were so many actors that auditioned. A lot of them came from a mixture of theatre or short film; others didn’t have agents and just came for the open call. Some had no television experience. Alicia Forde, who plays Kelly Jo [Rafferty], had done theatre, but never anything onscreen. But she turned out to be incredible.”
When it comes to auditioning for Waterloo Road, it’s important to take advice from the people who have been there and done that. Luckily, the show has a high churn of top-quality acting talent to ask about audition tips.
Back in 2010, a young Comer joined the Waterloo Road cast for one episode as naive student Sarah Evans, who’s dealing with losing her virginity. She’s come a long way since then, but still has to deal with audition prep. “I’ll read through the script first,” she said in 2020. “I have an app on my phone called LineLearner. You can record the other person’s lines and your lines. It’s like you’re reading a scene with someone. But if you don’t have anyone to read the scene with you, you can do it with your phone and put your headphones in. I’ll make notes about what my initial feelings are. I’ll make sure to learn my lines. If you read them off a piece of paper, that can be kind of distracting.”
She adds, “The first time you go into an audition, you might have a different initial feeling, and the director will give you a different direction, and you have to be open to that. Never set your heart too much with what you’re going to do. Nine times out of 10, you’ll go into a room and they’ll tell you to do it a completely different way. A lot of that is them seeing if you can take direction. Try not to get too nervous. I need to practice what I preach, but what I’ve realized is you go into an audition room and the people who brought you in are on your side. They want to cast this role, and they brought you in because they think you’re a possibility. Just go with that and try not to worry too much.”
Dynevor, who played Siobhan Mailey on Series 5 of Waterloo Road and went on to star in a little show called Bridgerton (alongside Page) also shared how she deals with auditions. “The only thing I do for everything is read the script a billion times, back to front, every single bit.”
As for her top tip for younger actors, it’s simple: “Just keep going. It’s funny, but it’s actually only when you start working or you get a bit of success that you look back and you go, Oh, I didn’t get that because it wasn’t right, and it wasn’t the right time. And I feel like it will come at the right time; you just have to keep going and you have to keep believing in yourself. Don’t try and change for anything because what makes you unique is what’s gonna get you a certain part. It just has to be at the right time. Being in the right place at the right time. So just keep going, and be resilient, and learn your craft in whichever way you can. But know that it’ll come when you’re ready.”
Finally, some very Waterloo Road appropriate advice: Do your homework! Watch the show, enjoy the performances, and join the millions of people who watch and love it each week. Then go out there and get yourself cast.
Good luck!
Check out Backstage’s UK audition listings!
