Jason Manford has joined the cast of 'Waterloo Road'.

Jason Manford will appear as the headteacher in the next series of Waterloo Road

Jason Manford will appear as the headteacher in the next series of Waterloo Road

The 42-year-old comedian will be seen on screen during the upcoming 14th series of the BBC One drama - which initially ran between 2006 and 2015 before making a comeback in 2023 - as Steve Savage, who eventually becomes headteacher of the Manchester-based comprehensive school.

He said: "What an absolute treat it is to join the cast and crew of Waterloo Road, right here in my home city of Manchester. My kids and I binged the show on iPlayer during lockdown. It’s such a brilliant, iconic show, so I’m dead proud to now be part of its history. Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher and now becoming a headteacher, I know I would have been terrible!"

However, the casting of the former 'Take Me Out' star - who outside of appearing panel shows like '8 Out of 10 Cats' has carved out a career in musical theatre with roles in 'The Producers' and 'The Wizard of Oz' - has left the future ofof Angela Griffin's character Kim Campell in doubt.

The former 'Coronation Street' actress,47, first appeared as art teacher and pastoral care leader Kim in the first two series of the show and stayed with the show on a sporadic basis until series five, before returning as headmistress when the show was revived last year.

Series regulars Adam Thomas (Donte Charles) and Kym Marsh (Nicky Walters) will return, alongside the teaching staff played by James Baxter (Joe Casey), Jo Coffey (Wendy Whitwell), Shauna Shim (Valerie Chambers), Neil

Fitzmaurice (Neil Guthrie), Rachel Leskovac (Coral Walker), and Katherine Pearce (Amy Spratt).

Cameron Roach, Executive Producer of Waterloo Road and Founder of Rope Ladder Fiction, says: "We're thrilled that Jason Manford is joining 'Waterloo Road', as the show returns for a fourth series since returning to BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

"Jason is a phenomenal comic actor, and has fully embraced the tone and spirit of the show, we can't wait for the audience to meet Steve Savage and his son Billy. As with all of our adult cast, Jason has been an inspiring and approachable mentor to our younger cast and crew; we love that a new generation of Northern talent are able to learn their craft alongside brilliant household names. The legacy of Waterloo Road goes from strength to strength."

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