Waterloo Road series 15


The fifteenth series of the British television drama series Waterloo Road commenced airing on 11 February 2025, and concluded on 1 April 2025. The series comprised 8 episodes.
The show follows the lives of staff and pupils of the eponymous secondary academy in Greater Manchester while tackling a range of social issues including challenging behaviour, reasonable adjustments, revenge porn, pregnancy, youth justice, nepotism, assault, coercive control, post-traumatic stress disorder, dementia, fostering, and chronic pain.

Production

Series 15 was announced along with series 13 and 14 by the BBC in August 2023. In January 2025, further details around the series was revealed, with 8 episodes commissioned for the fifteenth series, it also confirmed that Series 15 would premiere on 11 February 2025, with the full series being released on BBC iPlayer prior to transmission.

Casting

The majority of series regulars from the fourteenth series reprised their roles for this series, these included James Baxter, Jo Coffey, Saira Choudhry, Neil Fitzmaurice, Rachel Leskovac, Kym Marsh, Katherine Pearce, Shauna Shim, and Adam Thomas, portraying Joe Casey, Wendy Whitwell, Nisha Chandra, Neil Guthrie, Coral Walker, Nicky Walters, Amy Spratt, Valerie Chambers, and Donte Charles.
Additionally, Kerry Howard, Hollie-Jay Bowes, Tom Wells, and Ryan Clayton reprised their roles from the fourteenth series as recurring characters Serena-Michelle Davies, Debs Rafferty, Marc Todd, and Mike Rutherford.
Lindsey Coulson joined the cast as Dame Stella Drake, the new Headteacher of Waterloo Road, replacing Steve Savage following his arrest. Olly Rhodes returned as Steve's son Billy for two episodes. The return of Jason Merrells as Jack Rimmer, a former headteacher of Waterloo Road, was announced via a BBC press release in December 2024, with Merrells appearing in the final two episodes of the series.
Almost all of the students from the previous series return, with the exception of Noah Valentine and Alicia Ford as Preston Walters and Kelly-Jo Rafferty, whose characters departed at the end of series 14. Returning pupils include Summer Violet Bird, Liam Scholes, Lucy Eleanor Begg, and Thapelo Ray as Nicky's daughter Tonya Walters, Noel McManus, Caz Williams, and Joe's former foster son Dwayne Jackson. Other students include Hattie Dynevor, Chiamaka Ulebor, Zak Sutcliffe, Maisie Robinson, Tillie Amartey, Miya Ocego, Sonya Nisa, Aabay Noor Ali, Danny Murphy, and Matthew Khan as Neil's daughter Libby Guthrie, Shola Aku, school troublemaker Schumacher "Schuey" Weever, his sister Portia Weever, Stacey "Stace" Neville, Lois Taylor-Brown, Aleena Qureshi, Mollie 'Mog' Richardson, Luca Smith, and Jared Jones.
In January 2025, it was confirmed that Lauren Patel would join the cast as Jas Sharma, a new teacher at Waterloo Road, as well as being the daughter of established character Nisha Chandra, alongside new pupils Agnes Eccleston, and Cat Guthrie, Neil's other daughter and Libby's sister. Cory McClane also joins the series as new pupil Ashton Stone, the son of Celine Stone who last appeared in the third series as a pupil. Fay Jagger appears in episode three as Gemma Neville, Stace's mum, while Louise Willoughby appears in episode eight as the teacher of Donte's son Tommy, who returns after last being seen in series thirteen.

Scheduling

The fifteenth series debuted on 11 February 2025 at 9pm on BBC One, a difference from previous series of the revival, and aired weekly. The series was released fully as a boxset at 6am on the day of broadcast of the first episode.

Cast and characters

Main cast

Pupils

  • Summer Violet Bird as Tonya Walters
  • Thapelo Ray as Dwayne Jackson
  • Chiamaka Ulebor as Shola Aku
  • Hattie Dynevor as Libby Guthrie
  • Zak Sutcliffe as Schumacher "Schuey" Weever
  • Tillie Amartey as Stacey "Stace" Neville
  • Liam Scholes as Noel McManus
  • Maisie Robinson as Portia Weever
  • Aabay Noor Ali as Mollie 'Mog' Richardson
  • Sonya Nisa as Aleena Qureshi
  • Miya Ocego as Lois Taylor-Brown
  • Danny Murphy as Luca Smith
  • Matthew Khan as Jared Jones
  • Lucy Chambers as Cat Guthrie
  • Niamh Blackshaw as Agnes Eccleston
  • Cory McClane as Ashton Stone

Recurring

Guest

  • Olly Rhodes as Billy Savage; Former Waterloo Road pupil
  • Fay Jagger as Gemma Neville; Stace's mother, a former schoolmate of Wendy, and pupil under Stella
  • Teddy Thomas as Tommy Charles; Donte's son
  • Louise Willoughby as Miss Sendall; Primary School Teacher of Tommy Charles