Her character will take over from the previous headteacher, Steve Savage, played by comedian Jason Manford, who was taken away by the police at the end of series 14 for helping to cover up the murder of Boz Osbourne. Coulson, 64, said: “I’m delighted to be joining Waterloo Road as the new headteacher, Dame Stella Drake. “It’s a role I haven’t played before so I’m really enjoying peeling back the layers of who Stella is and seeing how the teachers and students react to her no-nonsense approach.
“Waterloo Road tackles social issues head-on which is so important to see on television and this series will be no different.” Dame Stella has joined the school as students “become increasingly unruly following last term”, according to producers, and she “soon feels out of date as she clashes with the school’s modern pastoral approach”. In a first look clip she tells the teachers: “I know you’re probably still feeling battered and bruised following recent events, but we need to take a good honest look at what changes are needed to turn this school around.
” The TV show, which explores the lives of students at a state school in Greater Manchester, initially ran on the BBC between 2006 and 2015 before it returned in 2023. Coulson is most known for playing Carol Jackson in British soap EastEnders, which she last appeared on in 2015. Cameron Roach, executive producer of Waterloo Road said: “We’re really thrilled that Lindsey Coulson is joining Waterloo Roa.