This article lists the characters and the actors who portray them from the award-winning BBC television series Waterloo Road. Phillip Martin Brown (who played Grantly Budgen) was the longest-serving cast member, having appeared in 149 episodes between the first episode until the sixth episode of series nine. Appearing in 148 episodes was Jason Done (who played Tom Clarkson) between the first episode and the final episode of series eight.
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Final cast
The final ensemble, present during the final episode of Waterloo Road, first broadcast on 9 March 2015, was headlined by Melanie Hill, rounding out her fourth year as Maggie Bugden. Other cast members included Laurie Brett, as English teacher, Christine Mulgrew, and Neil Pearson as dynamic headmaster Vaughan Fitzgerald. It was Pearson who spoke the final, original line, "Cue the music!", but this was followed by the camera going to different points in the school with different quotes from the past being spoken above. The final quote made was by longest-serving cast member Phillip Martin Brown (who played Grantly Budgen), who said: "I turned up for a week's cover and ended up staying 25 years!".
Former cast
Throughout its ten series, Waterloo Road featured a large ensemble including original cast members Denise Welch, Adam Thomas and Jason Merrells; former Coronation Street actors, Katy Carmichael, Tina O'Brien and Angela Griffin; ex-EastEnders stars, Jill Halfpenny, Daniela Denby-Ashe and Zöe Lucker and Britain's Got Talent winner, George Sampson.
Headteachers
Waterloo Road has seen six headteachers, two acting headteachers and one executive headteacher, including Jason Merrells as original head, Jack Rimmer, Laurie Brett as Christine Mulgrew and Neil Pearson as the final headteacher, Vaughan Fitzgerald. Merrells made one other appearance as Jack, after he left his headteacher post. Christine was an acting headteacher, before her role as headteacher and Simon Lowsley was an acting headteacher, without becoming a headteacher. Tom Chambers played Max Tyler, who was an executive head of Waterloo Road.
Deputy Headteachers
Waterloo Road has had nine deputy headteachers including Jason Done as long-standing English teacher turned deputy head Tom Clarkson, Jaye Jacobs as intelligent and sexy Sian Diamond and Neil Morrissey as charismatic and inspirational Eddie Lawson. Jamie Glover made two other appearances as original deputy head Andrew Treneman, after he left his post. Tom, George Windsor and Nikki Boston (Done, Angus Deayton and Heather Peace) were the only deputy headteachers to have not been deputy headteachers throughout all their time at Waterloo Road.
Subject Heads
There has been lots of subject heads over the ten series, including sarcastic Head of Modern Languages, George Windsor (Angus Deayton), original Head of English, Grantly Budgen (Phillip Martin Brown) and vain Head of Physical Education, Jez Diamond (Alex Walkinshaw). Several subject heads have done other roles outside of being subject heads. Esther Fairclough (Daniela Nardini) was the only subject head to have the position of acting subject head.
Staff members
This is a list of regular members of the Waterloo Road staff that didn't appear in the final episode of Waterloo Road. The roles from this list includes teachers, teaching assistants, school secretaries, housemasters, canteen assistants, pastoral care leaders, finance directors, investors/benefactors, developers, supply teachers, head of governors, head of extended services, site managers and maintenance assistants.
Regular Guest
Pupils
This is a list of regularly-appearing Waterloo Road pupils that didn't appear in the final episode of Waterloo Road. Many students have appeared in Waterloo Road and few have made reappearances since their departures, as students, such as ambitious Dynasty Barry (Abby Mavers), troubled Bolton Smilie (Tachia Newall) and paraplegic Tariq Siddiqui (Naveed Choudhry).
Regular Guest
Guest characters
Throughout its ten series, Waterloo Road featured a large guest cast, which featured many parents, partners, community friends, brief-appearing members of staff and pupils. Actors that have made guest appearances in the show include Louise Delamere, Jody Latham, Tim Healy, John Thomson and Lisa Riley.