Waterloo Road confirms EastEnders legend Lindsey Coulson to replace Jason Manford as headteacher

Coulson is best known for her role as mum-of-four and working-class grafter Carol Jackson in EastEnders, which she portrayed from 1993 to 1999 and then from 2010 to 2015.

Dame Stella will replace Steven Savage (Jason Manford) as the headteacher after Savage was arrested for covering up the death of pupil Boz Osbourne at the hands of his son Billy Savage (Olly Rhodes), a scandal which will see Waterloo Road labelled a 'murder school'.

In a new clip shared by the show, we see Dame Stella meet a host of the regular characters as she makes her presence felt in the school community.

In the upcoming episodes, we will learn that Dame Stella was knocked off her pedestal at the top of Ofsted rankings after her harsh comments about parental competence went viral on social media.

The show described Stella as having an "uncompromising work ethic, strict moral compass and no-nonsense approach", claiming she is ready to bring about huge changes at Waterloo Road, immediately clashing with the school's modern and empathetic approach to pastoral care by ruffling some feathers with difficult honesty.

As this is Waterloo Road, there are, of course, skeletons in the headteacher's closet that threaten to see Dame Stella's personal life collide with her work life.

Could Waterloo Road's new headteacher face her own disastrous downfall?

Speaking about joining the show, Coulson 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."

Meanwhile, Cameron Roach, executive producer of Waterloo Road and founder of Rope Ladder Fiction, says: "We're really thrilled that Lindsey Coulson is joining Waterloo Road, she has absolutely embraced the spirit and ethos of the show, and she completely inhabits the role of Dame Stella Drake, we can't wait for the audience to meet her.

"The fact that the show has attracted an actor of Lindsey's calibre is testament to the continued ambition and commitment from our writing and story teams, as well as our brilliant cast and crew."

Finally, Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, commented: "It's a real honour to have an actor of Lindsey Coulson's calibre take the reins at Waterloo Road.

"Dame Stella Drake is a force to be reckoned with, and we know fans of all ages are going to love watching her."

Waterloo Road season 15 will begin airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2025. Seasons 1 to 14 are currently streaming on BBC iPlayer.

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