BBC confirms Waterloo Road's future – and teases next season's release details

The BBC has confirmed that Waterloo Road will return in January 2027 – and the school drama has landed a fresh renewal that keeps its doors open well beyond that.

The broadcaster announced that season 18 will arrive on BBC iPlayer and BBC One next January, while a further run has been ordered that is due to begin filming in Greater Manchester this autumn.

As previously confirmed, original cast member Chelsee Healey will be back as Janeece Bryant for the 2027 season, reprising the role that made her a fan favourite.

This time Janeece is joined by newcomer Lauren Hylton as her on-screen daughter, Cheryl Bryant, a new student arriving at Waterloo Road.

Also joining the student cast are Leo Ashton as Liam Shaw, Callum Broome as Nathan Clark, Yousef Naseer as Ibrahim Azzi, Lewis Pemberton as Cane Morris and Keelan Wright as Marshall Clark.

The series introduces a wave of newly qualified teachers too, with Tashinga Bepete as Edward Connell, Cora Kirk as Leah Merchant and Mollie Winnard as Gemma Tully – all of whom you can catch a glimpse of in a newly released first-look image (above).

The news follows the show's 20th anniversary in March, marking two decades since the comprehensive first opened its gates on screen.

The most recent season aired at the beginning of the year and continued to strike a chord with viewers as it explored real-life issues affecting teens, families and school staff, including a hard-hitting grooming storyline among its recent plots.

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Cameron Roach, founder of Rope Ladder Fiction and executive producer on the series, said of the renewal: "When we brought Waterloo Road back, we were hopeful of a long-term future, so to be commissioned for a 10th series of the reboot really is an incredible achievement and testament to the exceptional creative team, cast and crew.

"To have evolved a sustainable base for training and development of crew with our partners at Screen Manchester has been central to our mission and ensures clear pathways for new entrants into the sector."

He added: "Above all, we thank the fans of the show who, series after series, are asking for more. It drives us all to be creatively ambitious for the iconic world of Waterloo Road."

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, also said: "We're so pleased to announce a new series of Waterloo Road, giving audiences the opportunity to follow the drama of the characters they've come to know and love.

"We look forward to seeing what the next chapter holds for the pupils and staff of Waterloo Road and can't wait for the series to return this January."

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Authors

Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.