BBC school drama Waterloo Road to end after ten series

BBC One has announced that Waterloo Road is to end in 2015 after ten series.

Corporation executives Charlotte Moore and Ben Stephenson said, in a joint statement, that although they are “incredibly proud” of the school drama, which launched on BBC One in 2006, it has “reached the end of its lifecycle”.

“We are incredibly proud of Waterloo Road, and would like to thank Shed Productions and all the cast and teams involved across the ten series. However, we believe it has reached the end of its lifecycle and won’t be returning after series 10 finishes in 2015. On BBC One it’s important to make room for new drama and we are committed to commissioning new drama series for 8pm. There are some really exciting ideas currently in development but nothing to confirm yet.” – Charlotte Moore, BBC One controller and Ben Stephenson, controller of BBC Drama.

The drama is produced by Shed Productions for the BBC and is set in a challenging comprehensive school – with the present adult cast including Laurie Brett, Zoe Lucker and Angus Deayton.

Over the years Waterloo Road has seen many changes from a high cast turnover of regular characters including head teachers, teaching staff and pupils to the entire school relocating from Rochdale to Greenock, central Scotland in 2011.

There are twenty episodes of Waterloo Road still to run on BBC One with ten airing this Autumn and the rest – yet to be filmed – going out in 2015.