Waterloo Road BBC One: Yorkshire actor Angela Griffin best known for roles in Coronation Street and Holby City to return in new series of BBC show

Two series were aired in January and May this year and the third series has already been filmed in Manchester.

The first series of Waterloo Road in 2023 came eight years after the previous season was aired in 2015, the BBC has now recommissioned two further seasons.

It was made by Rope Ladder Fiction and Wall to Wall North for BBC One and iPlayer. The new two-series order is in addition to the next series.

Filming on the two newly-commissioned series will begin in Greater Manchester this autumn, and further details will be announced in due course.

Waterloo Road originally ran on the BBC between 2006 and 2015 and following its success on BBC iPlayer during lockdown it returned with new episodes at the beginning of 2023 with a cast including Leeds-born actor Angela Griffin as headteacher Kim Campbell, Adam Thomas as Donte Charles and Kym Marsh as Nicky Walters among the school staff, and an ensemble of newbies and rising stars as pupils.

Waterloo Road is in the top three most-watched titles of the year so far on BBC iPlayer for 16-34 year olds, alongside Happy Valley and Eastenders.

The BBC show will continue to cast key roles through open auditions at schools and youth clubs and will once again offer workshops and production training schemes for newcomers to the industry, further boosting drama production skills in the North of England.

Currently 20 trainees have gained entry-level, paid work in the industry via six-month placements on Waterloo Road since the beginning of 2022, across departments including costume, art direction, post-production, camera and sound. A further eight trainees will join the series when filming begins this autumn.

Executive producer of Waterloo Road and founder of Rope Ladder Fiction, Cameron Roach, said: “We’re beyond thrilled with the triumphant return of Waterloo Road, and so thankful to the BBC for committing to the show so fully.

“We love that the show has the potential not only to be a crown jewel for BBC iPlayer, but also serve as a true beacon for training, and inspiring next generation talent. In addition to our open auditions and full-time production trainee placements for industry newcomers, our workshops across Greater Manchester this summer for 14-16 year olds, in partnership with BBC Young Reporter, have truly demonstrated the infectious power of this show.”

Director of BBC Drama, Lindsay Salt, said: “It’s been a joy to see Waterloo Road return to the BBC this year, delighting new and returning fans with its fantastic ensemble of relatable characters and a winning mix of heart, humour and high drama.

“It’s been especially exciting to see the new boxsets prove so popular on iPlayer, and to see the next brilliant generation of acting and production talent break into the industry via their work on the series. Life’s never dull for the staff and pupils at Waterloo Road, and there’s a lot more drama to come!”

Viewers can stream all episodes old and new of Waterloo Road on BBC iPlayer.