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JASON MERRELLS on returning to his old stomping ground

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WATERLOO ROAD TUE, 9PM (WALES, BBC2), BBC1 DRAMA

Original Waterloo Road cast member Jason Merrells couldn't be happier about reprising his role as fan favourite Jack Rimmer for a guest stint in the rebooted BBC1 drama.

‘Jack is my favourite part I’ve played on TV,’ shares the actor, who made history as the school-set saga’s first head teacher when the show launched in 2006. ‘He’s so different to me in lots of ways yet always felt like the most complete character I've portrayed, so getting to revisit him was so natural.’

Having left Manchester during the third series in 2008 to take up a similar teaching post in Dubai, charismatic Jack is now back on home soil working as a counsellor. And as the 15th series continues this week, he crosses paths with Waterloo Road’s current head Dame Stella Drake (Lindsey Coulson), who needs his help navigating the challenges of leading the tough comprehensive.

TV Times caught up with Jason to get his full report…

When you bowed out of the show 17 years ago, did you ever imagine you'd get to play Jack again?