LIFE lessons

JACK ASHTON on guest-starring in Waterloo Road and his own memories of school

- VICTORIA WILSON

WATERLOO ROAD

TUESDAY, 8PM, BBC1 DRAMA

Jack Ashton became a household name as Reverend Tom Hereward in period drama Call the Midwife. But the actor is a world away from a man of the cloth with his new guest role in BBC1’s Waterloo Road.

Jack plays Lenny Sampson, a reformed criminal who head teacher Kim Campbell (Angela Griffin) asks for advice as part of her ongoing mission to tackle knife crime following the shocking stabbing incident involving pupil Danny Lewis (Adam Abbou) last term.

In an exclusive interview, Jack, 36, gives TV Times his take on his character, and reflects on his own schooldays…

Lenny appears in two episodes. Can you tell us more about him?

Lenny is an ex-con who spent 11 years at Her Majesty’s pleasure. But he turned his life around and now devotes his time to mentoring children who are like he was, giving them the guidance he didn’t get.