Denise Welch reprises Waterloo Road role as iconic teacher Steph Haydock

Miss Steph Haydock was one of the most iconic characters in the original series of BBC school drama Waterloo Road, with Loose Women star Denise Welch playing the role between 2006-2010.

After Denise left the drama following five series, BBC bosses have now delighted fans by confirming she will be returning as French teacher Miss Haydock for the upcoming 17th series, which is due out next year.

Series 17 will kick off with the school experiencing a teacher shortage, with the BBC saying: 'Miss Haydock is called in as a supply teacher. Although teaching may still not be her strong suit, Steph knows exactly how to handle the chaos'.

Speaking about her return to the show, Denise said: "I'm thrilled to see the return of Steph to Waterloo Road. 15 years older, but certainly not wiser.  She’ll soon show that time has certainly not dulled her shine! Still unmarried but eternally hopeful, Steph is back as a supply teacher. What she is supplying remains to be seen, but I am having a great time stepping back into the shoes of a character I love. It’s also been great to reunite with some of my old castmates, like Jason Merrells. Steph and Jack go back a long way, but will they move forward?! You'll have to wait and see."

As viewers will know, actor Jason Merrells, who plays the role of Jack Rimmer, also returned to the show as a regular cast member last series, so fans will be keen to see how Mr Rimmer and Miss Haydock's reunion plays out.

When will she return?

Denise has already filmed her parts and will feature on the upcoming 17th series, which is due out in early 2026.

Sharing a video montage, Denise wrote on Instagram: 'And she's back!! Thrilled to say that Steph Haydock is returning to her old stomping ground Waterloo Road. 15 yrs older but not wiser she's still not married but ever hopeful. And she's not having any of this 'wokey wokey, softly softly' teaching. Hurray!! So lovely to be back with friends old and new......especially Jack Rimmer 🥹

'I'm excited to see what she gets up to and thank you @bbc for giving me such a lovely welcome ❤️❤️'.

When was she last on the show?

Denise played the role of French teacher Miss Steph Haydock in series one to five between 2006 and 2010.

As the Head of French, Miss Haydock wasn't the most technically gifted of teachers, but she was always available to give her students a shoulder to cry on and give great life and relationship advice.

Cameron Roach, Exec Producer for Waterloo Road said of Denise's return: "Steph Haydock is a Waterloo Road icon, so we knew we had to find the right story if we were to see her back in our world. We were thrilled that Denise enjoyed our pitch and that the fans will get to see Steph once more - her one liners are just as sharp, her lip stick is fiercely drawn, and the staff room atmosphere is changed for good. Neil Guthrie has met his match. We can't wait for the fans to see her episodes."

How can I watch Waterloo Road?

All 16 series of Waterloo Road are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

Who else is returning?

Since the show's reboot in 2023, a number of original Waterloo Road characters have returned for both permanent and guest roles.

Whilst Adam Thomas plays PE teacher Mr Charles, Angela Griffin, Chelsee Healey, Jamie Glover, Katie Griffiths, Lauren Drummond, and Zeriozha Annika have all returned for minor roles.

Check out the photos from Waterloo Road series 16 below:

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