With a new teaser trailer and confirmed release date, Waterloo Road is back after it’s seven year hiatus, and two Articulate girls will be starring as series regulars.

Chiamaka Ulebor (14) was cast back in February as Shola Aku, and we can now announce that Zanele Nyoni (12) will be joining her as Jessie. Both characters will be causing some major ripples throughout the Greater Manchester secondary school! This is Zanele’s second cast role, after recently joining CBBC’s The Dumping Ground as Izzy.

The eleventh series is set to have 7 episodes, each an hour long, and feature both a new and returning cast “as they try to navigate the ever changing social landscape”. “The pupils have a lot to contend with this term, but they will learn to lean on one another to survive the year and try to stay out of detention as much as possible.” Waterloo Road is hugely successful and well-known for being a great platform for young talent, propelling many newcomers to stardom, so we cannot wait to see ChiChi and Zanele on our screens in the new year!

We have also had over 100 supporting artists filming for this series, so make sure to keep an eye out for them too! 

Waterloo Road Series 11 premieres on 3rd January, 2023. It will be available to watch live on BBC One at 8pm and for catchup on BBC iPlayer.