Former EastEnders and Carol Jackson star Lindsey Coulson is returning to the BBC as new headteacher of Waterloo Road.

Lindsey will play newcomer Dame Stella Drake, with her first scenes on the BBC soap airing in 2025.

Stella is set to be an ‘unfiltered’ and ‘honest’ character who is also desperate to restore the school’s reputation.

EastEnders star Lindsey Coulson joins Waterloo Road

With Waterloo Road having a current reputation of being the ‘murder school,’ and also with the downfall of former headteacher Steve Savage being rather fresh, a new face is now ready to swoop in and fix the mess as a result.

Lindsey Coulson will play the school’s new headteacher, Dame Stella Drake.

Stella’s described as having an ‘uncompromising work ethic, strict moral compass and no-nonsense approach.’

Her out of date methods will be put to the test though as she questions the school’s modern pastoral approach. This being said, she has the students’ best interests at heart even if she is about to ruffle some feathers.

As time goes on, Stella may have some skeletons unearthed as her professional and personal lives overlap.

Lindsey Coulson shares excitement over new soap role

Best known for playing Carol Jackson on EastEnders, Lindsey is thrilled to be appearing on a soap once again.

The actress shared: “I’m delighted to be joining Waterloo Road as the new headteacher, Dame Stella Drake. It’s a role I haven’t played before so I’m really enjoying peeling back the layers of who Stella is and seeing how the teachers and students react to her no-nonsense approach. Waterloo Road tackles social issues head on which is so important to see on television and this series will be no different.”

Cameron Roach, the Executive Producer of Waterloo Road and Founder of Rope Ladder Fiction also expressed: “We’re really thrilled that Lindsey Coulson is joining Waterloo Road, she has absolutely embraced the spirit and ethos of the show, and she completely inhabits the role of Dame Stella Drake, we can’t wait for the audience to meet her. The fact that the show has attracted an actor of Lindsey’s calibre is testament to the continued ambition and commitment from our writing and story teams, as well as our brilliant cast and crew.”