Lydia looking annoyed in Coronation Street, Adam looking upset in Emmerdale and Ben looking shocked in EastEnders
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Waterloo Road stars who became soap favourites on Emmerdale and Coronation Street

A lot of soap stars were on the BBC drama!

Waterloo Road has had a lot of famous actors feature on the show in its run but which soap stars have featured on the show?

Many Waterloo Road stars landed themselves in soaps such as Emmerdale, Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks.

Here are some of the Waterloo Road stars you forgot were in soaps.

Adam Thomas and Katie Griffiths reading scripts, reuniting on the set of Waterloo Road
Waterloo Road is back (Credit: BBC)

Adam Thomas: Emmerdale

Adam Thomas, who played Donte Charles, went on to play Adam Barton in Emmerdale from 2009 till 2018.

He left the show back in 2018, when Aaron and Cain broke Adam Barton out of prison and he fled on a cargo ship.

It was later revealed he started a new life in Budapest.

But the Emmerdale actor originally had his big break on Waterloo Road!

Adam Thomas played Donte Charles from the first episode of Waterloo Road until the end of season 4.

Waterloo Road’s original bad boy, he starts off the first episode by getting his best friend and girlfriend involved in a fatal car crash.

Throughout the show, Donte Charles ended up married at 16, before his young wife cheats on him.

The two later reconcile after a fire at the school and end up having a baby together.

Donte and Chlo leave the show at the end of season four for Chlo to go to university.

But Adam is returning to play Donte in series 11 of Waterloo Road.

Soap stars Angela Griffin and Adam Thomas read scripts together on the set of the Waterloo Road revival
Angela Griffin will return alongside Adam Thomas on Waterloo Road later this year (Credit: BBC)

Angela Griffin: Coronation Street

Former Coronation Street star Angela Griffin also had a big role in Waterloo Road!

Angela played hairdresser Fiona Middleton on the soap from 1993 to 1998 before making a brief cameo return in 2019.

She played teacher Kim Campbell in series one and two. She then returned in season four and left again at the end of season five.

It was announced earlier this year that she will also be returning to Waterloo Road, as the principal of the school.

Angela adds this about her return to the show: “I feel really honoured to be joining the new series of Waterloo Road.

“It is exciting to be stepping back into Kim’s shoes and I can’t wait to explore her life, character and how she has evolved since we last met her.”

Katie McGlynn played Scout Allen on the BBC school drama (Credit: BBC)

Katie McGlynn: Coronation Street and Hollyoaks

Another Coronation Street star, Katie McGlynn also featured on Waterloo Road.

Back in 2011, she played Jodie ‘Scout’ Allen on Waterloo Road for two years.

Katie McGlynn played Sinead Tinker on Corrie for over 500 episodes, before her character was killed off back in 2019, dying of cervical cancer.

Since then she has featured on Strictly Come Dancing and had a stint on Hollyoaks.

So far, Katie hasn’t made any plans to return to Waterloo Road but her character left to do teacher training, so maybe she could return as a teacher to the school-based drama in the future.

Soap star Chelsee Healey as Janeece Bryant in Waterloo Road
Chelsee Healey starred in Waterloo Road for over 100 episodes (Credit: BBC)

Chelsee Healey: Hollyoaks

Hollyoaks star Chelsee Healey started out on Waterloo Road.

Chelsee first appeared in the show in the first season as the cheeky and outgoing pupil, Janeece Bryant, before re-joining in season six as the school’s secretary.

She left the show in season 8 to move to Ibiza with her mother and young daughter Cheryl.

Since then, Chelsee has starred in Casualty as Honey Wright, and since 2016, she’s starred in Hollyoaks as Goldie McQueen.

Denice Welch as Steph Haydock on Waterloo Road
Denise Welch played Steph Haydock on Waterloo Road (Credit: BBC)

Denise Welch: Coronation Street, EastEnders and Hollyoaks

This actress is a face a lot of soap fans are sure to recognise with Denise Welch appearing on the likes of Holby City, EastEnders and Hollyoaks!

Before Waterloo Road, Denise played Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street.

On Waterloo Road, she played the role of French teacher Steph Haydock between 2006-2010, starring in six series altogether.

Since then, she’s appeared in a main role on Hollyoaks as dance teacher Trish Minniver.

There’s been no word if she’ll return to Waterloo Road but Steph was an icon. Hopefully she will make a return, even if it’s brief.

Soap star Tina O'Brien as Bex Fisher on Waterloo Road
Tina O’Brien starred in Waterloo Road (Credit: BBC)

Tina O’Brien: Coronation Street

Coronation Street actress Tina O’Brien has appeared in over 1600 episodes of the soap, as Sarah Platt.

The actress has appeared on Corrie since 1999 but left the soap in 2008.

In 2010, Tina had a stint on Waterloo Road playing Bex Fisher

Tina’s character Bex was the eldest daughter of headteacher Karen Fisher.

In 2015 Tina returned to Corrie and has been there ever since.

Now Tina’s daughter, Scarlett is starring in the school-based drama! She will play the daughter of Donte and Chlo Charles, Izzie.

soap star Max Bowden as Justin Fitzgerald on Waterloo Road
Max Bowden played Justin Fitzgerald on the last season of Waterloo Road (Credit: BBC)

Max Bowden: EastEnders

EastEnders star Max Bowden played Justin Fitzgerald in the 10th series of Waterloo Road.

In 2019, the actor landed the role of Ben Mitchell on EastEnders and has featured in over 300 episodes since.

Busy with EastEnders, it doesn’t look like Max Bowden has any plans to return to Waterloo Road, but never say never!

Melanie joined Corrie after Waterloo Road (Credit: BBC)

Melanie Hill: Coronation Street

Melanie played Maggie Croft, aka Maggie Budgen in Waterloo Road from series seven until the show’s finale in 2015.

In 2015 she joined the cast of Coronation Street as Cathy Matthews.

However last year Melanie left Corrie.

Rebecca joined Coronation Street for a while after playing Vicki in Waterloo Road (Credit: BBC)

Rebecca Ryan: Coronation Street and Emmerdale

Rebecca Ryan shot to fame after played Debbie Gallagher in Shameless.

In 2006 she played Bob Hope’s daughter Carly Hope in Emmerdale.

But between 2009 and 2011 she played Waterloo Road student Vicki MacDonald.

Vicki was the centre of many big storylines but in series 7, she left to go to university.

Rebecca went on to play Gemma Dean in Casualty and in 2020 she landed a role on Coronation Street.

She played Lydia Chambers, who befriended Sarah Platt, played by Tina O’Brien.

Tina and Rebecca’s characters Bex and Vicki were friends in Waterloo Road.

However Lydia ended up leaving the cobbles this year.

Recently Rebecca got married and announced she is pregnant.

Ronan was a fan favourite (Credit: BBC)

Ben-Ryan Davies: Hollyoaks

Ben-Ryan Davies played king-hearted, business savvy Ronan Burley.

Ronan was hopelessly in love with Vicki and the couple went through a lot of ups and downs.

Vicki and Ronan decided to go their separate ways.

But despite this Ronan decided to hire Vicki to help with his new business while she studied at university.

Ben-Ryan Davies was cast as Nick Savage in Hollyoaks in 2016 but left the show in 2017.

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Waterloo Road will return to the BBC on Tuesday, January 3 2023.

Which soap stars do you recognise from Waterloo Road? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.