Jason Manford asked BBC to change storyline in Waterloo Road

Jason Manford has revealed that he asked the BBC to change the storyline in Waterloo Road after an intervention from his daughters. 

The 43-year-old appeared in series 14 of the hit show this year playing the new headteacher, Steve Savage, who has an affair with one of the lunch ladies, Nicky Walters, played by Kym Marsh who is also in her 40s. 

However, it has now been revealed that the original plot had Manford falling in love with another teacher who was in her 20s. 

But after discussing it with his daughters who labeled the plot 'weird' and 'not right in today's society', the comedian asked producers for it to be changed before he accepted the role. 

Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Manford said: 'It's very of its time I suppose, so one of the storylines they mentioned was that my teacher, he's a widower, and he was going to have this romance with this teacher.

'They mentioned the teacher who it was, and I mentioned it to my girls, who loved the show, and they were like, 'you can't do that, you weirdo, she's about 24 and you're 43, that's weird'.

'I didn't know the character, so I rang the producer and I said, look, I'd love to be in it, what a privilege to be the headteacher, but I said, I can't have this storyline, it's just weird, it's just not right in today's society, and certainly my daughters were not happy with it.

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'So I said, is there another more age-appropriate member of staff who maybe he could have this romance with? They said, what about Kim Marsh? And I said, I'll see you Monday.'

For the next series of Waterloo Road, Manford's character will be replaced by a new headteacher, Dame Stella Drake, played by Lindsey Coulson. 

Speaking about joining the cast back in February, Jason said: 'What an absolute treat it is to join the cast and crew of Waterloo Road, right here in my home city of Manchester.

'My kids and I binged the show on iPlayer during lockdown. It’s such a brilliant, iconic show, so I’m dead proud to now be part of its history. Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher and now becoming a headteacher, I know I would have been terrible!'

He has also announced a further 89 dates for his A Manford All Seasons 2025 stand-up tour running from February to November. 

Jason is the parent to six children. He shares twin daughters and a daughter and son with his first wife Catherine and a girl and boy, with his current wife producer Lucy Dyke.

The star tied the knot with Lucy in a ceremony in Manchester in 2017.

Lucy also works in TV as a producer and has worked on Black Mirror, The Split and Ripper Street as well as many more shows.