School-based drama Waterloo Road comes to
91Èȱ¬ ONE, Thursday 9 March 2006
Jamie Glover plays Andrew
Treneman
Give a description of the character you play:
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A middle class, ex-public school teacher, drafted into
Waterloo Road by Jack as deputy head to restore discipline to the school.
He's uncompromising in his approach, believing that order and respect
must be achieved before a pupil can flourish.
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Describe your character in three words:
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Blinkered, focused, driven.
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What do you like about Andrew?
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I like Andrew's willingness to put his money where is mouth is and achieve
goals for the pupils - sometimes at personal cost to himself.
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What do you like least about Andrew?
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His unwillingness to bend and see another point of view.
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Would you like your character if you met them?
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Yes if I was a teacher I would like him but not so much as a pupil!
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What are Andrew's life values and do these differ from your own?
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Andrew values the potential of children and is sickened when this goes
to waste. He is absorbed largely by his work, which is something that
I can understand.
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How are you similar or different to Andrew?
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He is, I suspect, braver than I am and is the last to flinch. I think
I prefer to keep people happy whereas Andrew is unconcerned with making
enemies.
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Does your character have love interest?
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There is a simmering attraction between Andrew and Kim, the pastoral care
teacher and they dance around each other for the series.
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They are
polar opposites in their approach to schooling but they respect
the commitment and care of the other.
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Why do you think they are attracted to this person?
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I think the attraction comes from the similar passion they display to the
school and the pupils.
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Which character at Waterloo Road does your character relate to best?
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Despite their opposite stances, probably Kim. But Andrew ploughs quite
a lonely furrow amongst the staff.
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Do you think you would make a good teacher?
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I think I would make a good teacher but I don't know if I would have the
stomach for it. I love imparting knowledge and learning and I do
have a passion for learning.
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What school did you go to?
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Frensham Heights in Farnham, Surrey.
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Which aspect of school did you enjoy the most?
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I liked the fact that the school pulled together the spirit as well as the mind and taught all the students respect for themselves and others.
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What was your favourite subject - and why?
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English - literature is the basic material for an actor.
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What was your least favourite subject and why?
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Maths - I'm an actor - enough said!
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What were your school reports like?
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Pretty average I suspect. I was never outstanding or disastrous.
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Did you have to wear a uniform?
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We didn't have uniforms - we just had to be smart.
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Did you have an inspiring teacher?
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My drama teacher Dick Jones was pretty inspiring. He put
on school plays with a professional attitude and encouraged me to extend
my range. The headmaster was amazing - an ex-marine who instilled love
throughout the school.
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Have you ever had the opportunity to teach?
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I've only taught drama students but I loved it.
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Do you think you could teach?
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Not in a school like Waterloo Road - it would be too hard. But if the students all wanted to be in the room then yes.
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How did you do at school?
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I left with eight O Levels and a CSE and one A Level -
not great but better than I would have done at any other school.
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Do you still keep in touch with anyone you were at school with?
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Not really.
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Have you ever been a victim of bullying?
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A bit in early teenage years. I was very young looking for my age which was a handicap. But it gave me strength once I'd learned how to front it out.
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Any words of advice to kids who are victims of bullying?
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Keep a sense of your own worth - probably the very thing that is picked on is the very thing that will make you unique.
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Sensitivity is a strength not a weakness.
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How do you think you would do if you went back to school?
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Probably much the same. But maybe better as I would appreciate it more the second time around.
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Were you good at sport at school?
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I was very good at cricket. I loved all sports but was unremarkable in most others.
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How do you keep in shape nowadays?
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To keep in shape I run a bit and do a bit of weight training.
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What do you think about school dinners?
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I think they are better than when I was at school. Let's hope Jamie Oliver
wins though.
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Where were you born and brought up?
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London.
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Where do you live now?
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South London.
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If you had to teach what subject would you like to teach most?
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English - it's the one that fires me up the most.
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What were your first impressions of arriving at the Waterloo Road set?
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The set is really friendly. But it's spooky to return to a school. You
expect to be told off around every corner.
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Do you see similarities between Waterloo Road and a school you know or attended?
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Yes, schools are essentially the same all over aren't they?!
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Describe the staff room at Waterloo Road:
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Our staffroom at Waterloo Road is organised chaos.
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Do you think Waterloo Road is a realistic portrayal of a school?
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I suspect that we can only imagine how tough it is for pupils or staff
at a really tough school. But given that this is a TV drama, it seems pretty
close.
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What was your favourite school term at school and why?
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Summer - end of the year. And cricket!
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How did you spend your school holidays?
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Sleeping probably.
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Did you have a Saturday job?
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No.
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Did you ever go on a school trip?
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I went skiing with the school. I can't believe that there wasn't more
chaos. It seemed that we were completely let loose.
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Were you naughty at school?
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I guess I was a bit but I always knew when to stop.
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What was the worst thing you did and did you get caught?
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As a group we were pretty brutal to some teachers. I wasn't really badly
behaved but I was in some classes where the teacher was made to cry.
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What age did you leave school?
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I left school at 18 and went straight to drama school.
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What was your first ever job?
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Working in the green room at the Barbican.
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What was your first professional acting role?
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A terrifyingly bad soap for BSB called Jupiter Moon.
It was like Crossroads in space and despite zero gravity walls would
still shake…
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Were you a member of the drama club etc at school?
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Yes, I was a very active member of a drama club.
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What role are you best known for?
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None really!
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What have you enjoyed most about recording Waterloo Road?
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The cast and crew are really fabulous. I don't remember laughing on a
job as much as this one. As for stories - they will go with me to the grave!
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Did you have a good holiday last year?
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Just before we started shooting I went to Florence with my girlfriend.
It was the perfect break. A really beautiful city and always my main priority
- great food!
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Do you support a football team?
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I do support Tottenham Hotspur pretty seriously. I don't have a season
ticket yet as I have to miss too many games as an actor but I get to go about
4 or 5 times a season. Things are looking up at the Lane!
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Have you any long term goals or ambitions for the future?
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In the future I would definitely like to move into directing. Not instead
of acting but alongside it.
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