Waterloo Road’s Jon Richardson Opens Up on ‘Terrifying’ Acting Debut
Comedian Jon Richardson, best known for his sharp wit on 8 Out of 10 Cats and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, has revealed he is stepping into a completely new arena: acting.
The Bristol-born comic will join the BBC’s Waterloo Road as media studies teacher Darius Donovan.
Speaking on This Morning on Tuesday, Richardson described his first foray into scripted drama as “terrifying.”
He said: “I would say that joining Waterloo Road is a dream come true, but in truth, most of my school dreams revolve around not having done my homework or put on my uniform.
I wanted to be a teacher growing up so hopefully this role will put all those ambitions to bed, and I can stop telling my friends and family that I will be testing them on what I’ve been saying or telling audiences on tour that it’s their own time they’re wasting.”
The comedian, who previously co-hosted with Russell Howard on BBC Radio 6 Music, will be joining the new series following the departure of Jason Manford, who played Steve Savage in series 15.
Richardson described his character Darius Donovan in no uncertain terms: “He is an absolute rotter!”
He elaborated, adding: “I think the worst thing about baddies is they think they’re good and they think they’re right… You don’t get to see a lot of him teaching, he’s skulking about, he’s very ambitious and sees Waterloo Road as his chance to make his claim.”
The comedian hopes there is little resemblance between himself and Donovan. “I hope there’s nothing of me,” he confessed, acknowledging that acting is entirely new territory for him.
Reflecting on his experience, Jon said: “It was such a privilege, the more I talk about it, I’m such a small part of a show, the writing is excellent, the way they can tackle big storylines… I’m just a tiny part of what is it now, series 16.”
When asked about stepping into the shoes of Manford, he joked: “Jason Manford did the series for me and he didn’t break it… He was very kind, I do everything after… I just assume whatever he’s doing, I’ll do after.”
Richardson recalled his first day on set with honesty: “The first day was terrifying. First episode ends with a big scene, and that was my first scene I filmed.”
He also praised his co-stars, including Adam Thomas, for making him feel welcome. “They were all lovely, they just welcomed me.”
Series 16 pledges to see Jon Richardson navigating the corridors of Waterloo Road, bringing humor, pressure, and a gusto of mischief to the staff room. suckers of the long-running BBC drama can anticipate pa lenity of sparks from his new part.
