Alex Walkinshaw dicusses leaving The Bill and joining the Waterloo Road staff... You play Jez Diamond the new PE teacher. What can you tell us about him? "Jez is a really nice chap who really wants to please. He loves his wife Sian [Holby City’s Jaye Jacobs] and he also loves his kids from a previous marriage." New head teacher Michael Byrne used to date Jez’s new wife Sian; does this cause any problems? "Jez is aware of the history between Sian and Michael and, being a bloke, he always keeps one eye on the opposition! As the series goes on Jez does make some slip-ups, but in a loveable way. He worships Sian and is devoted to her." How is his relationship with his two children? "Because he’s recently happily married he’s shied away form his kids a bit. Jez tends to ignore problems and put them to one side until they get too big and he has to deal with them." What’s he like as a teacher? "I think he’s a good teacher and the kids like him. He loves sport and thinks that kids should just have the opportunity, whatever their ability, to just go out and do it. As a former professional sportsman he is committed to wanting the best and he brings that into his classes. I think he’d love to have a school full of top student athletes - but that’s just not the way it is!" Have you missed your police uniform? "No I haven’t missed the uniform - wearing tracksuits and trainers all day, every day is fantastic! I do miss the people but we still stay in touch, and everyone who works on Waterloo Road has been really welcoming and I feel part of the team."
