Eva Pope: 'I was a rebel at school'

Eva Pope: 'I was a rebel at school'
Eva Pope: 'I was a rebel at school' (Image credit: SHED PRODUCTIONS)

Eva Pope - Waterloo Road's feisty headteacher Rachel Mason - tells us about her own school days and what her reports said! Hi Eva! First things first, which school did you go to? "St Peter's in Orrell, Wigan." What sort of student were you? "I was a nervous, unconfident one, then a rebel!" Do you have fond memories of your own school days? "No - I hated it! There's not one subject I can say that I liked least; it was almost everything. My school reports said 'could try harder' and 'causes trouble'. I did get good exam results - for the ones I turned up to!" Did you go to college – if so, what subjects did you study? "I did A-level Theatre Studies, English Language and English Literature. After that, I went to drama college for three years." Was there a particular teacher who inspired you the most? "Yes - my drama teacher, Mrs Cathy Jones. My favourite subject was, of course, drama! Maths was my least favourite!" What sort of teacher do you think you'd make? "Not sure I'd make a great teacher!" Have you picked up a better understanding of the profession since playing Rachel? "I'm now much more sympathetic to a true teacher's cause, and the difficulties they encounter, but I grew up with a mother who was a teacher so..." And finally, Waterloo Road is filmed in Rochdale, near Manchester, are you enjoying living and working there? "I really enjoy living and working in Manchester. Unfortunately I haven't had time to see much of the local area. Bit hard when you work 15 hours a day. Maybe someone could give me a guided tour (limousine please)!" Get exclusive access to your favourite stars. Subscribe to TV Times magazine

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.