tom chambers lands top role in bbc drama waterloo road|derbyshire|thisisderbyshire

STRICTLY Come Dancing champion Tom Chambers is preparing to go back to school – after landing a role on the hit TV show Waterloo Road.

Derbyshire-born Tom, who starred in hospital drama Holby City, has just begun filming for the fifth series of the BBC show.

class act: Strictly Come Dancing winner Tom Chambers is to play the role of Max Tyler in the BBC's school drama Waterloo Road, below, which also stars Denise Welch, right, and Angela Griffin.

He will play the part of Max Tyler in the 20-part series, which is expected to be aired later this year.

The 31-year-old had hoped to present an award at the Derby Telegraph's annual Community Champions awards at Pride Park on Sunday, after proving a hit last year.

But he is now scheduled to be filming on the day of the awards.

He said: "I really enjoyed the Community Champions awards last year and would have loved to come again this but I have just got this new job and will be working on the day."

Tom's dad, Stuart, said his son was thrilled to have got the part and had been taking advice from his sister, who works as a teacher in Newbury.

He said: "Tom is so excited to get the part in Waterloo Road. His sister, Nicola, is a teacher, so he went to visit her to do some research for the role.

"He sent me the script and it looks fantastic – we've all joked that once the next series starts viewing figures will be up because we'll all be watching it.

"I know Tom thoroughly enjoyed last year's Community Champions event and it's a shame he can't come but he's thrilled with this new part."

Made by Shed Productions for the BBC, Waterloo Road was first aired in 2006.

The fourth series is currently being shown at 8pm on Wednesday nights on BBC One and the show was recommissioned for a fifth series in March.

There will be big changes in the new series as Waterloo Road merges with a local school.

Many of the current actors will return, including Eva Pope, Angela Griffin, Denise Welch, Jason Done and Philip Martin Brown.

A BBC spokeswoman confirmed that Tom would be playing the role of Max Tyler, who holds a management position.

But she was unable to divulge any more information about the character or any plot lines he would be involved with until the current series was finished.

Former Repton School pupil Tom played doctor Sam Strachan in Holby City, joining the cast in January 2006.

He took part in Strictly Come Dancing last year, when he and dance partner Camilla Dallerup were crowned champions.