Laurie Brett, EastEnders’s Jane Beale and finalist on Let’s Dance for Sport Relief, is joining the cast of Shed Production’s Waterloo Road when filming for the eighth series begins in Scotland next month (April 2012).

Waterloo Road is currently on-screen for its seventh series – the last to be shot in its former Rochdale home. Hamilton-born Laurie will join the forthcoming eighth series to play Head of English Christine Mulgrew, one of headmaster Michael Byrne’s (played by Alec Newman) new appointments as he sets up a new school in Scotland.

Ahead of her Waterloo Road move to Scotland, Laurie will dust off her dancing shoes this weekend as she teams up with fellow EastEnder Tameka Empson (plays Kim Fox) to become Lady Gaga and Beyonce in their unique performance of ‘Telephone’ as they compete for glory in the Let’s Dance For Sport Relief final tomorrow night (Saturday 17 March, BBC One).

Waterloo Road is set to be filmed and edited on location at the former Greenock Academy school building which has been transformed into the drama’s new set and production base. Filming begins in April on an initial 50 one-hour episode commission, to be shot over two years.