User:Soaper1234/Vaughan

Vaughan Fitzgerald is a fictional character from the BBC television drama Waterloo Road, played by Neil Pearson. He first appears in the first episode of the tenth series, broadcast on 15 October 2014.

Creation and casting
Vaughan is created as part of the Fitzgerald/Westbrook extended family and introduced as the new headteacher of Waterloo Road school, the show's primary setting. Pearson was attracted to the role after discovering the stories that Vaughan would be involved in. The character and Pearson's casting was announced on 19 September 2013, alongside the casting of Nicola Stephenson in the role of Vaughan's partner, Allie Westbrook. Pearson expressed his excitement to join Waterloo Road, while executive producer Brian Park said he was "thrilled" that Pearson signed up to the series, describing him as "one of the country’s most recognised television acting talents". He predicted that Vaughan and Allie would create an impression on the audience. BBC Scotland head of drama Christopher Aird was also pleased by Pearson's casting, commenting, "[He is a] firm [favourite] in households across the UK, having played iconic characters in some of Britain's best-loved shows".

Development

 * Neil Pearson and Nicola Stephenson join the cast of Waterloo Road for series 10
 * Waterloo Road - series 10 (interviews with Neil Pearson and Nicola Stephenson)
 * TV Choice review for first episode
 * Waterloo Road - series 10b (interviews with Neil Pearson, Laurie Brett and Melanie Hill)
 * s10b e9 review

Characterisation and introduction
Vaughan is the school's headteacher who is billed as "dominant and forward-thinking" and the ideal headteacher for Waterloo Road school. Vaughan has previous experience as a headteacher and a clear vision about what he wants the school to achieve. Pearson explained that Vaughan favours "an education which will help his pupils through life, not just exams." He added that Vaughan enjoys teaching, but finds the admin work tiresome and unengaging as it creates an "uncomfortable distance" between him and his students, who are cautious of him. As a leader, Vaughan treats his staff with "respect and support", which Pearson stated also "need to be earned".