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Reigning Strictly Come Dancing Champion and former Holby City Star Tom Chambers joins the cast of Waterloo Road as Executive Head, Max Tyler.

Max has been brought in to oversee the merger of Waterloo Road and John Fosters, a local private school, and he has some very strong ideas on how the new-look school is going to operate.

Speaking about the role, Tom says: "Max is on a mission – to stamp out disobedience and improve academic results. He is passionate and explosive when it comes to the control and discipline that he desires.

"His desires also tend to lead him towards the female staff where he either ends up manipulating them or threatening them to his advantage.

He wants to be at the top of an empire, the Max Tyler Empire."

Right from the word go there is a strong connection between strict disciplinarian Max and Head of Pastoral Care Kim Campbell, played by Angela Griffin. So was it a case of opposites attract?

"Max instantly saw Kim as an attractive woman with a strong personality within the school," says Tom. "He had instant chemistry and desire for her as well as knowing that if he quickly got her on his side as an ally, he could use her to his advantage when making changes within the school's policies.

"As for me personally, it was brilliant working with Angela, she's a ball of energy with an inspiring approach to her work. She has a wickedly funny sense of humour and we had a lot of fun on set.

" She also has the cutest kids, which are a testament to her.

Despite Tom's pedigree in performing arts, he says that if he was a teacher himself, he would prefer to spend his time in the school laboratories.

"I think I would like to teach science. I was never that interested at school but now I find science and how things react with each other simply fascinating. The journey that science has made since time began is the reason we are able to do what we can today."

But would Tom subscribe more to Max's firm approach or Waterloo Road's existing Head Teacher Rachel's (played by Eva Pope) more "softly, softly" attitude?

"This question is like the eternal question!" he says. "What is best? Which is right or wrong? I would have to say that as no two people are the same, no single approach can be the same. In other words: a bit of both.

" But I think if I was a headmaster, I'd be a complete pushover, hanging out with the kids and playing pranks on the other teachers."

True to form, Tom did have a reputation on set for being a bit of a prankster, so how did he get on with the rest of cast, in particular the younger members whom his character was supposed to be bossing around?

"I was quite scared at first, turning up to work on the first day, not knowing anyone and having to pretend to be a headmaster ruling all these kids!

"But I had nothing to worry about – they were all totally unlike their characters I'm glad to say and just very good at acting! Not only were they natural on camera, which I learnt a great deal from, but all very open and friendly with a very cheeky sense of fun.

"We did giggle a lot off camera which would often involve impressions of silly walks and voices. Tachia (who plays Bolton Smilie) was the master of vocal poetry!"

The series is filmed in Rochdale, which meant Tom had to relocate for three months to Manchester. He enjoyed his time in the city but wasn't so sure about the infamous Manchester weather.

"Manchester is a great city – I loved it there. Full of character, buzzing and vibrant. But it's true when they say that it rains every day! It's the wrong side of the Pennines, and filming was always being interrupted because of impromptu downpours!"

Now living in London with his wife, Clare, Tom was originally brought up in Derbyshire and still thinks himself of a country boy.

"I am definitely more of a country than city boy," he says. " I love going back home, putting wellies on and going for long walks or bike riding down steep hills.

"That said, London is the gateway to art and you've got all the theatres on your door step so I try and do both as much as possible, and some views along the Thames are stunning."

Although being hugely popular as Sam Strachan in Holby City, it was winning last year's Strictly Come Dancing, with dance partner Camilla Dallerup, that made Tom a household name, so what advice does he have for this year's contestants?

"Enjoy every minute of it because you never know when it's going to end. Just take each week as it comes. But, above all, get used to all the sequins, hairspray and spray tan because it takes over your life!"

Camilla and Tom made a great team last year, so have they managed to keep in touch?

"We're both very busy and on the move so it's hard to meet up but often text each other to catch up," says Tom. "She's doing a lot of work behind the scenes on Strictly this year as she is branching out into presenting as another direction she'd like to pursue in her career and she's also very busy planning her wedding!"

And will he be watching this year or has he had enough sequins and Lycra to last him a lifetime?

"Of course! I love dancing anyway so I'll be watching every step of the way, but although this year I'm able to watch Strictly from the comfort of my own sofa, I think I'll be just as nervous for the contestants because I now know that it is literally one of the most terrifying things you can attempt to do in front of a live audience of millions watching your every move and stumble!"