Edward "Eddie" Lawson is a former Maths and Deputy Headteacher of Waterloo Road. He had relationships with Rachel Mason and her sister Melissa.
Personality[]
Eddie was a charismatic and an inspirational teacher with a genuine passion for the job. Being brought into Waterloo Road by the then Headteacher Jack Rimmer, he took on the roles of Deputy Headteacher and Teacher of Mathematics. He has a natural authority and the pupils know not to cross him, but underneath he's warm and self-deprecating. He has a down to earth approach to teaching but he's also not afraid of change. He's also a strong believer in inclusion, which Waterloo Road is keen to embrace, and an expert on vocational education – believing it can really deliver the goods. All these traits endear him to headteacher Rachel but their chances of a romantic relationship were cut short when it emerged he was the father of Melissa's unborn baby and she asked him to leave Waterloo Road.
During his time at Waterloo Road he becomes a fatherly figure towards Philip Ryan, whose mother leaves him after Philip talks of her multiple bigamy that splits up her engagement with Eddie.
He was also very close with Paul Langley, a pupil who was abused by his uncle and attempted to kill him until Jack Rimmer and Eddie stopped Paul.
Series 3[]
After the events of Series 2 when Izzie Redpath died, Jack Rimmer put in a new management team recruiting Steph Haydock to be the new head of Pastoral Care and brought in Eddie Lawson to be his new deputy as Andrew Treneman resigned and left the school to work in Rwanda and took Kim Campbell with him.
In his first appearance, Eddie is seen supporting Jack on the radio promoting their policy of inclusion. On the first day, Eddie showed his stern side by telling off Bolton Smilie telling him to have a clear out and that he was carrying too much junk. When Jasmine Koreshi warned him about Paul Langley, a pupil who didn't attend her lesson, Eddie and Jack Rimmer discovered him fighting Bolton Smilie, who explained that Paul had wanted to learn to fight so he could attack his abusive uncle who had been his main carer since the suicide of his mother.
Paul denied these allegations but Eddie was unconvinced, feeling that Bolton lacked the "brain power" to come up with such a story. He then visited Paul's home to discover the pupil holding a knife, ready to murder his abusive uncle.
Eddie has also stopped a possible battle between Jasmine and Tom Clarkson. Despite their differences Eddie and Jack made a good team, and Eddie fought very hard for Jack during his investigation. Upon Jack's departure, Rachel Mason was made head and the two were instantly at loggerheads (Episode 7).
In Episode 8 Eddie then took some of the boys on a trip and after risking his own life to try and save Bolton's, he ended up in a neck brace. Upon his return, he and Rachel went for a drink and called a truce.
When the bones of a baby were found in the school grounds (in Episode 9), Eddie became unusually distressed, and in an emotionally charged atmosphere he told Rachel that he had had two sons, but one of them had been a cot death victim (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS). After that the two went to the pub; it seemed they understood each other and they both became flirtatious. Rachel then called Eddie's ex-wife and after some arguments he was allowed to see them, after which he told Rachel he would be thankful for ever and he even bought her a present (Episode 11).
In Episode 16 of Waterloo Road, Eddie was seen handing in his resignation to Rachel, after discovering she used to be a prostitute. He said he was resigning on a point of principle but Rachel said that he couldn't handle the thought of her having sex with men for money 20 years ago.
In the next episode (Episode 17) Rachel tried to show Eddie what he would miss if he left and it seemed to work. At the end of the episode he told her he would stay, if she told the council about her being blackmailed over her past (by Stuart Hordley, who had won a building contract with the school). Eddie was with her when she rang the council, but it transpired she had just called a takeaway and faked the phone call. After that Eddie told Rachel, that they would face everything together and that he was proud of her.
At the beginning of the next episode (Episode 18), Eddie found out that Rachel had not contacted the council and he confronted her. Later in the episode he apologised and said he understood that she could not go to the council without exposing her past. They agreed to find another way to get Hordley off Rachel's back and agreed to do it together. Eddie then went to see Hordley and told him to cut off contact with Rachel or he would expose him as a blackmailer. Upon his return to the school, Rachel criticized him for threatening Hordley but they quickly moved past that when they realised he had been exploiting young persons' work hours. Eddie then persuaded Rachel to lure Hordley to the school. However the school was then dragged into an immigration battle, when a pupil turned out to be an illegal immigrant and barricaded herself in the changing rooms with Aleesha Dillon and Danielle Harker. Both Eddie and Rachel managed to get past the barricades to see the pupil. Once that situation was resolved, Eddie and Rachel confronted Hordley, saying they would contact the police if he didn't terminate his contract. Hordley taunted Rachel about her past and then taunted Eddie about his relationship with her. He continued to taunt Rachel, so Eddie lost it and punched him. Afterwards Eddie said he thought they had seen the last of him but Rachel disagreed.
In Episode 19, Rachel and Eddie were both relieved that they hadn't heard anything from Hordley and they started to get ready for the visit of a Frenchman, willing to invest in the school. However when he refused to invest Eddie was forced to cover Steph's lesson. At the end of the day he returned to the school and gave them 30,000 euros. A relieved Eddie and Rachel then went to the pub where they ran into Steph and told her that they had got the money.
In Episode 20 Eddie stopped the staff finding a newspaper cutting of Rachel that had been seen in Episode 10. Afterwards he went to Rachel's office and asked Rachel out for a drink, to which she agreed. He then tried to defend Rachel when Stuart revealed Rachel's past in front of everyone. Once again Stuart questioned Eddie's relationship with Rachel. While in Rachel's office he appears to really care about her and it is obvious that he is holding something back from her (most probably the fact he loves her). He says that she has his respect and then asks her to stay; however the moment is interrupted by Mrs. Hanson from the exam board. A fire is started by a discarded cigarette-end, which results in the explosion of gas cylinders used by the canteen. Eddie goes to find Rachel and ensures she is all right before helping her clear the school. Rachel says that she will have one last sweep of the school, he begs her not to, but he is forced (by Rachel) to the assembly point. When he realises that she hasn't emerged from the school he tries to run back in after her, but is stopped by the firefighters. He the starts to ask the students and staff about her whereabouts, and when he gets no response he tries again to go into the school and get her. However the police wouldn't let him in and he was dragged away shouting by Matt. The last shot of him, shows him worried and heartbroken that Rachel has not appeared out of the school building and he may have lost her without telling her how he truly feels about her. He hoped that Rachel survived so he could tell her that he loves her.
Series 4[]
In the first episode of the series, Eddie and Rachel attempt to get the school back on track as they dealt with the arrival of the Kelly family and an evacuation of the school, following claims of a gun. Throughout the evacuation Eddie manages to keep Rachel calm, but was angry after she put herself in danger by running back into the school for Denzil Kelly. He tried to start a relationship with Rachel later that day, confessing his feelings for her, but she rejected him due to her scar from the fire in the last series. As the fourth series develops, Eddie begins a relationship with Melissa, Rachel's sister, much to Rachel's dismay. Eddie then moved in with Melissa and her son, and in Episode 7 they agreed to marry.
In Episode 9, Eddie fought for the whole episode for Rachel to stay at Waterloo Road, after she resigned following the death of Maxine Barlow. He put up a spirited defence for her in front of the LEA, and was constantly trying to discourage her from leaving. After managing to win the support of the governors, he convinced Rachel to stay. Their happiness did not last as Eddie revealed he and Melissa were to leave on the last day of term for a wedding on a beach abroad. Episode ten saw Eddie and Melissa ready to fly off on holiday, but an ever-stressed Phillip reveals to Rachel that Melissa is still married to two men. Rachel confronts Melissa in front of Eddie, and Mel eventually admits to bigamy, but then claims that Eddie and Rachel have feelings for each other. The next episode sees no trace of Melissa, and Phillip depressed about his living arrangements: his mum has fled the country and he is living with Rachel. Eddie and Rachel share a kiss in a bowling alley, the start of a new relationship. In Episode 15, Eddie gives Rachel a bracelet and Phillip gets help from Eddie so he gives Flick a handmade card. This eventually leads to his Phillip giving Flick some of Rachel's lingerie! In Episode 20, Rachel finds herself having to put up with Ralph Mellor who calls her a 'lying tart' Eddie was on the verge of punching him but Rachel tells him not to. Eddie leaves Waterloo Road heartbroken after she says that she cannot be his girlfriend even though she always loves him. Eddie said that he cannot come to work everyday and see her there knowing that he loves her so much. Rachel said that even she couldn't do that. Off-screen, Eddie left Waterloo Road.
Trivia[]
- Actor Neil Morrissey revealed after his departure that he only joined the show for some quick money after his business ventures failed, and heavily disliked the show. He left quickly once he was back on his feet.
Quotes[]
- "Can I just say, a lot of people would've folded after what happened to Izzie Redpath. But Jack stayed on because he wants to make things better. S'why I've joined him. If anything, what happened to Izzie reinforced our policy of inclusion, because eventually, the kids at our community school become the community." (first line)
- Eddie: "Uh, bag."
- Bolton: "Get off me! Who d'you think you are?!"
- Eddie: "Your worst nightmare, son. HAND IT OVER!"
- "Worse than the flaming kids!" (after Tom punches Jack)
- Jack: "You picked the wrong place to have a domestic!"
- Eddie: "And the wrong flaming car!"
- "Look, I don't agree with what Jack's done. But his heart's in the right place. He's seen off two takeover bids, suffered every head's worst nightmare, and we're still here! Fighting for this community! If what Jack's done's illegal...I'm proud to be his deputy. I'm proud of him."
- "Ria. I just don't...Nigel as good as told me that I'd be acting head."
- "What did Knob the Builder want?"
- "I know about your past, Rachel. Amanda, whatever your name is. Who'da thought it, eh? Our fine, upstanding headteacher was once a prostitute."
- "If you wouldn't mind pissing off, Hordley. You're starting to irritate us now."
- "Alright, Auntie Rachel! You never learn, do you?"
- "OI! TOM! ROB! WHAT'S GOING ON?!"
- Rachel: "I can't do it, Eddie."
- Eddie: "Once the rubble's all cleared-"
- Rachel: "I don't mean the school."
- Eddie: "I know. I just...don't want to hear you say it."
- Rachel: "I can't be your girlfriend, Melissa's sister, Philip's auntie, the baby's stepmother..."
- Eddie: "I won't have anything to do with the baby."
- Rachel: "Even as you say that, you know that you don't mean it. Eddie, you lost touch with one child, that nearly finished you. I wouldn't do that to you again."
- Eddie: "But you'd do this? It doesn't make sense."
- Rachel: "Oh, darling, it does, it does make sense."
- Eddie: "I love you, Rachel."
- Rachel: "Oh, Eddie, I love you too. It's not gonna change anything though."
- Eddie: "I know. I can't stay here. Seeing you every day." (final line)
- Rachel: "No, no. No, I don't think I could take that either."