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Thomas 'Tom' Clarkson (1974-2013) was an English teacher at Waterloo Road and was one of the most inspirational teachers that a school could ever have.

Tom became Head of Pastoral Care but then resigned when he had enough of Earl Kelly. In Series 5, Tom replaced Grantly Budgen as Head of English, before Michael Byrne persuaded him to become Deputy Head in Series 7 alongside Sian Diamond. He moved to Scotland when the school relocated there to Greenock, where he continued to serve as Deputy Head alongside Nikki Boston and later Simon Lowsley.

Tom was loved by the school and was considered a hero by many. He was the second longest-serving on-screen teacher behind Grantly Budgen. He and Grantly were close friends and Tom was planning to give him his kidney before his tragic death. When Grantly is believed to be on his death bed, Tom exclaims that they are the only two left from Waterloo Road as it was. Tom's tragic death was never forgotten by the school.

Tom also, as jokingly stated by Chris Mead, "adopted half of the school" - in reality, he became the guardian of Izzie's daughters Chlo and Mika, and later the Kelly children, and well has having a biological son, Josh Stevenson.

Personality

In Series 1 Tom is shown to be a somewhat lazy teacher with a lacklustre approach to discipline. This is shown when he shows little care for Chlo being absent from his class. He is scolded by Andrew Treneman for his careless attitude. He plans to resign fed up with Andrew's influence on the school but decides to stay. In his personal life Tom was shown to be confused in his love life, as he marries Lorna only to harbour feelings for her best friend Izzie. Tom had the most romances of any characters in the show. In later series, Tom is shown to be a far more hands-on teacher who cares deeply for the students. Tom always tried to get the children involved with extra-curricular activities such as the girls' football team, as well as punishing them for their wrongdoings. He had a close relationship with Kacey Barry who was banned from being on the school boys' team due to being a girl. As an English teacher, he had a natural connection to the children and a drive for teaching. Tom was willing to see the good in every pupil as shown when he died trying to support troubled pupil Kyle Stack, in Series 8 Episode 30.

In terms of romances, following Izzie's death, Tom dated Davina Shackleton, followed by Rose Kelly, and had brief romances with Francesca Montoya and Eleanor Chaudry. By Series 8, Tom tells Grantly that he is done with relationships.

Series 1

In Series 1 Episode 1, Tom Clarkson ties the knot with his partner Lorna Dickey. Before the wedding Tom gets cold feet and tries to back out of their wedding, to the shock of both Lorna and drama teacher Izzie Redpath. After being questioned by Izzie as to why he wants to back out of the wedding, he reveals that he has feelings towards her. Izzie quickly tells Tom that she doesn't feel the same, however this was a lie in order to not hurt her best friend Lorna. As a result Tom tries his best to love Lorna, however on Tom and Lorna's wedding day, Izzie and Tom share a kiss and they both realise how they feel. Tom soon tells Lorna he never wanted to marry her and claims he only tried to make it work because he didn't want to embarrass her. They separated when she revealed that she had aborted their baby, as Lorna was convinced her pregnancy was the reason for their problems. Soon afterwards Tom began dating Izzie. Tom decided to settle down with Izzie and her two daughters, Mika and Chlo Grainger, at the end of Series 1. In Series 1 Episode 8 Lorna jumps into a river trying to commit suicide, leaving the viewers unknowing if she had succeeded.

Series 2

Tom and Izzie settled down and were ready to have a baby, but things flared up when Lorna returned to work at Waterloo Road again, having failed in her suicide attempt. Lorna made things very difficult for Tom and Izzie when she had to stay at their house with them. During a heated argument, she accidently pushed Izzie into a table, injuring her and causing her to have a miscarriage.

That same night, Tom ends up in a situation of his own when Chlo's friend, Stacey Appleyard, develops a crush on him. At first, it was viewed only as a harmless crush, until Stacey arranged a sleepover with Chlo, during which Stacey wound up climbing into Tom's bed while he was asleep. Chlo caught her in the act and this ended her friendship with Stacey and almost cost Tom his job; however, he managed to keep it in the end. When Izzie found out, they split up, and Tom was kicked out, finding refuge with Lorna in her apartment.

Lorna and Tom grow closer and it seems as though they might get back together. Tom and Izzie argue and bicker about each other constantly. However, Lorna, despite being Tom's rather scorned lover, attempts to reunite her best friend and ex. On her last day of life (she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and feels unable to live with the condition), she makes one last final attempt to get Tom and Izzie back together. She invites them to a holiday cottage, and Tom and Izzie manage to put their differences aside and enjoy the evening. Later in the episode, Lorna commits suicide, devastating her close friends, including Tom and Izzie. However, her plan works, and Tom and Izzie later get engaged.

Things become worse for Tom when Izzie is stabbed by ex-pupil Lewis Seddon's cousin Jed, at the end of Series 2 Episode 12. She dies in Jack Rimmer's arms as he cries for help. It is revealed at the start of Series 3 that Tom is severely devastated by Izzie's murder, as are her daughters Chlo and Mika and many of the staff and pupils.

Series 3

At the beginning of Series 3, it is revealed that Izzie had died as a result of the stabbing. As a result, Tom takes charge of Chlo and Mika, becoming their parental figure. Tom has to contend with 16-year-old Chlo's marriage to Donte Charles, and issues with boss Jack Rimmer, arising from the fact that Izzie died when trying to break up a confrontation between Jack and the drug-dealing Jed. Jack gives Tom a chance to take out his frustration on him, and Tom punches him. Afterwards, new Deputy Head Eddie Lawson has to stop Tom from punching Jack more. Tom finally manages to control his anger, but continues to loathe Jack.

Tom continues to live with Chlo and Mika at Izzie's house. He had been about to move out the night Chlo married Donte, but changes his mind when Chlo tells him that she loves him and doesn't want to be left on her own without Tom or Mika. Following Jack's resignation, Tom tells Jack that he doesn't blame him for Izzie's death, and their feud is finished. They are happy to part on reasonable terms.

Later, Tom falls for colleague Davina Shackleton. His feelings are reciprocated, and the two of them become an on-and-off couple. Davina, whilst understanding, feels shadowed by Chlo and Mika's presence in Tom's life and they decide to remain friends. In a bid to forget her feelings for Tom, Davina calls up her ex-boyfriend - Tom's old frenemy, Jack. He picks her up outside the school gates and offers her to join him in his new headteacher post in Dubai. Donte - who, in the midst of Chlo's sordid affair with Brett Aspinall, isn't exactly on the best of terms with Chlo and her family - sees that Jack has returned briefly, and the news gets around the school to Chlo and Mika. Mika - who doesn't particularly like "Davina Shaggathon" for her old relationship with Mika's cheating ex Brett - helps Chlo to set up Tom and Davina for a date. Davina, however, goes on a date with Jack instead, because she believes Tom's gesture - which is really Chlo's - is empty. Tom later turns up at the restaurant and confesses his feelings to Davina in front of Jack, before leaving in a bad way. He returns home and is furious at Chlo and Mika. Whilst he gets a beer, the doorbell goes - it is Davina. She confesses her love for Tom, and they begin a steady relationship.

Just as they are getting used to being an item, Davina is overcome by smoke inhalation whilst trapped, along with Bolton Smilie and other pupils, in a corridor close to the canteen, which has been destroyed by a gas explosion. Bolton manages to get her out, along with several other pupils, and she is taken to hospital. Tom also helps Donte to rescue Chlo, who is trapped in a toilet right by the canteen. The series finale finishes with Rachel Mason and Stuart Hordley trapped in the school building, with the fire raging around, and Tom in fear that Davina could die.

Series 4

After the devastating fire at the end of Series 3, it is revealed that Davina has survived and is perfectly healthy, and living with Tom in his house. They share the place with the newly-engaged Chlo and Donte, who have decided to make a go of things again. Mika and Brett have moved on to university, and seemingly reunited as a couple. Tom and his family have new neighbours - the Kellys, consisting of alcoholic Rose Kelly, intelligent and responsible Marley Kelly, violent psychopath Earl Kelly, wild but sensitive Sambuca Kelly, sweet softy Denzil Kelly and innocent baby Prince Kelly. Tom views them as neighbours from hell, and engages in a bitter feud with Earl after the troubled youngster mimes shooting Tom in the head.

After Earl brings a gun into school and Denzil takes the blame to protect his brother when the police are called, it results in the eleven-year-old's imprisonment in a Young Offenders Institution. Tom is certain that Denzil was falsely accused of gun possession, and Earl knows this. The rivalry intensifies from a finger-gun motion by Earl to a lot of dead birds being dumped on Tom's doorstep. Tom sets up a security camera but it never sees anything.

Tom catches Earl and Year 12 pupil Maxine Barlow having sex in one of the boys' toilet cubicles. Tom reports the incident to Maxine's foster carer, his colleague Steph Haydock. This does not stop the relationship as Maxine continues to lie to Steph, and Earl continues to kill the pigeons as presents for Tom. Eddie arranges a falconry day to encourage Earl's 'love' of birds. Earl engages with a prize hawk; however, she pecks at his face, and he later steals her. He is seen outside Tom's house with the bird and a blade. Eddie and the man who ran the falconry day try to track down the bird, but Earl has discarded the bird's tracker and left it at Tom's door. He is later found, with the hawk, summoning it in a field. Back at school, he claims to Eddie that his cat was murdering the birds and leaving them at Tom's. However, when Marley hears of this, he tells his love interest Flick Mellor that the Kellys didn't have a cat. Tom doesn't believe Earl's lies for a second anyway.

In Series 4 Episode 3, Maaka Lacey, a supply teacher from New Zealand, allows Earl to leave class, under the excuse of visiting the library. Instead, Earl visits Tom in the Pastoral Care office, and it becomes violent as Tom throws Earl against a wall and almost punches him. Tom then resigns as Head of Pastoral Care, due to the fact he'd nearly assaulted Earl. Eddie and Rachel offer a compromise: Tom would remain in the job as he is so good at it, but all matters involving Earl Kelly and his siblings would be handed to Eddie. Tom agrees to the terms and keeps his job.

Later, in school, Tom confronts Earl about his behaviour more than once, and Earl threatens him and makes inappropriate remarks about him beginning a relationship with Davina so soon after his late fiancée Izzie Redpath had been "sliced". After Earl shoots and kills Maxine in a fit of rage, Tom once again resigns as Head of Pastoral Care, this time for real, a decision that leads to Kim Campbell returning to the programme as his successor in the role.

In this series, Chlo falls pregnant with Donte's baby, and initially Tom doesn't warm to the idea, but tells Chlo whatever she decides to do he will support her. However, when Chlo announces that she will be putting the baby up for adoption because of her ambitions and career, Tom sticks up for Donte and says that he and Donte can bring up the baby if Chlo doesn't want to. When Chlo storms out and goes to the toilets, Tom leaves and talks to Rose to see if he had done the right thing. Later, Janeece runs up to Tom and tells him Chlo is having the baby. Tom is thrilled at the fact he is going to be a 'grandad', even if the baby might be adopted. After Chlo changes her mind, the baby is called Izzy.

Tom is living with Davina. However, on the day Davina becomes an officially qualified teacher, she leaves Tom due to a chain of arguments concerning Rose Kelly's financial problems. Davina is convinced that Tom is in love with Rose, who at the beginning of the series he had hated, and Davina leaves him, with her own ambitions in mind. The series ends with the celebration of baby Izzy's birth, and a heartbroken Tom being consoled by his family and Rose, who he has grown close to.

Series 5

In Series 5, as part of the merger with John Fosters, Tom replaces Grantly Budgen as Head of English. On the first day of term, Tom is introduced to former John Fosters pupil Josh Stevenson, who claims that Tom is his real dad. It is revealed that Tom and Josh's mother, Georgia, were student and teacher in university and had a one-night stand fourteen years before. Tom goes to meet Georgia, where she tells him that he is Josh's biological father. Tom is shocked and runs off, scared to speak to either Josh or Georgia. However, they seemingly resolve their differences when Josh and Georgia invite Tom round for tea. However, when she makes a seemingly innocent little quip, Tom realises that Georgia stole his sperm with a turkey baster. He seems to blame Josh for this, and Josh calls him a prat. However, they make up and Tom takes him to an "old Clarkson family haunt", Tom's grandfather's allotment. Josh takes a big step with Tom, he moves in with him full time in Episode 10.

In Episode 9, Tom is in a steady relationship with Rose Kelly, but she decides to end it as she knew it wouldn't be fair to Josh, as Tom needs to focus on being a full-time dad. When new boy Finn Sharkey becomes best friends with Josh, Tom gets a little annoyed.

In Episode 12, Josh, Amy, Siobhan and Finn drink on a farm trip, which ends in disaster as dangerous chemicals are spilt in Josh's eyes. Tom and Josh are seen in hospital, where Tom threatens Josh to stay away from bad-boy Finn. Finn later comes over to see Josh and is thrown out.

In Episode 14, Tom cancels Josh's birthday party and grounds him for two weeks after he participates in the bullying of Lauren Andrews after her birthmark is revealed. He also tells Josh that he doesn't think that him living with him is working, and is considering sending Josh back to his mum's. This panics Josh, as he doesn't feel comfortable around his mother after her lies. This is the first disappointment Tom sees in Josh.

In Episode 16, Tom counts on Josh going to his football tryouts but Josh doesn't show. Finn Sharkey had Josh and fellow student Amy Porter smoke legal drugs - this led to Josh, Amy and Finn being late for class. Josh started hallucinating in class. Tom gives Amy and Finn detention, sending them out of the classroom, and confronts Josh. Josh confesses that he had been smoking legal drugs and Tom reacts in rage, which surprises Josh, who believed them to be more of mates rather than father-and-son. Tom then decides he cannot trust Josh anymore and keeps a much closer eye on him.

Angry at Tom, Josh spikes Tom's lunch with the drug and the consequences soon prove deadly. Steph discovers Kim in the toilets, who tells Steph she needs to go to hospital as she is bleeding (as she is pregnant). Tom offers to drive Kim to the hospital. On the way, Tom's phone rings. Kim checks Tom's phone for him, and when she sees it is Josh calling, she asks if Tom would like her to answer it. He says no and she puts the phone down. When Josh tells Chris about how he has spiked Tom's lunch, Chris rings Kim and asks if they are at the hospital yet. Before she can answer, the drugs take effect and Tom crashes the car. Chris calls the emergency services. Tom and Kim are taken to hospital. Josh is crying in distress, apologising and asking if Tom is alright. Soon a nurse asks Josh to come with him and Josh sees Tom lying on a bed with medical equipment and a breathing system attached to him. Josh apologises and tells Tom he will do whatever Tom tells him to. Tom then takes off his breathing mask and the two have a heart-to-heart conversation. Tom and Josh are not seen again until Episode 20, at the leaver's prom where they are dancing together.

Series 6

At the beginning of the term, Tom and Grantly are not happy with what new head Karen Fisher is doing to the school, especially when she gets rid of the Cooler. He's surprised when Janeece Bryant returns as school secretary, but is happy to see her. Sambuca is excluded for two weeks from Waterloo Road by Karen after having a run-in with Ruth Kirby. Tom sticks up for her, claiming she is a good kid. However, he is annoyed when Sambuca and Karen's son Harry sneak off from school, because he believes she has betrayed him. Luckily Harry reveals it was his idea, to Tom's relief.

In Episode 4, Josh starts to question his sexuality and gets into a harmless fight with new gay student Connor Lewis after calling him a 'poof' during a football match. Karen lectures Josh and Tom sends him off. Finn later tells Josh to grow a pair with Lauren, but a confused and led on Josh tries to kiss him. Josh tries to apologise but it ends in another fight. They are both sent to the cooler, where Josh denies the whole thing. Finn spreads what Josh did to the whole school, leading Josh to try to get intimate with Lauren, but he admits he can't do it. Charlie Fisher catches them leaving a cupboard together and sends him to the Cooler. Tom is shocked when Josh does admit he tried to kiss Finn. At the end of the episode, Josh has packed his bags, ready to go back to his mum's. Josh and Tom have a talk about the earlier incidents and Josh decides to stay but says that the next time Tom messes up, there won't be any second chances between them.

In Episode 5, Tom sees Josh being bullied and pushed around by Finn, and Tom asks Josh to come to a self-defence class. Embarrassed by Tom using him as an example, Josh and Tom have words. Josh becomes annoyed because Tom tells him he needs to stick up for himself. Tom later catches Finn helping Josh with his self-defence, the two having become friends again. Josh later tells him he's still himself, Tom comforts him by saying 'good for you son'.

In the second half of the series, Tom goes on a date with colleague Cesca. When Matthew Gurney, father of Josh's boyfriend Nate, finds out that his son is gay, he blames the school for this. Tom offers to set up a foundation in the name of Nate's late brother Aaron, but Matthew is not at all happy and beats Tom black and blue during Tom and Cesca's date. Tom gets PTSD from the incident but eventually recovers and gets his life back on track.

In Episode 19, Tom finds out that he's been used by Cesca to cover up her feelings for pupil Jonah Kirby, whom she has been having an illegal affair with. Although hurt, he gets over it quickly.

Series 7

Tom supports Sambuca through her battle with brain cancer. He and Rose do everything they can for her. After Sam's death, he has to deal with his son Josh's problems with drugs. Josh's promise to quit drugs for good is tested when his charismatic dealer Grady gets in touch and his drug problem starts to spiral out of control. Tom is tasked with overseeing the selection process for the new Head of English. Candidate Nikki Boston's disciplinarian approach gets results, but Tom takes offence when she offers him some words of advice about Josh. When Nikki later chases down Grady, Tom offers her the role.

When Josh's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic, Nikki urges Tom to seek professional help. Josh is referred to a psychiatrist by the GP, who explains to Tom that it could be schizophrenia. Nikki encourages Tom to be honest with Josh about his mental health issues. Josh is struggling to cope with the workload. Without his medication, his mental health begins to spiral out of control. Josh becomes obsessed with an old plague pit underneath the school, and when some of the girls play a trick on him, he starts to believe that spirits are trying to contact him. Soon, his behaviour starts to spiral out of control, and an ambulance is called, leaving Tom distraught. Nikki goes round to see if Tom is alright, he seems to blame himself because he didn't give Josh the attention he needed. Nikki comforts Tom.

In Episode 30, Tom is concerned for his son more than anything, after finding out that Josh has been dragged into the gang troubles. Tom urges Eugene to fight him, but Eugene backs down. Kyle Stack and Tariq Siddiqui smuggle a crossbow into school and plan to use it on Finn. Later, Josh, Ronan and Tom race to the school to save Finn after a repentant Tariq discovers the crossbow is gone and alerts them. Just as Kyle shoots at Finn, Josh pushes Finn out the way and the crossbow bolt hits his arm. Kyle is then taken away by the police.

Michael offers Tom and Josh to come to Scotland and Tom agrees. The episode ends with the old school being converted into new apartments while the students and staff considering the move take a trip to Scotland to visit the new school. Denzil asks if they can stop at the border, and they pull over at the 'Welcome to Scotland' sign, where just as Grantly proposes to Maggie, a lorry swerves off the road out of control, hurtling towards the teachers and students with Chalky at the front of the group...

Series 8

Tom and Josh survive the lorry crash, but Denzil is killed and Tom is very hurt and seems to blame himself. He helps out Lula Tsibi in Episode 2 when he finds out her uncle, Lionel, is about to perform an exorcism on her. He also helps out Michael when Tariq, left wheelchair-bound by the lorry crash, tries to kill himself in Episode 3. Tom must learn to let his son Josh grow up, as he is earning his independence.

During a competition in which the students have to create a bench, student Morag Murray's father makes her destroy her creation. Tom then helps her create a new one, which wins her the competition. He also helps out troubled newcomer Kacey Barry with her dream to be a footballer and confusion about her gender and sexual orientation. Michael makes it clear to Tom that he doesn't agree with Tom's approach to helping the children, and that sometimes his good-hearted intentions can cause problems. This becomes apparent in Episode 18 when Tom lets Kacey play in the final of the boys' football tournament. Waterloo Road wins, however they are later disqualified when the board finds out that Kacey is actually a girl. Tom is in trouble for letting the team cheat and gets suspended by Michael, who later decides against the suspension. After Tom finds out that Kacey wants to be a boy, he supports her in every way, helps her with doctors, and when she changes her name to Robbie and then back to Kacey. Tom later helps her out by starting a girls' football team.

Josh tells Tom he wants to strike out on his own, and Tom cant seem to cope with it. Josh leaves to work in Manchester in Episode 7 and he tells Tom he will make him proud, even though Tom already is. In Episode 24, Josh returns to see his dad, but disapproves when he learns about Tom donating a kidney to a dying Grantly. Josh later catches Tom going through his wallet as Josh owes money. He says some hurtful things to Tom, but they both later make up, and Tom tells Josh he'll help with the money and Josh tells him he's doing a great thing for Grantly. Josh is not seen or heard from again.

In the final episode of the series, Kyle Stack returns, determined to complete his studies, but Tom doesn't want him back, due to what he did to Josh. Tom eventually starts to warm to Kyle, but everything goes downhill when Barry Barry upsets Kyle, who runs off. That evening, while a charity auction is underway, Kyle climbs onto the roof, contemplating jumping off. Tom follows and persuades Kyle to get down. Kyle agrees, but as Tom helps him down from the ledge, Tom stumbles backwards and, right in front of everyone watching below, he falls off the roof. Christine Mulgrew pleads with Tom to keep talking, but he tragically dies. This means he can no longer be a kidney donor to Grantly, so he is now at risk more than ever.

The final day of term is dedicated to Tom. At the very end of the episode, Kacey is crying and looks up at the top of the roof where Tom fell from. The episode then ends. Grantly and Kacey are the most hurt and affected by Tom's death. Josh, Donte, Chlo, Mika or any of Tom's old friends and family do not appear at his memorial and aren't mentioned.

Series 9

At the start of Series 9, with Christine as the new head, she looks up at the roof, from where Tom had fallen, she sees visions of him falling and her pleas for him to stay alive. Christine holds a speech about how valued Tom was, during which Grantly gets up and speaks of how he was a great man, and they have a minute's silence to remember him. Kacey later walks out, as everyone around her shows little respect to him. Tom is mentioned now and then by students and teachers, for example the football game in Episode 1. He will always be remembered by all. 

Relationships

Tom is briefly married to Lorna Dickey but leaves her for Izzie Redpath, and is supposed to have a baby with Lorna but she aborts it. He is also supposed to be having a baby with Izzie but she has a miscarriage after Lorna pushes her and she falls.

In Series 2, him and Izzie briefly split up and it appears that him and Lorna are reconciling. However, in Series 2 Episode 10, Lorna commits suicide, due to being unable to cope with her multiple sclerosis, leaving Izzie and Tom devastated. Izzie and Tom later get engaged.

Tom looks after Izzie's children Mika and Chlo after she is stabbed in the school playground helping Jack. Tom considers Chlo and Donte's baby, Izzy, to be his granddaughter. Tom initially blames Jack for the death of Izzie.

When Rose and Tom are dating, Tom is given custody of Sambuca, Denzil and Prince. Tom is the fatherly figure in the Kelly children's lives. We know this as both Sam and Denzil call Tom their father.

After Rose, Tom has brief flings with Francesca Montoya and Eleanor Chaudry, although neither of these lead to anything.

By Series 8 he tells Grantly Budgen on the eve of his wedding to Maggie Budgen that he's done with relationships, although he does jokingly mention in Episode 27 that he might marry Audrey McFall to console her after her wedding to Ndale went horribly wrong.

Tom was good friends with Grantly Budgen, and and almost donated a kidney to him when Grantly suffered kidney failure, but after Tom's death this never happened, and Grantly later died as well. 

Trivia

  • Tom is the longest serving main character on the show. This is due to the fact that Grantly is only credited as a recurring character in Series 1 and 2. From Series 3 onwards, Grantly is credited as a main character.
  • Tom is the second longest serving character behind Grantly Budgen.
  • Tom is one of only three characters to have appeared in more than 100 episodes. The other two characters are Grantly Budgen and Janeece Bryant.
  • Tom and Jack Rimmer were the first main characters to be shown on screen in Series 1 Episode 1.
  • Tom appeared on screen with every headteacher except Vaughan Fitzgerald. He also served under all except Vaughan Fitzgerald and Kim Campbell.
  • Initially, Tom would have had 3 children, but sadly one was aborted, from ex Lorna, and one was unfortunately miscarried by Izzie following an argument with Lorna. So Tom only has one child, teenage son Josh.
  • Tom used to smoke, in Series 1. He and Jack Rimmer are seen smoking and talking together. It is believed that Tom stopped smoking as he is not seen smoking in later series.
  • Tom and his son Josh look alike, apart from their eye colours. This is pointed out by Josh's mother, Georgia
  • Tom founded the girls' football club.
  • Tom has a big brother, Ian, and two nieces called Katie and Sarah. The three of them appeared at his wedding to Lorna Dickey as best man and bridesmaids respectively.
  • Tom is a Manchester City supporter.
  • In Series 8, Tom decides to donate a kidney to Grantly, but after Tom's death this ends up not going ahead, and Grantly later dies as well.
  • Tom lives in his his ex girlfriend Izzie Redpath's old house on Palantine Road in Rochdale after her death, until 2012 when he moved to the new Waterloo road in Scotland.
  • When Tom and Josh moved to Scotland they lived at 33 Havelock Court: 2012-2013.
  • Tom died after falling off the school roof trying to help troubled pupil Kyle Stack.
  • Tom's death has parallels with the death of his deceased partner Izzie; both died in the car park of the school whilst trying to save someone else. Both also died in the arms of the headteacher at the time.
  • Tom was friends with Izzie and Lorna before they all started at Waterloo Road.
  • Coincidentally, Tom in the first episode went up to the school roof to talk Brian Vaisey down from a nervous breakdown, and 8 series later would fall from the roof and die after doing the same thing for Kyle when Kyle contemplated suicide on the roof.
  • Tom had seven on-screen romances, the most of any character on the show.
  • Tom and Chris Mead are the joint longest-serving on-screen deputy heads, although Jack Rimmer said he worked at the school for 15 years, so he could have possibly served longer as deputy off-screen before the beginning of the programme.
  • Tom was the parent/stepfather/guardian to six kids, those being Mika, Chlo, Josh, Sambuca, Prince and Denzil.
  • Tom is left-handed.
  • In Series 8 Episode 29, Tom says to a comatose Grantly that they are the only two left from "Waterloo Road as was". This is because they were the only two characters from Series 1 left still in the show in Series 8.

Quotes

  • "C'mon, c'mon it's alright." (first line, to Brian Vaisey having a breakdown on the school roof)

  • "Oi, I'm warning you, you stay away from my son." (to Finn after he caught Josh drinking)

  • "I'll have to murder rhinestone cowboy some other time, I've got Josh tomorrow."

  • "Yeah, cause I'm your dad, because I know you, and I know how you work!" (Tom after Josh tells him that he wants to strike out on his own)

  • Steph: "If I had a black coffee, and I added milk, then what would happen?"
  • Tom: "I'd have to make myself another coffee, I like black." (about Andrew not being Grace's father).

  • "You can barely be bothered to turn up to my lesson, and when you do you behave like a demented conductor!" (to son Josh after he came to class stoned)

  • Karen: "Sorry isn't the answer here, Tom, you threw a child to the ground."
  • Tom: "This is Kyle Stack, it's the only language that he understands!"

  • "If I catch you with it again, I'll march you down the police station myself, is that clear?" (to his son after finding out he was smoking cannabis)

  • "I should have noticed, instead of worrying about stupid exams, my boy needed me." (to Nikki after Josh's breakdown)

  • "Really? Really, is this how it ends, you grumpy old bugger? You should be kicking and screaming...swearing your way out of the world. We're the only ones left, you and me. Waterloo Road as was." (to a comatose Grantly in Series 8 Episode 29)

  • "Kyle, it's Tom Clarkson. I need you to come back inside." (when Tom went to rescue Kyle before his own death)

  • "It wasn't Kyle's fault." (final line)

  • "Tom's practically fostered half the school! Lecturing him on Pastoral Care is an insult to him!" (Chris Mead to Karen Fisher about Tom Clarkson)
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