Grantly Budgen was the head of the English Department of Waterloo Road. He featured as a main character in the show since its first series, up until Series 9 as the longest serving character, and was portrayed by Philip Martin Brown.
Additional Images of Grantly
Character[]
The head of English and nearing retirement age, Grantly has had many years to perfect his cynical disenchantment with the teaching profession. He wants life on easy street and is distinctly not impressed with Waterloo Road's innovative policies. He's not in much in favour with the teachers in his English Department either, having single-handedly almost managed to get them all suspended the previous term.
Grantly has found that he's having a midlife crisis believing his wife to be having an affair, and addresses smartening himself up to win her back in a most unflattering manner. However, despite his best efforts, Grantly soon finds himself without both a wife or a roof over his head.
He is angry when he is constantly undermined as Head of England.
Grantly struggles to cope with his wife Fleur, after she is diagnosed with Alzheimers. He proves that he is willing to do anything for her and struggles with her death.
Skip forward, and he has finally allowed himself to fall in love with the lovable Maggie Croft (Melanie Hill).
Storylines[]
Series 1[]
It was revealed in Episode 1 of Series 1 that he applied for the role of Deputy Headteacher but was succeeded by Andrew Treneman. When new English teacher and deputy head master, Andrew Treneman turns up late on his first day, Grantly is forced to cover for his first lesson. Straight away, he has a distaste for his new colleague. His good friend and colleague, Tom Clarkson is stressed later that day as he has upset his fiancé, Lorna Dickey and his crush, Izzie Redpath has failed to notice him. Therefore he goes to the local pub with Tom and they share drinks. When Izzie turns up to talk to the latter, Grantly goes home to get some marking done. The following Saturday he attends Tom’s and Lorna’s wedding with his wife, Fleur Budgen and gets drunk.
in Series 1 Episode 7, when Rory Brears, an openly gay pupil, began to be bullied by Lewis Seddon, Grantly told him that he won't get bullied if he doesn't inform others of his sexuality. Later on, Grantly notices Lewis and some friends of his laughing about Rory Brears' gay magazines, and tells them to hand them over. Lewis jokingly says that the pages are stuck together. During a meeting with Jack Rimmer and Rory, Grantly asks Jack if he's seen what's in the magazines, and Rory responds by mockingly saying "have a good look, did you?". Furious at the suggestion of him liking the magazines, Grantly responded with "at that disgusting stuff?". Jack tells Grantly that he'll deal with the Rory situation and Grantly leaves the room.
Series 2[]
Roger Aspinall was bullied by Grantly during his childhood at Waterloo Road, and when Roger became Sponsor Governor, he suspended Grantly and Andrew as Acting Head made the decision to offer Lorna Dickey the role of Acting Head of English. But after Andrew told Roger he was not capable of being in the role of Head, Roger offered the job back to Jack and stated his first action as Headteacher was to reinstate Grantly as Head of English.
Grantly fell asleep on the job on some occasions. After drinking heavily over one lunchtime Grantly fell asleep during a lesson, and Brett Aspinall took this opportunity to write 'Prat' on his forehead.
Series 3[]
Karla Bentham, a pupil with Aspergers syndrome answered back to Grantly, due to her literal interpretation of his words. Grantly was unaware of how to respond to her, and became angry with her. Karla became frightened and hit him with a chair.
In Episode 20 of Series Three, a representative from the Exam Board met with Grantly as it was found out by the Exam Board that several pupils had cheated on their English Coursework, including Chlo Grainger and Maxine Barlow. At first Grantly tried to hide the truth from Headteacher, Rachel Mason. However, the Exam Board Rep pursued Rachel and Eddie Lawson, Deputy Head, about the matter. A meeting with all the English Teachers was called in the Staffroom. This brought to light that Grantly had cancelled Coursework Moderation Meetings and off-loaded his marking to fellow colleagues in his department. Rachel then suspended him pending a full investigation, leaving Tom Clarkson as Acting Head of English.
Series 4[]
In the first part of Series 4, Grantly took to wearing a wig that was very obviously false to both staff and students, since they were so used to seeing his head. He eventually stops wearing it after being bullied by students. In Series 4 Episode 1 he interviewed for the role of Head of Extended Services but didn't get the job.
Security Dave, a security guard, mistakenly believes that Grantly and Steph Haydock are having an affair and tells Fleur. This almost ends Fleur and Grantly's marriage, though they eventually get back together after Fleur realises it wasn't true.
Later in the series, Grantly appeared to suffer a heart attack after diving into a swimming pool to save Bolton Smilie's life after some horseplay involving Bolton, Paul Langley, Philip Ryan and Michaela White went awry. Jasmine Koreshi felt guilty about the incident as previously the same day she had compiled a dossier about Grantly's misconduct. She offers to take his workload which he immediately accepts. His wife, Fleur later appears and gives Jasmine his gallstones medication. Jasmine humiliates him in front of the staff room as payback for and returns his workload.
Series 5[]
It was revealed at the start of Series 5 that after the merge with John Fosters, a new staffing structure was in place and Grantly was no longer Head of English with Tom heading up the department. Grantly writes a story about the teachers but using different names. He gets caught for it and after he is caught, he is shouted at by Kim Campbell for letting out Bianka Vale with her dad, Gary when Rachel knows that Gary has to take Bianka with supervision. Grantly bets Rachel £20 that she cannot teach Ruby Fry's Food Technology Year 8 group and handle the running of the school at the same time. However, after being proved wrong, Grantly later hands over the money.
Series 6[]
In Series 6, it is revealed that Grantly is struggling to look after Fleur, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Due to the pressure of looking after his wife, it is revealed that Grantly has taught the wrong syllabus to his classes. He reveals the truth about his wife to Ruby Fry who then calls in former teacher Steph Haydock to help out Grantly. He finally decides to place Fleur in a care home, only to learn that the cost will leave him almost penniless. His idea to raise money is to claim the insurance on his house, but Steph later talks him out of it and through the help of Karen Fisher and Ruth Kirby, the money raised at a charity event at school is given to Grantly to make sure Fleur can attend the care home.
Series 7[]
In series 7 Episode 10, the new headteacher, Michael Byrne, takes doors off all the classrooms, which makes Grantly angry. Grantly makes a door of cardboard, which Michael rips apart when he finds it. Grantly then gets his door back from a skip outside, but Michael notices him and some other teachers sneaking out. Grantly then goes on strike, leaving Janeece, Tom, Michael, Sian and Daniel the only staff in school. Tom breaks the news that all the staff on strike could lose their jobs. Matt then walks back into school. Finally, Michael succumbs to Grantly's demands.
Grantly then proves how he would do anything for his wife when he resigns his post to spend their anniversary together despite the fact Fleur know longer knew who he was. After 'kidnapping' her and taking her away to the place they had their honeymoon, Grantly realises that he has lost his wife forever and after a kind word from Tom, who had managed to track them down, he reluctantly returns her to her care-home. It was then when, on her deathbed, Fleur's memory returned to her and they spent their last moments together reminiscing about the past. It was then when Grantly's relationship with Maggie Croft started. The canteen assistant he had met through a business partnership in Candora Cosmetics comforted him after Fleur's death, and Grantly realised that life held more opportunities for him with her. Grantly proposes to Maggie in Series 7 Episode 30, and seconds later they are involved in a freak accident.
Series 8[]
When Waterloo Road Rochdale was closed, Grantly and Maggie decide to move up to Scotland with Michael and the others, and soon after they were married. Grantly is diagnosed with chronic kidney failure due to untreated high blood pressure and is told that he will need a transplant to survive as the effects are irreversible. Students and staff alike were heart-broken to hear the news that Grantly might be dying of kidney failure. While asleep, Grantly slips into unconsciousness and is rushed to hospital, where he is put onto life support. Tom tells Maggie that he will gladly be Grantly's donor. When Grantly is taken off life support, Maggie, Tom, Harley and Rhiannon are all stunned to learn that he is breathing on his own. Grantly is let out of hospital in the final episode of series 8, though has to stay in a wheelchair. Grantly is upset to learn that Tom will be giving him his kidney, but accepts the idea. There is devastation when Tom dies after falling from the roof whilst trying to save pupil Kyle Stack, and Grantly leads a memorial service in honour for his friend.
Series 9[]
Grantly returns to teach at Waterloo Road after some time off work, where Maggie delightfully tells him that there is a donor waiting for him. Grantly postpones it though, as he is trying to find Harley's poem and help new teacher and friend Sue Spark with discipline. During an assembly, Grantly sadly dies in his chair after many years of service to Waterloo Road, leaving Maggie and the rest of the students and staff devastated.