Waterloo Road portrays severe food allergy dangers in new plot

Waterloo Road is set to shock viewers with a harrowing new plotline about the dangers of food allergies. In the latest series, pupil Hope Drake, played by Savannah Kunyo, suffers a terrifying anaphylactic reaction after coming into contact with dairy. Her collapse in the school corridors leaves classmates and staff reeling, and the storyline intensifies when it’s revealed that Hope is the granddaughter of headteacher Stella Drake (Lindsey Coulson).\n\nProducers worked with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation to ensure the scenes reflected the realities families face. The foundation, created by Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, mother of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who died in 2016 after a sesame-containing baguette went unlabeled on a flight, helped shape the depiction of how quickly symptoms can escalate and the importance of clear labeling and safety planning at schools.\n\n\n\nNatasha Ednan-Laperouse’s mother, Tanya, who is OBE, said the collaboration underscores a serious point: "Food allergies are not a lifestyle choice—they are a serious medical condition. With cases rising, schools must be prepared to keep children safe. We are pleased Waterloo Road is drawing attention to this." The producers also cited the project as part of a broader commitment to telling stories that matter to young people and their families. Executive producer Cameron Roach added: "This show has always been about telling the stories that matter to young people and their families. Working with the foundation gave us the knowledge to portray the dangers of food allergies in an authentic way."\n\nThe plot arrives amid a rising tide of diagnosed food allergies in the UK. A 2024 Food Standards Agency report found around six per cent of adults in England—about 2.4 million people—live with a confirmed food allergy, with higher rates among children. The storyline situates Waterloo Road within a broader public-health conversation about labeling, safety in schools, and how staff are trained to respond to allergic reactions.\n\nThe latest series also references a string of real tragedies to underscore the stakes. Natasha Ednan-Laperouse’s case from 2016 helped spark substantial reforms in labeling rules, culminating in Natasha’s Law in 2021. Five-year-old Benedict Blythe died in December 2021 after an allergic reaction at a Lincolnshire primary school; his parents have campaigned for minimum safety standards in schools. In August 2024, 13-year-old Hannah Jacobs collapsed after drinking a drink she believed was dairy-free, only for it to contain cow’s milk, and later died in hospital. The Waterloo Road team has emphasized that the series uses fiction to reflect these hard, real-world consequences rather than sensationalize them.\n\nExpert guidance stresses that the most serious risk in allergies is anaphylaxis, in which the body’s immune system overreacts to a trace allergen. In such cases, blood pressure can plummet, airways may close, and without urgent treatment with adrenaline, death can occur. While epinephrine auto-injectors such as EpiPens are lifesaving, deaths often happen when injections are delayed or not administered promptly. Medical professionals note that avoidance of allergens, precise labeling, staff training in schools and food outlets, and education for families remain the most reliable prevention strategies.\n\nWaterloo Road’s team says the story aligns with a growing public health focus: how schools prepare for and respond to food-allergy emergencies. The show’s creators stress that the plot is not only about drama, but about raising awareness and encouraging conversations among parents, teachers, and policymakers. In addition to the on-screen drama, the production has highlighted the importance of rapid access to epinephrine and the need for clear action plans in school settings.\n\nSeries 16 of Waterloo Road is streaming now on BBC iPlayer. The allergy storyline airs on BBC One next Tuesday at 10:40 p.m.