▁Samuel ▁Anderson ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁has ▁been ▁cast ▁alongside ▁Peter ▁Cap ald i ▁and ▁Jen na ▁Cole man ▁for ▁Cap ald i ' s ▁first ▁series ▁as ▁D anny ▁P ink , ▁a ▁teacher ▁at ▁Co al ▁Hill ▁School ▁alongside ▁companion ▁Clara ▁O sw ald . ▁Co al ▁Hill ▁School ▁was ▁the ▁work place ▁of ▁original ▁compan ions ▁Ian ▁Ch est erton ▁and ▁Barbara ▁Wright . ▁Following ▁ 2 0 1 3 ' s ▁ 5 0 th ▁anni versary ▁celebr ations , ▁head ▁writer ▁Steven ▁M off at ▁decided ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁bring ▁in ▁another ▁teacher ▁to ▁work ▁alongside ▁Clara ▁in ▁expl oring ▁the ▁school ' s ▁roots . ▁Anderson ▁said ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁" ex c ited " ▁about ▁joining ▁the ▁show , ▁and ▁could ▁not ▁wait ▁to ▁see ▁how ▁his ▁character ▁would ▁be ▁involved ▁with ▁the ▁Doctor ▁and ▁Clara . ▁Despite ▁it ▁not ▁being ▁confirmed ▁until ▁shortly ▁before ▁Series ▁ 8 ' s ▁air ing , ▁it ▁was ▁commonly ▁spec ulated ▁that ▁Anderson ▁would ▁be ▁playing ▁Clara ' s ▁love ▁interest . ▁Cole man ▁and ▁Anderson ▁had ▁previously ▁closely ▁worked ▁together ▁on ▁the ▁I TV ▁soap ▁opera ▁Em mer dale , ▁where ▁they ▁played ▁J asm ine ▁Thomas ▁and ▁Ross ▁Kirk ▁respectively . ▁ ▁Anderson ▁confirmed ▁that ▁D anny ▁would ▁be ▁Clara ' s ▁love ▁interest ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁but ▁made ▁it ▁clear ▁that ▁D anny ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁a ▁companion ▁but ▁rather ▁the ▁stay - at - home ▁boy friend ▁providing ▁Clara ▁with