Donte Charles was Waterloo Road's original bad boy. However, when his irresponsible behaviour causes the death of his best friend Adam Deardon, Donte soon realises it is time to grow up. He and Chlo Grainger embark on a serious relationship throughout their time at Waterloo Road which eventually leads to them getting married and having children together; a daughter, Izzy, and a son, Tommy.
Donte returned to Waterloo Road in Series 11 as the School Caretaker.
History[]
Series 1[]
Donte was introduced in the first episode as the original villain of the school. At the start, he gets on the bad side of new deputy head Mr Treneman's policy of strict discipline after he witnesses Donte stealing Stephen's bus pass. Treneman calls the police, and Donte is arrested, irritating new headteacher Jack Rimmer. Donte's wild lifestyle has made Chlo Grainger fall in love with him, much to her mother Ms Redpath's disapproval. The tension between Andrew and Donte's comes to a head in English class, where Mr. Treneman confiscates Donte's phone - unaware Donte's father Clarence is listening in. Clarence assaults Andrew in front of the class - the fight is broken up by Mr. Rimmer. The police are called and Clarence is arrested.
Clarence has a previous record of violence and the police are sure that this time, he’ll be sent down for a long time. Kim is concerned about this, not least because Clarence is a single parent and that while he’s in prison, Donte will be forced to go into care. After a lengthy debate with Kim, Andrew agrees to drop the charges against Clarence, but only on the condition that he apologise for his actions in front of the entire school. Far from being relieved that his father has escaped a jail sentence, Donte is furious when his supposedly ‘hard as nails’ old man humiliates him in front of all of his friends – there’s no way he’s ever going to live this one down.
Having sneaked out of his house after his father fell asleep, Donte stole his father's limousine and organised a drive around Rochdale. Chlo, Adam and Holly Tattersall get drunk in the back of the car, and eventually Chlo climbs into the front to sit on Donte's lap whilst he drove, obscuring his vision. The episode ends with a lorry crashing into Donte's car as he's unable to see where he's going, resulting in the death of his best friend Adam and leaving Holly Tattersall in a coma. Waterloo Road goes into mourning.
By the next episode, Donte and Chlo are traumatised, but are adamant they can't remember what caused the crash. The school, however, holds them responsible, and Adam's sister Yasmin can't believe Mr. Rimmer let Donte return to school. With Janeece, she gets revenge on Donte with serial school bully Hadleigh Flynn. The episode saw the debut of the Cooler, and, after a punch-up with another pupil, Donte becomes its first inhabitant. However, he soon discovers that isolation isn’t necessarily a guarantee of safety and after an encounter with Hadleigh at lunchtime; he gives Andrew the slip and takes refuge in a storeroom. He’s completely oblivious of the fact that the police have just arrived at the school with a warrant for his arrest, but then he does have a more immediate problem to deal with when Hadleigh, Yasmin, and Janeece discover his hiding place.
Andrew finds a letter that Donte has written to Adam and shows it to Yasmin. As she reads Donte’s heartfelt words, Yasmin realises that her brother would have hated her for the way she’s been treating his best friend and finally reveals that Hadleigh is holding Donte prisoner in the storeroom. Tipped off by Andrew, Kim arrives in the storeroom to find Hadleigh threatening Donte with a knife. As he and Janeece are sent to the cooler, Donte apologises to Yasmin, admitting that he as good as killed her brother and that he would do anything to turn the clock back. Chlo turns up at the police station and pleads to be allowed to see Donte. He begs her to tell the police that she was driving the car, convinced that if they both confess to being the one behind the wheel, their pleas will cancel each other out. As she leaves the station in tears, Chlo flashes back to the moment of the crash and remembers climbing into Donte’s lap, obscuring his view of an oncoming lorry. The struggle to decipher the truth about the incident becomes a hallmark of Series 1.
On 30 March 2006, Chlo snuck off from school to visit Donte in prison to discuss their plan, believing that if both confess to the crash, their pleas would cancel each other out. Chlo returned from the police station and 'confesses' to Izzie that she was responsible for the crash. The police don't take Chlo's confession seriously. Donte’s father, Clarence, picks Chlo up from school and takes her to his son’s solicitors so that she can tell them that she was the one driving the car. However, it soon becomes clear that the pact she and Donte have made isn’t fooling anyone and may actually undermine his defence. Donte is devastated when Chlo and Clarence break the bad news. He begs Chlo to come clean and tell the truth about what really happened, but she doesn't.
In Episode 6 Holly has woken from her coma and Chlo rushes straight to the hospital to find out what she can remember of the crash. Her last memory is of Donte driving and Chlo sitting in the passenger seat. She can’t remember that Chlo climbed into Donte’s lap. Meanwhile, Clarence tries his best to persuade Donte to sign a statement that implicates Chlo. Donte is reluctant – he loves Chlo, he doesn’t want to get her into trouble – but in the end, he realises that he has no choice. At his court appearance, Holly gives her evidence and names him as the driver of the car. Chlo is terrified when she takes the stand to give her evidence, but somehow manages to find the strength to come clean, stunning everyone by revealing that it was her distraction that caused Donte to lose control of the car. Donte allows himself to see a slight glimmer of hope, but it is quickly dashed when the prosecution barrister tears Chlo's testimony apart, leaving him looking even guiltier. His sentence is reduced, due to his remorse for Adam's death and understanding of what his actions entailed.
Series 2[]
In Series 2 Episode 3, Chlo goes to meet Donte before school where it is revealed that Donte has been left home alone for a few days and has been given £400 by his father, Clarence, to look after himself. He immediately uses some of it to buy Chlo a new dress and persuades Chlo to stay at his for the night by telling Izzie that she is staying at Holly Tattersall's. Additionally, he treats her to a meal at the pub Waterloo Road's teachers often go to drink at, during which Donte awkwardly bumps into Andrew and Kim, but the more worrying event is to find they have Lewis Seddon serving them. They go back to Donte's house to have sex for the first time, but they are interrupted by what they think is Clarence Charles returning home early but turns out to be Lewis Seddon demanding his tip. Seddon and his friend, Helmsley, barge into Donte's house and get drunk and there's nothing Chlo or Donte can do about it.
Donte and Chlo try everything to get them to leave so they can continue their romantic evening. In the morning, Seddon demands pain killers and when he doesn't have any, demands money. Seddon steals a set of keys from Donte so that he can go back whenever he wants. Izzie suspects that Chlo had spent the night at Donte's rather than at Holly's. Lewis leaves his girlfriend Maxine Barlow alone in the house because he is late for work. Maxine takes the oppurtunity to do a raid of Donte's house and steal anything of value. Donte and Chlo return home to find the house a mess and several items missing, including his dad's car badge collection which he has had for years. Donte vows to assault Lewis after school, despite Chlo's best efforts to prevent him. Donte goes to the restaurant where Lewis works and Lewis calls Maxine to get his stuff back. It turns out that Maxine took the stuff in order to buy drugs but Lewis tells her off and returns the stuff to Donte.
In Episode 8 Donte and Chlo are being teased by a fellow student, Noel Parkin, about being unaffectionate, which leads to Donte telling him that Lewis Seddon caught them having sex; this is overheard by Janeece. Izzie calls Chlo in to ask her about having sex with Donte but before she can Chlo asks her mum about it. Chlo explains that nothing happened the night she stayed at Donte's despite that being the plan. Izzie asks if Donte is putting pressure on Chlo and assures Chlo that she doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to. Chlo asks if Donte can stay over and tells Izzie that she doesn't want to lie to her anymore. Izzie respects what Cho is saying and begins to trust Chlo more. Donte dumps Chlo in the car park because she said no to having sex.
Series 3[]
In episode 1, Chlo and Donte get married in a small ceremony, with his father Clarence Charles, present. Donte is very close with his father throughout his time at Waterloo Road.
In episode 5, Donte discovers that Chlo has been sleeping with Brett Aspinall, Chlo's sister Mika Grainger's boyfriend. Donte is understandably devastated and breaks up with his wife. Donte then begins a relationship with Celine Dixon, as she helps him recover from Chlo's betrayal. However, Celine realises Donte is still in love with Chlo, and becomes jealous and insecure.
In Series 3 Episode 20, a fire breaks out in the Waterloo Road canteen. Chlo calls Donte to save her from the blaze, which results in Celine telling Donte she is pregnant. Donte doesn't believe Celine and decides to save Chlo from the fire, resulting in Donte and Chlo getting back together.
Series 4[]
In Series 4 Episode 4, Chlo and Donte move out of Chlo's family home to live in a flat. However, they struggle to pay their bills, despite Donte's efforts, and end up moving back in with Chlo's step-father Tom Clarkson.
In Series 4 Episode 7, Chlo discovers she is pregnant with Donte's baby. Donte is extremely happy and supportive, until Chlo decides she may not want to keep their child. Donte threatens Chlo with divorce and says he and Chlo are "finished" in an attempt to get custody of his child. However, in the same episode (Series 4 Episode 18), Chlo goes into early labour, and Donte decides he cannot live without his wife, and will therefore support any decision she makes. Chlo and Donte decide to keep their daughter and name her Izzy, after Chlo's late mother Izzie Redpath. Donte and Chlo then go on to move to a house outside of Manchester University so Chlo can continue her studies, whilst raising their daughter together, thanks to a gift from Tom.
Series 11[]
Donte returns in the new series of the rebooted Waterloo Road (Series 11 Episode 1) as the School Caretaker following the death of Chlo after a car accident, and struggles with being a single parent to Izzy and Tommy. There is a flash to the past when he finds out that Coral Walker accidentally killed Chlo because she lost her temper, and he smashes up her car like he did to Eddie Lawson's car back in Series 3. He fortunately does not get fired.
Series 12[]
In Series 12, Amy Spratt comes round to Donte's house to have some friendly fun, which ends up with Donte accidentally kissing Amy, though he instantly realises his mistake. He then goes to the door and says he is busy when Nicky Walters knocks saying she needs advice. However when Donte comes back into the room he sees Amy in his bed completely naked. he tells Amy to put some clothes on and get out. They then become friends.
Series 13[]
In series 13, as Nicky, Preston Walters and Tonya Walters have no place to stay, Donte lets them move in with him, Izzy and Tommy. On episode 1 when he tries breaking up a fight between Tonya and new boy Schumacher Weaver, Tonya punches Schumacher, but Schumacher says Donte punched him. Tonya tells the teachers it was her. Throughout the series Donte falls in love with Nicky. When they tell the kids it particularly angers Izzy and Tonya who break into a fight about it. In episode 7 Schumacher and is taken into care, but his dad tries to intervene. Donte punches him but is nearly run over, he is pushed out of the way by Nicky who is hit by the car but survives. As Izzy can't come to terms that Donte nearly died, they all and Mika agree that Mika should take Izzy away for a while to Leeds and Donte and the lot will visit every weekend.
Relationships[]
- Chlo Grainger (girlfriend/spouse/mother of his child)
- First Relationship
- Start Up: Before Series 1 Episode 1
- Broke Up: Series 1 Episode 6
- Reason: Chlo was willing to let Donte take the blame for the car crash
- Second Relationship (married)
- Start Up: Series 1 Episode 8
- Broke Up: Series 3 Episode 4
- Reason: Chlo cheated on Donte with Brett
- Third Relationship (married)
- Start Up: Series 3 Episode 20/Before Series 4 Episode 1
- Chlo and Donte remain together indefinitely and move away with their baby, Izzy.
- First Relationship
- Celine Dixon (ex-girlfriend)
- Start Up: Series 3 Episode 5
- Broke Up: Series 3 Episode 20
- Reason: Donte was still in love with Chlo
- Nicky Walters
- Start Up: Series 13 Episode 4
Trivia[]
- Donte's son Tommy Charles is played by Donte's actor Adam Thomas's real-life son, Teddy Thomas, and Donte's daughter Izzy Charles is played by Scarlett Thomas, who is Teddy's real-life cousin and Adam's real-life niece. Scarlett's parents are Adam's brother Ryan Thomas and Ryan's ex-partner Tina O'Brien, who appeared in Waterloo Road in Series Six as Bex Fisher.
- In Series 12 Episode 3, before Izzy Charles does her big speech in front of the whole school, Donte mentions 'your Auntie Mika', referencing Mika Grainger.
Quotes[]
- "Hand it over!" (first line)
- "If we both say we done it, we cancel each other out. That's what the law says."
- Chlo: "Please, don't make this any worse!"
- Donte: "WORSE?! How could it be worse, Chlo?! I thought you loved me!"
- Chlo: "I do!"
- Donte: "Yeah? Then why'd you go shag someone else then?!"
- 'Janeece: "Oh my god, yous've just got married!"
- Donte: "Yeah. At least she remembered."
- "Now let's see your life to to crap an' all!" (After punching Brett)
- "You and me are finished, Chlo."
- Chlo: "Who the hell was that?!"
- Donte: "Watch where you're going! Is she alright, babe?"
- Chlo: "She's fine."
- Donte: "Yeah?"
- Chlo: "She's fine."
- Donte: "Alright."
- Chlo: "Idiot!" (After a drunken Ralph Mellor ran them off the road; Donte's final lines of his first stint)
- Donte: "Hey, come on! Big day today!"
- Izzy: "Dad, I'm scared."
- Donte: "Come here. What are you like, hey? Who isn't on their first day of a new school? Hmm? It's all part of the adventure, innit? You know, me? You should've seen me, I gave it all the swagger. Proper Mr Big Pants. Invincible. But I was wetting my kecks just like everyone else. But you know what? Them were some of the best days of my life. You know maybe, maybe I wasn't that good at some of it. You know, the lessons, the homework, exams. Yeah and maybe I locked horns with a couple of teachers now and then, too, but...some of them I won't forget.
- Izzy: "What if I just...don't make any friends?"
- Donte: "Izz! Come on, of course you will. Loads of 'em. And look, if it takes a bit of time to get to know someone, it's likely because they're interesting. Alright? So just be patient. Cos your mates from school are your mates for life. And sometimes you even end up marrying 'em. Your mum was the best thing that ever happened to me at school. And if I would've bottled school on day one, I never would've met her, and you and your brother wouldn't even be here, and we wouldn't be having this conversation, alright? Hey, you got this, Izz, alright? It's your turn now. And look, I'm not ashamed to admit it - I'm jealous. Because if I could do it all over again, I would do. But this time I'd have twice as much fun." (First lines upon his return in Series 11)