Earl Kelly

Earl Kelly
Waterloo Road character
Portrayed by	Reece Noi
Duration	2009
First appearance	4x01
Last appearance	4x08
Created by	Ann McManus & Maureen Chadwick
In-universe information Occupation Student Parents Rose Kelly Siblings Marley Kelly Sambuca Kelly Denzil Kelly Prince Kelly Children Unnamed son

Earl Kelly is a fictional character in the BBC television drama series Waterloo Road. He is portrayed by Reece Noi.

Background

Earl is the second of five children born to Rose Kelly. He shares a father with Marley (a year older), but younger siblings Sambuca, Denzil and Prince all have different fathers. He was born in East London but moved around the country with his family. Behavioural problems, which his mother dismissed as a tendency to lose his temper too quickly, beset his childhood, and with puberty came mental instability which resulted in him becoming borderline psychopathic in his behaviour. His teenage years saw him display this openly by threatening pupils and staff. His previous violent outburst led to him and his siblings being kicked out of school again.

Arrival

Earl begins Year 11 in series 4, episode 1, and within a matter of minutes manages to make an enemy of Paul Langley and Bolton Smilie, after Paul had bumped into him several times that day. Earl threatens Paul, and later Tom Clarkson who intervened. He holds two fingers up to Tom's head and makes a noise that sounds like a gun. Mr Clarkson responds by saying that if he did that again to anyone in this school, he'd face immediate expulsion.

At lunchtime, Earl brings Bolton and Paul into the Boys' changing room, where he reveals he has a gun and holds them at gunpoint and warns a scared Paul against saying anything.

After Paul anonymously alerts headmistress Rachel Mason about the weapon, Earl begins to panic and tells his 11-year-old brother Denzil Kelly to take care of the weapon, as Earl thinks Denzil would only receive a caution due to his age. This culminates in a standoff with armed officers and Denzil being taken into police custody.

Earl continues his feud with Paul and Bolton, fighting Bolton in a boxing match arranged by P.E teacher, Rob Cleaver, in which Earl hits Bolton to the ground with a below-the-waist punch. Earl has made a fast impact on other pupils, getting lustful attention from Janeece Bryant and Maxine Barlow. After a party at the Kelly household, Maxine agrees to stay there overnight with Earl. They then start a relationship.

Feud with Tom Clarkson

From his first day, Earl finds himself clashing with Tom Clarkson. Things escalate when Earl goes walkabout and goes into Tom's office. He then successfully winds up the Head Of Pastoral Care by making deliberately provocative remarks about Tom's late fiancee Izzie Redpath and current girlfriend Davina Shackleton. He then goes on to shoot birds and place them on Tom's doorstep. Several days later, Earl finds a letter that says his family face eviction if his mum's anti-social behaviour doesn't change. He takes his anger out on the windscreen of Tom's car. The beleaguered teacher throws the council bin back at Earl, but it narrowly misses him.

Maxine's death

On 25 February 2009, shortly after Earl tells Maxine that he wants children with her, a scruffy-looking girl, Jade, appears at the school and Maxine later speaks to the girl, who tells her that she is the mother of Earl's three-day-old son. At first Maxine doesn't believe her, but soon Jade allows Maxine to come see the baby. Maxine is furious; she then dumps Earl in front of the whole school, humiliating Earl. Later on, when Maxine and Janeece are at Maxine's house, Earl makes his way into the house and with his gun tragically shoots Maxine. He then flees the scene before any police arrive, but is later confronted and arrested in a nearby street. It's presumed he is in custody although this is unconfirmed.

External links

• Earl Kelly at Waterloo Road