‘The Teacher’ is the new first class drama

With two Olivier awards and a Bafta to her name, Sheridan Smith is one of Britain’s most popular and successful actresses, so bagging her for the lead role in the new four-part drama The Teacher, which is stripped across the week, is something of a coup for Channel 5.

However, it’s not just the channel that benefits as it also gives Sheridan a very meaty role as troubled teacher Jenna – and she believes destiny may have had a hand in her landing the part.

She says: “We’d all been in lockdown, I’d had my son and I’d been reading lots of different scripts.

“Then this one came along and I was gripped. Jenna is such a complex character, there are so many layers to her…

“All these twists and turns came along in the story that I did not expect, and I couldn’t put it down, which is rare – I read it all in one go.

“I really wanted to do the show – initially the dates weren’t working, but I couldn’t stop thinking about this script.

“Things moved around so it didn’t clash anymore, and it felt like a sign.”

Sadly, things aren’t going quite so well for her character, as Jenna’s life outside the classroom is very much crumbling.

Sheridan explains: “She’s got a drink problem, she’s lost her mum, has a really strained relationship with her dad and she has just gone off the rails and lost herself a bit.

“When she finishes work, she clocks out and has a chaotic life.”

Jenna is popular in the classroom, but that can also lead to futher problems.

Sheridan says: “I think she is a bit naïve.

“She’s on a mission to save working-class kids because that’s where her mum comes from, and she really hates the fact that privileged kids can get further in life.

“She tries to be a mate to her students, which is her undoing in the end. There are teacher-student boundaries and she has maybe let that slip.”

The question of just how many boundaries Jenna has crossed is at the heart of the drama as, after a drunken night out to celebrate a promotion, the teacher is accused of sleeping with a 15-year-old student, Kyle (Samuel Bottomley).

But is she guilty? Sheridan is hoping to keep the viewers guessing: “I always want to make a character likeable because I want to find the heart in them, no matter how flawed someone is, but I do want the audience to doubt Jenna and to feel unsure about where they stand, it’s exciting to play that in a role.”

She adds: “Hopefully there will be lots of people not knowing if they trust me as Jenna – there are bits where it looks like I could be quite sinister… I hope there are a lot of conversations about whether she is guilty, especially as all the twists and turns come out, it gets so complicated and dark.

“I just can’t wait for the audience to see it. I really enjoyed filming it and I’m so pleased it’s finally coming out.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you