Entertainment

Sheridan Smith set to star as teacher in new TV drama

The psychological thriller will air on Channel 5.
The psychological thriller will air on Channel 5. The psychological thriller will air on Channel 5.

Sheridan Smith has signed up to play a teacher whose life unravels in a new TV drama.

The Pooch Perfect host will star in Teacher, a four-part psychological thriller for Channel 5.

Smith plays Jenna, a state school teacher, whose life falls apart after being accused of a drunken sexual encounter with one of her pupils.

“With no memory of the night in question, Jenna’s only hope of redemption lies in uncovering the truth about a dark event in her past that returns to haunt her,” producers said.

Mike Benson, managing director of production company Clapperboard, said the drama would “explore the challenging and provocative themes thrown up by these types of cases”.

He added: “When we first developed Teacher we had Sheridan in mind as someone who could bring empathy and complexity to the character of Jenna, so the fact she has agreed to come on board is hugely exciting.”

The drama will also star Samuel Bottomley, Kelvin Fletcher, Cecilia Noble, Sharon Rooney, David Fleeshman  and Ian Puleston-Davies.