TEACHER: SHERIDAN SMITH JOINS NEW CHANNEL 5 DRAMA

Sheridan Smith is to lead the cast for new four-part Channel 5 drama, Teacher.

Sheridan will play Jenna, a schoolteacher whose life spirals out of control when she’s accused of a drunken sexual encounter with a pupil. Joining her will be Strictly winner Kelvin Fletcher and Ackley Bridge's Sam Bottomley.

Channel 5 tease: "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."

Series creator, Barunka O’Shaughnessy, said: "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. With eOne now attached we also have a partner who shares both ours and Channel 5’s ambition for Teacher – to explore the challenging and provocative themes thrown up by these types of cases."

Filming will begin shortly and the drama will air later this year on Channel 5.