The Teacher starring Sheridan Smith: Release date, plot and news updates
The controversial four-part drama is now on Netflix.
Sheridan Smith drama The Teacher has landed on Netflix after airing in the UK on Channel 5 earlier in 2022, introducing a new batch of viewers to the controversial series (not to be confused with FX's A Teacher starring Kate Mara and Nick Robinson).
The Teacher follows an educator called Jenna (Smith) whose life comes crashing down when she’s accused of sleeping with one of her students after a night out.
Ahead of its launch, Smith herself said the series makes for "incredibly uncomfortable viewing".
She also spoke about what drew her to accept the role, telling RadioTimes.com: "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."
Joining Smith is Samuel Bottomley (Ackley Bridge) as Jenna's pupil Kyle, Strictly winner Kelvin Fletcher (Emmerdale), Cecilia Noble (The Lady in the Van) and Sharon Rooney (My Mad Fat Diary), who all portray Jenna's teaching colleagues.
Dominic Leclerc (The Syndicate, Bulletproof, Silent Witness) directed the series, with Barunka O'Shaughnessy (Motherland) on board as co-writer.
Read on for everything you need to know about The Teacher.
The Teacher release date
The Teacher is now available to watch on Netflix.
The series first began airing in the UK on Channel 5 on Monday 31st January at 9pm, and aired across four consecutive nights at 9pm.
How many episodes in The Teacher on Netflix?
In total, there are four episodes of The Teacher, which are all available to watch on Netflix.
The final episode originally aired on Thursday 3rd February 2022 on Channel 5.
Read more: The Teacher review
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The Teacher starring Sheridan Smith plot: What's it about?
Smith stars as Jenna Garvey, a high school English teacher who is accused of having sex with one of her male students. But she was heavily intoxicated at the time and has no memory of that night, which leaves Jenna unconvinced that the allegation is true.
Did she do the unthinkable? Or is her pupil lying?
Though it’s initially unclear whether Jenna is guilty of the crime, Smith has already hinted at her "undoing".
"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," she explained.
This certainly seems to be the case in a new preview, which shows Jenna squeezing a student’s arm as a fellow teacher watches on from afar.
The Teacher starring Sheridan Smith trailer
You can watch the official trailer right now.
The Teacher is streaming now on Netflix.
Looking for something else to watch? Plan your viewing with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our dedicated Drama hub for the latest news.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
