Anthology drama The Teacher saw Sheridan Smith (series one, 2022) and Kara Tointon (series two, 2024) play educators who went to the bottom of the class, and now Victoria Hamilton plays forthright drama teacher Helen, who falls foul of her students’ beliefs at an elite private boarding school.
When we meet Helen - who has over 30 years of teaching experience - it’s the start of a new term at Cheetham Hall, where she’s taken on the role of Head of Drama. Helen’s a straight talker, who’s not prepared to pander to the woke ideologies of the younger generation, and very soon clashes with Cressida (Alice Grant), who forms a grudge against her after Helen accuses her of being a woke warrior to gain popularity.
Helen detains both Cressida and vulnerable non-binary student Dee (Ellis Jupiter) – with tragic consequences.
‘It’s really a study of a breakdown in communications between generations,’ Victoria Hamilton, 54, explains. ‘‘Helen doesn’t necessarily disagree with woke-ism, but she doesn't understand the necessity for things like using people’s preferred pronouns to happen overnight.’
Classroom politics aren’t the only problem Helen has to deal with. Estranged from her husband Terry (Steve Edge), Helen lives on campus with her son, Sam, who recently left his former school and now attends Cheetham Hall, where he’s able to have a free education thanks to his mum’s position. However Sam is now a target for online bullying - something that has followed him from his former school.
Who stars in The Teacher series three?
Victoria Hamilton as Helen
‘In another situation, Helen would be that teacher that people remember as being amazing’, says Victoria Hamilton. ‘But she can't really cope with deep conversations about emotions. Her marriage has broken down and her relationship with her son is on a knife edge - the one thing that she does feel she can hang her hat on is the teaching. When that starts being taken away is when she really starts to crumble.’
London-born Victoria Hamilton - who shares two teenage sons with her husband Riot Women actor Mark Bazeley - has made multiple screen appearances, including Lark Rise To Candleford (2008-2011), Doctor Foster (2015-2017), The Crown (2016-2017), COBRA (2020-2022_), Unforgotten_ (2025) and Slow Horses (2025).
Steve Edge as Helen’s husband Terry
‘Terry’s quite a simple man, but some things have gone wrong in his life, and he's trying to patch them all back together and rebuild his life,’ Steve Edge explains. ‘He’s very fond of Helen still, but he always seems to say the wrong thing around her and she’s quite defensive. Terry is concerned about his son, Sam, who had a tough time at his old school, and I think Terry is worried that the same thing is going to happen again. He's also a bit of an inverted class snob and this posh boarding school that Helen and Sam have moved to is not sitting well with him.’
You’ll know Steve from his appearances in shows including Benidorm (2016-2018), Scarborough (2019), and The Madame Blanc Mysteries (2021-2025).
Rochenda Sandall as Helen’s friend and colleague Tessa
‘Tessa is a very modern teacher – she’s really into the politics of young people and tries to understand their thought processes,’ says Rochenda Sandall. ‘She’s a very understanding adult for the students to turn to, there’s zero judgement from her and everything is open for discussion.
‘Tessa and Helen get on, but they are on opposite ends of the spectrum in their approach to these issues. Helen represents a lot of the soundbites you’re hearing from her generation, thoughts about gender and reassigning grammar, which some people are having difficulties with or finding annoying. Then you’ve got my generation saying, “Who cares about the grammar? Let them be!”'
Rochenda’s a familiar face from shows like Doctor Who (2021), The Rig (2023-2025) and Amandaland (2025). She’ll also be seen in forthcoming spy thriller Secret Service, starring Gemma Arterton, later this year.
Who starred in The Teacher series one?
Sheridan Smith led the cast as Jenna - a secondary school teacher accused of having sex with a pupil.
Multi award-winning actress Sheridan Smith is the reigning queen of gut-punching drama, especially real-life narratives, most recently last year’s I Fought The Law, the real-life story of bereaved Teesside mother’s Ann Ming’s battle for justice for her murdered daughter.
Sheridan started her career with a bevy of much-loved sitcoms, including The Royle Family (1999–2000), Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps (2001–2009), Gavin & Stacey (2008–2010, 2024), and Benidorm (2009).
You may also recognise her from Cilla (2014) on ITV, a three-part biographical drama about Cilla Black, followed by The Moorside (2017), a BBC One drama based on the Shannon Matthews case. She’ll star in BBC1’s crime thriller The Cage, opposite Michael Socha, later this year.
What happened in The Teacher series one?
Popular but troubled English teacher Jenna Garvey (Sheridan Smith) is accused of sleeping with a 15-year-old student, Kyle (Samuel Bottomley), after a drunken night out. Due to memory loss, she initially pleads guilty but later discovers she was framed by a former student seeking revenge, ultimately finding the truth.
Who starred in The Teacher series two?
Kara Tointon led the cast as Dani - an art teacher whose life unravels following an affair with a colleague.
Playing Dawn Swann in EastEnders between 2005 and 2009 made Kara Tointon a household name, and she went on to star in period dramas Mr Selfridge (2015-2016) and The Halcyon (2017).
She's also put in an affecting performance as the mum of the man who would become Cary Grant in Archie (2023), and is a bit of a favourite on 5 – as well as The Teacher she starred in the channel’s 2024 psychological thriller Too Good To Be True.
Next stop Hollywood. Look out for her in the forthcoming instalment of the The Hunger Games franchise, Sunlight on the Reaping, later this year.
What happened in The Teacher series two?
Art teacher Dani (Kara Tointon) has an affair with colleague Jimmy (Will Mellor) during a school trip, neglecting her duty of care when student Zac (Cal O'Driscoll) goes missing and is later found dead.
Where was The Teacher series three filmed?
Believe it or not, the capital of Spain’s Basque Country, Vitoria - standing in for Sheffield! – as well as Hertfordshire.
When does The Teacher series three air?
Monday, 30 March 2026 at 9pm on 5. Remaining episodes air on Tuesday 31, Wednesday 1, and Thursday 2 April. All episodes will be available to stream in full from March 30.
And you can catch up on the previous series of The Teacher on 5 too.
Martina Fowler has worked for TV Choice for, well, several years and very much learned ‘on the job’. Remembering to switch on her Dictaphone was an early triumph, only bettered by demanding of the interviewee (who asked not to be named) why it wasn’t working.