Sheridan Smith battles to save her career in gripping new trailer for Channel 5 thriller The Teacher

Sheridan Smith stars as a school educator battling to save her career in the gripping new trailer for upcoming Channel 5 thriller The Teacher.

The actress, 40, plays popular teacher Jenna Garvey who is accused of having a drunken encounter with student Kyle Hope, 15, during a night out – with the accusations having devastating consequences for her.

And in a preview clip ahead of its release, Sheridan’s character is seen breaking down in tears and is pushed to breaking point as she fights to uncover the truth about the fateful night that she doesn’t even remember. 

The clip starts with Jenna standing in front of her class telling them: ‘One bad word and your reputation could crumble’, with a cheeky student quipping back: ‘Miss, what about your reputation?’

The trailer then leads into a series of nail-biting scenes showing Jenna drinking on a night out before waking up naked with her character seemingly having no recollection of the previous evening.

The following scene then shows the head teacher sternly telling a visibly shocked Jenna that ‘there’s been a report of inappropriate behaviour between yourself and a pupil… I need you to stay away from the school.’ 

Shock: The actress, 40, plays popular teacher Jenna Garvey who is accused of having a drunken encounter with student Kyle Hope, 15, during a night out – with the accusations having devastating consequences for her

Other clips see Sheridan’s character being led away in a police car as other teachers and pupils watch on.

While she also faces tough interrogation from detectives as she questioned over engaging in a sexual act with a minor.

The tense new trailer then portrays Jenna being berated by angry parents and having her car vandalised as she battles to prove her innocence.

Teasers of what’s to come show an angry student telling her: ‘You’re so creepy, always trying to be friends with the kids.’

Powerful: In a preview clip ahead of its release, Sheridan’s character is seen breaking down in tears and is pushed to breaking point as she fights to uncover the truth about the fateful night that she doesn’t even remember

Scenes: The trailer then leads into a series of nail-biting scenes showing Jenna drinking on a night out before waking up naked with her character seemingly having no recollection of the previous evening

With a desperate Jenna also seen appealing to her colleagues for help with Sheridan’s voiceover heard saying: ‘What if I didn’t do it? I am not a bad person, I’ve done nothing wrong!’ 

The four-part drama also features Emmerdale’s Kelvin Fletcher, Small Axe’s Cecilia Noble and My Mad Fat Diary’s Sharon Rooney as fellow teachers.  

Samuel Bottomley also stars as the pupil at the centre of the sexual encounter drama, David Fleeshman plays Jenna’s father, while former Coronation Street actor Ian Puleston-Davies also appears.       

Under pressure: Sheridan’s character faces tough interrogation from detectives as she questioned over engaging in a sexual act with a minor

Difficult time: a desperate Jenna also seen appealing to her colleagues for help with Sheridan’s voiceover heard saying: ‘What if I didn’t do it? I am not a bad person, I’ve done nothing wrong!’

Co-star: The four-part drama also features Emmerdale’s Kelvin Fletcher (pictured), Small Axe’s Cecilia Noble and My Mad Fat Diary’s Sharon Rooney as fellow teachers.

Channel 5 released a synopsis of the upcoming show last year, writing: ‘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.’ 

Meanwhile, series creator, Mike Benson, stated: ‘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.’

The Teacher airs on Monday 31st January at 9pm on Channel 5. Episodes can be streamed across the week on My5. 

Trailer: 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’