‘It's a really special job'

Julie Hesmondhalgh tells TV Times why playing a teacher means so much to her

- Steven Perkins & Caren Clark

THE A WORD

TUESDAY / BBC1 / 9PM / EP 2 of 6 / DRAMA

Within seconds of chatting to Julie Hesmondhalgh, it’s easy to see why she’s been cast as teachers in her last two TV roles. She’s warm, compassionate, and the sort of person you can imagine kids taking an instant shine to.

Having just finished a stint as primary-school teacher Jill Wheadon in ITV’s The Trouble with Maggie Cole, Julie can now be seen as Heather, the eminently capable teacher of young Joe Hughes, in BBC1’s family drama The A Word.

Joe (played by Max Vento) is struggling to process the numerous changes in his home life – not least the separation of his parents, Paul and Alison (Lee Ingleby and Morven Christie) – and has come to see school as a place of security, with Heather at the heart of that.

This week, Heather realises Joe has developed a fixation on her, and has to help him find a healthier way to handle his anxiety.

Here, in an exclusive interview, Julie, 50, tells TV Times more…

What can you tell us about your character, Heather?