Channel 5 thriller The Teacher initially begins as a story about a high school English teacher who does the unthinkable. All of the evidence indicates that Jenna (Sheridan Smith) has had sex with one of her students, who is also a minor, for which she’s found guilty in a court of law. Teaching was the one aspect of her life where she was both in control and happy, but Jenna has seemingly chosen to throw it all away with reckless abandon.
But over the course of the series, it becomes clear that Jenna, even in her most chaotic of states, is not capable of such a thing. She has made countless missteps in her life, fuelled by the long-standing grief she carries following her mother’s death, but she did not cross that line with Kyle (Samuel Bottomley).
Jenna begins her own independent investigation to unearth the truth and comes to the conclusion that Kyle is being manipulated. He also later admits his wrongdoing to her, but doesn’t go into detail.
Why would Kyle show Jenna such cruelty when she has only ever had his best interests at heart? What spurred him on?
In tonight’s finale, we finally discovered the truth.
Arnold Cleary (Ian-Puleston-Davies) – or Brian, as he has rebranded himself – was the puppet master pulling the strings all along.
He had previously taught at a school in Newcastle where Jenna was also employed. It was there that he groomed 15-year-old Denise (Yemisi Oyinloye), who Jenna spoke to as part of her own enquiries. Arnold and Denise were planning on marrying when she turned 16, but Jenna put a stop to that when she reported him to the authorities.
Arnold spent time behind bars and was also placed on the sex offenders register. His family also turned their backs on him following the fallout. He blames Jenna for his downfall, rather than take responsibility for his actions.
“Denise and I were in love,” he said. “You cannot legislate for the heart. Love, Jenna, cannot be codified.”
For 15 years, he has been planning his revenge.
In a bid to destroy Jenna, Arnold wormed his way into Pauline’s life, and he also posed as a tutor to Kyle, using their extended time together to manipulate him.
But despite all of the turmoil that he has inflicted on Jenna, she refuses to crumble.
“The stink won’t stick,” she says, defiantly. “I can live again. And I will.”
Arnold, realising that he can’t break her, steps back into the road, a defeated man, when a lorry zooms past and kills him on impact.
In the series’ final moments, Jenna and Kyle speak briefly. He remains regretful for his actions, but she assures him that “it’s okay”. They share one final smile, before going their separate ways.
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