The A Word

In their idyllic Lake District home, the extended Hughes family reunites for Joe's fifth birthday party. But the tensions soon rise among Alison, Paul and patriarch Maurice when newly-arrived Eddie and Nicola suggest Joe has communication problems.

Following Joe’s autism diagnosis Paul, Alison and Rebecca clash over how best to deal with his first week’s at school. Eddie is troubled by thoughts of Nicola’s ex-lover Michael, and Maurice tries hard to avoid his singing teacher, Louise.

Alison gets a blast from her past when speech and language therapist Maggie arrives to assess Joe. For the family, it's time to face some uncomfortable truths. And as Maurice finds himself in Louise's bed, Rebecca is driven to boyfriend Luke's.

An impromptu attempt to win Joe some friends leads to a breakthrough moment for Alison…but how long can it last? Maurice and Louise come to blows over Joe, while Rebecca turns to Eddie for relationship advice.

Alison is hit hard when Joe’s helper, Maya, looks set to be deported. As Paul and Eddie discover their wives both want different things, Maurice is left kicking himself for letting Louise go.

Alison brokers a peace deal with Paul in time for the gastropub opening, but plans for their big day are shattered when Joe goes missing. Finally, Alison knows she must tell the community the truth about her son.