Rebecca Hughes is one of the main characters in the television series The A Word. She is portrayed by actress Molly Wright.
Biography[]
Rebecca is Alison’s daughter and Paul’s stepdaughter. Her biological father is Stuart, as Alison had an early, unplanned pregnancy. Rebecca is very close to her brother, Joe; she has a better relationship with him than the rest of her family and, in the face of his autism diagnosis, just sees him as Joe «being Joe.» While her parents are focused on Joe, she confides in her uncles, Eddie and Nicola.
Feel free to add more information
Character Overview[]
Personality[]
Rebecca is smart and reasonable, but she starts becoming invisible for everyone else following Joe’s diagnosis, which takes a toll on her. She is also a teenager with a dating life, which happens simultaneously to everything else, contributing to her acting rebellious against her family.[1]
Episode Appearances[]
Series 1[]
- Episode 1.1
- Episode 1.2
- Episode 1.3
- Episode 1.4
- Episode 1.5
- Episode 1.6
Series 2[]
- Episode 2.1
- Episode 2.2
- Episode 2.3
- Episode 2.4
- Episode 2.5
- Episode 2.6
References[]
- ↑ BBC One — The A Word, Series 1 — Rebecca Hughes (Accessed 7 May 2020)
Series 3 of the BBC’s The A Word has been airing since May and gives time to focus on other characters including Rebecca but just who plays Joe’s sister?
In the troubling times we’re currently living through, The A Word has stood out as a charming, weekly dose of joy.
The third series of the BBC drama, which focuses on the character of Joe Hughes, a young boy with autism, arrived in early May and couldn’t have come at a better time.
While Joe may take centre stage in the series, The A Word also gives plenty of time for other characters to have their moment in the limelight.
In the sixth and final episode of The A Word’s third series, that was Rebecca, Joe’s older sister.
But just who plays Rebecca in The A Word?
- IN LOVING MEMORY: The A Word pays touching tribute to Tony Henshaw
The A Word: Series 3 Trailer | BBC Trailers
brid
538648
The A Word: Series 3 Trailer | BBC Trailers
/static/uploads/2020/04/547438_t_1587579570.jpg
547438
center
The A Word series 3 on the BBC
Series 3 of The A Word arrived on May 6th on the BBC with episodes arriving weekly on BBC One and all at once on BBC iPlayer.
The new series saw quite a shakeup for young Joe as his parents’ split left him travelling hundreds of miles to see them both, something that did not agree with his strict routines.
On top of that, Joe’s sister Rebecca returns home pregnant from university and the announcement of another family member on the way is a lot to take.
In series 3’s sixth and final episode, while on her and Joe’s journey home from school, Rebecca goes into labour, leaving Joe having to awkwardly ask some strangers for help.
- MORE ON THE WAY? Has The A Word finished for good?
Who plays Rebecca in The A Word?
- Rebecca is portrayed in The A Word by Molly Wright.
Born on March 20th, 1996, Molly Wright hails from the seaside town of Blackpool.
Wright, who is currently 24, made her professional acting debut in The A Word itself when the series first started in 2016. We’ll get onto her other roles in a moment.
Like many actors in the modern industry, Molly Wright is highly active on social media and has accounts on both Twitter and Instagram, with a combined following of around 8,500 at the time of writing.
This content could not be loaded
Molly Wright: Films and TV
As mentioned, Molly Wright’s acting debut came in The A Word’s first series in 2016.
In the same year, she also went on to play the character of Lulu Lane in the second series of the BBC drama Our Girl alongside Michelle Keegan.
Since then, Molly Wright has only appeared in the BBC film Apostasy which released in 2017.
According to IMDb, Wright has two short film appearances lined up, Nowhere Fast and 3 Minutes of Silence which are both reportedly complete and awaiting release.
After putting in such a standout performance in The A Word, however, we’re sure that it won’t be long before Wright is back on our screens and hopefully, in a fourth series of The A Word itself.
Until then, The A Word, featuring Molly Wright as Rebecca, is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The A Word | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Drama |
| Created by | Keren Margalit |
| Based on | Yellow Peppers by Keren Margalit |
| Developed by | Peter Bowker |
| Written by | Peter Bowker |
| Directed by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Composer | Rob Lane |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 18 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Production locations |
|
| Editor | Jamie Pearson |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Picture format | 16:9 1080i |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 22 March 2016 – 9 June 2020 |
| Related | |
| Yellow Peppers |
The A Word is a BBC television drama series, based on the Israeli series Yellow Peppers. The series follows a young boy and how his family cope with the revelation that he has autism spectrum disorder. Following filming in the Lake District from October 2015, a six-part series began airing on 22 March 2016. On 26 May 2016, the BBC announced that a second series of The A Word had been commissioned.[1] It premiered in the UK on 7 November 2017. The third series began airing on 5 May 2020.[2]
Synopsis[edit]
Five-year-old Joe Hughes displays clear signs of communication problems and consistently isolates himself by listening to pop music through large blue and black headphones. He has encyclopaedic knowledge of the songs he listens to and accurately sings along with the lyrics. His parents, Alison and Paul, seem oblivious to the disorder and wonder why Joe is ostracised by other children of the same age. However, it is later discovered by Joe’s grandfather, Maurice, that Alison and Paul have been taking him to hospital for his communication problems. Other family members know there is a problem, however, their attempts to intervene are met with obstruction from Joe’s parents. After originally believing Joe had hearing problems, their Ear, Nose and Throat consultant refers Joe to a specialist who diagnoses him as autistic.
The story then follows how the dysfunctional family, including Rebecca (who feels invisible), Eddie and Nicola (who are coping with their own relationship problems) and tactless grandad Maurice cope with Joe’s situation and their own apparent social disorders.
Cast[edit]
| Actor | Character | Role | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Vento | Joe Hughes | a child on the autism spectrum | 1– |
| Lee Ingleby | Paul Hughes | Joe’s father | 1– |
| Morven Christie | Alison Hughes | Joe’s mother | 1– |
| Molly Wright | Rebecca Hughes | Joe’s half-sister | 1– |
| Greg McHugh | Eddie Scott | Alison’s brother | 1– |
| Vinette Robinson | Nicola Daniels | Eddie’s wife | 1–12 |
| Christopher Eccleston | Maurice Scott | Joe’s grandfather, Alison’s and Eddie’s father | 1– |
| Pooky Quesnel | Louise Wilson | Maurice’s music teacher and lover | 1– |
| Leon Harrop | Ralph Wilson | Louise’s son | 1– |
| Matt Greenwood | Tom Clarke | Rebecca’s best friend | 2– |
| Thomas Gregory | Luke Taylor | Rebecca’s boyfriend | 2–6 |
| Daniel Cerqueira | Dr Graves | Family doctor | 1– |
| George Bukhari | Terry Norris | Worker at Paul and Alison’s cafe | 1– |
| Adam Wittek | David Nowak | Worker at the Scott’s brewery | 1– |
| Tommie Grabiec | Pavel Kaminski | Worker at the Scott’s brewery | 1– |
| Abby Ford | Sally | Worker at the Scott’s brewery | 4 |
| Julia Krynke | Maya Petrenko | Joe’s babysitter | 2–5 |
| Lisa Millett | Maggie White | Joe’s speech therapist | 3 |
| Ralf Little | Stuart | Rebecca’s biological father | 5–6, 11, 14 |
| Jude Akuwudike | Vincent Daniels | Nicola’s father | 7– |
| Clare Holman | Grace Daniels | Nicola’s mother | 7– |
| Aaron Pierre | James Thorne | Rebecca’s boyfriend | 7–8 |
| Julie Hesmondhalgh | Heather | Joe’s teacher | 13– |
| Lucy Gaskell | Sophie Berwick | Worker at Paul’s Gastropub | 7–11 |
| Travis Smith | Mark Berwick | Sophie’s autistic teenage son | 7– |
| Sarah Gordy | Katie Thorne | Ralph’s wife | 13– |
| Nigel Betts | Steve Thorne | Katie’s father | 13– |
| Sherry Baines | Clare Thorne | Katie’s mother | 13– |
Production[edit]
Bowker drew on his own experiences and observations as a teacher and with his family to write The A Word.[3] Autism advocate Deborah Brownson served as an advisor on the production.[4]
Filming took place from October 2015 at locations in the Lake District, including Keswick, Broughton-in-Furness, Coniston, Thirlmere Reservoir, and at The Space Project studios in Manchester.[5][6][7]
On 24 May 2019, it was announced by the BBC, and then subsequently via press and social media publications, that a third series was in production. Returning cast members included Christopher Eccleston, Morven Christie, Lee Ingleby, Max Vento, Molly Wright, Greg McHugh, Pooky Quesnel, Matt Greenwood and Leon Harrop. Joining the cast as newcomers were Julie Hesmondhalgh, Sarah Gordy and David Gyasi.[8]
Episodes[edit]
Series overview[edit]
Series 1 (2016)[edit]
Series 2 (2017)[edit]
Series 3 (2020)[edit]
Broadcast and reception[edit]
BBC One began airing the first six-part series in a Tuesday 9pm slot, replacing Happy Valley, on 22 March 2016. SundanceTV acquired rights for broadcasting the show in America, and it premiered there on 13 July 2016.[10] A second series began in the UK on 7 November 2017 remaining in its Tuesday 9pm slot. A third series was filmed in May 2019 and the entire series was released on BBC iPlayer on 5 May 2020. On the same day it also began broadcasting in its usual weekly slot on BBC One.[8][11] BBC First airs the series in Australia. Disney+ picked up the programme for all three series across all of Europe, except the UK.[12]
Overnight figures revealed the first episode was watched by 4.7 million viewers and had a 23% share of the audience.[13] BARB later reported a consolidated figure of 5.91 million.[9] Reaction to the first episode was mostly positive among viewers. Many people have praised the show on social media, partly for the quality of the acting but also for the way it dealt with the subject of autism.[14]
Home media[edit]
Series 1 was released on DVD in September 2016, and series 2 in December 2017. The third series was released on DVD in July 2020.[citation needed]
Spin-off series[edit]
In August 2020 it was announced that a spin-off series Ralph & Katie, following the married life of the protagonists, had been commissioned by the BBC.[15] The six-part series, which included a writing team made up predominantly of people with disabilities,[16] was broadcast in October and November 2022, with all episodes available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer.[17] The series will also be available on Disney+ in some regions.
References[edit]
- ^ «BBC Drama announces three new commissions for BBC One and BBC Two». BBC Media Centre (Press release). 26 May 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Tatum, Kris (24 May 2019). «Filming starts on series three of BBC’s The A Word in Cumbria». Times & Star. Workington, Cumbria. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Ritman, Alex (22 March 2016). «Autism Drama Writer Talks BBC, Sundance’s ‘The A Word’«. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Burns, Judith (29 December 2017). «MBE for author of ‘instruction manual’ for autism». BBC. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ «Filming begins on The A Word, new six-part drama for BBC One». BBC Media Centre (Press release). 26 October 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ «The A Word filming in Keswick». Time & Star. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Clarke, Tom (26 October 2015). «‘THE A WORD’ GOES INTO PRODUCTION AT SPACE STUDIOS MANCHESTER». The Space Project. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ a b «Filming commences on The A Word series three». BBC Media Centre (Press release). 24 May 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ a b c d «Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018)». Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (8 January 2016). «SundanceTV Acquires BBC, Keshet Autism Drama ‘The A-Word’«. Variety. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Kalia, Ammar (5 May 2020). «TV tonight: the third series of The A Word gets under way». The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Middleton, Richard (17 October 2022). «Disney+ strikes ‘Ralph & Katie’ & ‘The A Word’ deal across Europe». TBI Vision.
- ^ Johnson, Niall (23 March 2016). «BBC One’s autistic family drama The A Word opens with 4.7m». Mediatel. Retrieved 23 March 2016.[dead link]
- ^ Debnath, Neela (23 March 2016). «The A Word: Viewers praise Christopher Eccleston drama tackling autism». Daily Express. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ «BBC One announces Ralph And Katie, a spin-off of Peter Bowker’s hit drama The A Word». BBC Media Centre (Press release). 24 August 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ Hogan, Michael (9 October 2022). «Interview | Jordan Hogg: ‘In 15 years, I’ve never come across another disabled director’«. The Observer. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ «Ralph & Katie». BBC iPlayer. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
External links[edit]
- The A Word at BBC Online
- The A Word at IMDb
- The A Word at epguides.com
Sixteen year-old Rebecca has the best family relationship with Joe. He’s just a younger brother, and funny with it – why would anyone not want him to be ‘Joe’?
Appearances
The A Word
-
Episode 1×01: Diagnosis (Mar 22, 2016) -
Episode 1×02: Home School (Mar 29, 2016) -
Episode 1×03: Therapy (Apr 5, 2016) -
Episode 1×04: Sleepover (Apr 12, 2016) -
Episode 1×05: Goodbye (Apr 19, 2016) -
Episode 1×06: Lost (Apr 26, 2016) -
Episode 2×01: Naming Day (Nov 7, 2017) -
Episode 2×02: Get Away (Nov 14, 2017) -
Episode 2×03: Are We Still Here? (Nov 21, 2017) -
Episode 2×04: Falling (Nov 28, 2017) -
Episode 2×05: Family Album (Dec 5, 2017) -
Episode 2×06: Same Deep Water (Dec 12, 2017) -
Episode 3×01: Episode 1 (May 5, 2020) -
Episode 3×02: Episode 2 (May 12, 2020) -
Episode 3×03: Episode 3 (May 19, 2020) -
Episode 3×04: Episode 4 (May 26, 2020) -
Episode 3×05: Episode 5 (Jun 2, 2020) -
Episode 3×06: Episode 6 (Jun 9, 2020)
Rebecca surprised the entire family when she announced her pregnancy in The A Word.
Although she’s doing her best to support her daughter, Alison is concerned that she doesn’t realises how tough it’ll be.
The teenager has already dropped out of university to prepare for motherhood.
And in tonight’s episode (May 19), it dawns on Rebecca (Molly Wright) that her baby may have autism like her brother Joe.
Does Rebecca’s baby have autism in The A Word?
During a heart-to-heart with her mother, Rebecca acknowledges that her unborn child may have autism.
Although she loves her brother Joe to the moon and back, she realises such a diagnosis may mean her life will change more than she realises.
READ MORE: Will there be another series of The A Word and how does season 3 end?
When she originally announced her pregnancy, the teen explained she planned to go back to university to finish her degree.
However, with no partner to help her, going back to uni while looking after a young child with autism will prove challenging.
This thought clearly worries Rebecca.
Heartbreakingly, she’s also ridden with guilt for feeling anxious because she adores Joe.
Viewers will not find out if Rebecca’s baby has autism this series.
This is because autism is difficult to detect when a child is that young.
READ MORE: Why did Paul and Alison split up in The A Word? A new love interest is on the scene
According to the National Autistic Society: “Children can be diagnosed as autistic when they’re quite young, in some cases from the age of two.
“But not everyone is diagnosed early in life.
“It’s quite common for a child to not get their diagnosis until they are older, or even an adult, particularly if they don’t have accompanying learning disabilities.”
Is autism hereditary?
There is evidence to suggest that some forms of autism are hereditary.
However, scientists and researchers are still unsure which genes could be responsible.
READ MORE: Does Max Vento have autism in real life? The A Word star plays Joe Hughes in the hit BBC drama
According to the National Autistic Society: “Autism is likely to have multiple genes responsible rather than a single gene.
“The difficulty of establishing gene involvement is compounded by the interaction of genes and by their interaction with environmental factors.
“For these reasons genetic testing to diagnose a pre-disposition to an autistic spectrum disorder is not, at present, possible.”
What happens in The A Word tonight?
It’s a big day for Joe this evening (May 26).
Alison (Morven Christie) organises a sponsored walk for for his classmates to raise money for the school.
READ MORE: Who is Ben Chambers in The A Word? Here’s why Alison’s new love interest may look familiar
Planning the event brings gives her a chance to bond with Joe’s teacher Heather (Julie Hesmondhalgh).
During a heart-to-heart, the pair begin to open up one another and their conversation leaves Alison contemplating a new career.
When the big day arrives, the pressure off being centre of attention proves too much for Joe (Max Vento) and he refuses to leave his room.
However, Rebecca (Molly Wright) turns up and the mother-to-be saves the day – but there’s clearly something on her mind.
Later on she finally comes clean to Alison about what’s been worrying her.
Elsewhere, Paul (Lee Ingleby) is forced into a situation where he has to spend time with Ben (David Gyasi)..
Alison then finds out she isn’t the only one that’s moved on from her marriage.
The A Word series three is on BBC One, Tuesdays at 9pm.
Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.