<P> The A Word is a BBC drama television series based on Israeli series Yellow Peppers (פלפלים צהובים) by Keren Margalit . The series follows a five - year - old boy and how his family cope with the revelation that he has autism . 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 . It premiered in the UK on 7 November 2017 . </P> <P> 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 otolaryngologist refers Joe to a specialist who diagnoses him with autism . 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 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Character </Th> <Th> Role </Th> <Th> Episode </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Max Vento </Td> <Td> Joe Hughes </Td> <Td> 7 year - old boy who has autism </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lee Ingleby </Td> <Td> Paul Hughes </Td> <Td> Joe's father </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Morven Christie </Td> <Td> Alison Hughes </Td> <Td> Joe's mother </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Molly Wright </Td> <Td> Rebecca Hughes </Td> <Td> Joe's 16 - year - old half - sister </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Greg McHugh </Td> <Td> Eddie Scott </Td> <Td> Alison's brother </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Vinette Robinson </Td> <Td> Nicola Daniels </Td> <Td> Eddie's wife </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Christopher Eccleston </Td> <Td> Maurice Scott </Td> <Td> Joe's grandfather, Alison's and Eddie's father </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pooky Quesnel </Td> <Td> Louise Wilson </Td> <Td> Maurice's music teacher and lover </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Matt Greenwood </Td> <Td> Tom Clarke </Td> <Td> Rebecca's best friend </Td> <Td> 2--6, 9 - </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Thomas Gregory </Td> <Td> Luke Taylor </Td> <Td> Rebecca's ex-boyfriend </Td> <Td> 2--6 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Daniel Cerqueira </Td> <Td> Dr Graves </Td> <Td> Insensitive family doctor </Td> <Td> 1--5, 7 - </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> George Bukhari </Td> <Td> Terry Norris </Td> <Td> Worker at Paul and Alison's cafe </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Adam Wittek </Td> <Td> David Nowak </Td> <Td> Worker at the Scott's brewery </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tommie Grabiec </Td> <Td> Pavel Kaminski </Td> <Td> Worker at the Scott's brewery </Td> <Td> 1--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Abby Ford </Td> <Td> Sally </Td> <Td> Worker at the Scott's brewery </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Julia Krynke </Td> <Td> Maya Petrenko </Td> <Td> Joe's babysitter </Td> <Td> 2--5 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lisa Millett </Td> <Td> Maggie White </Td> <Td> Joe's speech therapist </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ralf Little </Td> <Td> Stuart </Td> <Td> Rebecca's biological father </Td> <Td> 5--6, 11 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jude Akuwudike </Td> <Td> Vincent Daniels </Td> <Td> Nicola's father </Td> <Td> 7 - </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Clare Holman </Td> <Td> Grace Daniels </Td> <Td> Nicola's mother </Td> <Td> 7 - </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Aaron Pierre </Td> <Td> James Thorne </Td> <Td> Rebecca's boyfriend </Td> <Td> 7 - 8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lucy Gaskell </Td> <Td> Sophie Berwick </Td> <Td> Worker at Paul's Gastropub . </Td> <Td> 7 - 11 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Travis Smith </Td> <Td> Mark Berwick </Td> <Td> Sophie's autistic teenage son . </Td> <Td> 7 - </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Character </Th> <Th> Role </Th> <Th> Episode </Th> </Tr>

Who plays rebeccas boyfriend in the a word