Much-loved family drama The A Word will be back for a third series – and filming is just about to kick off in Manchester and the Lake District.

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Starring Christopher Eccleston alongside Lee Ingleby, Greg McHugh and Morven Christie, Peter Bowker's BBC drama The A Word tells the story of an autistic boy called Joe and his family.

Since we first met Joe pre-diagnosis in 2016, all of our characters' lives have shifted completely.

The cast of The A Word

Christopher Eccleston returns to the cast as Maurice Scott, with Morven Christie as Joe's mum Alison and Lee Ingleby as Joe's dad Paul. Max Vento plays Joe, and Molly Wright plays his sister Rebecca. Also back for series three are Pooky Quesnel (Louise), Greg McHugh (Eddie), and Leon Harrop (Ralph).

New faces include Broadchurch's Julie Hesmondhalgh, as well as Sarah Gordy and David Gyasi.

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"Two years on and things have changed for our A Word family," the BBC reveals. "Joe is 10 and living in two places at once, processing the seismic change in his life through the filter of his autism. Alison and Paul are divorced and live 100 miles apart. Nicola has moved to London. Eddie lives with his dad. Rebecca has just realised she’s pregnant. Only Maurice is holding it together. And if Maurice is the one holding it together, you know you are in trouble.

"A family is always a puzzle and this one needs piecing back together, albeit in a different shape."

Peter Bowker says, “It is a joy to be revisiting the world of The A Word, to move the story of the Hughes family on, and to have the opportunity to expand our celebration and examination of diversity and humanity in all its myriad forms. The BBC has been incredibly supportive of this show and deserve our thanks and support at a time when it continues to be attacked on behalf of the ignorant by those who should know better."

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An air date has yet to be confirmed.

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