Original version

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

BBC One London

London

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One North West

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One Oxfordshire

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Wales

Wales

Secrets and Words

Colin McKeown

Reece Dinsdale

Arthur Ellison

Susie Blake

Ramona Marquez

Lee Boardman

Kevin Doyle

Jennifer James

Barbara Barnes

Mia Jenkins

Secrets and Words: Episode 4: The Crossing

Drama

Episode 4

Episode 4: The Crossing

The Crossing

BBC One - Secrets and Words, The Crossing

Kathleen is terrified when 10-year-old Megan asks her to read in front of an audience.

Drama. Lollipop lady Kathleen enjoys her friendship with 10-year-old Megan, but is terrified when Megan asks for her help in reading a story in front of an audience.

Kathleen enjoys being a lollipop lady at the local school, especially as it has led to her close friendship with ten-year-old neighbour Megan. Both Kathleen and Megan have been through tough times recently; Kathleen's mother has recently died, while Megan's mother has run off with another man. Megan's dad Jimmy isn't coping well, leaving Megan to do much of the cooking and cleaning around the house. Kathleen leads a quiet life; her sister Brenda emigrated to Canada two years ago, leaving Kathleen to look after their mother alone, and despite her sister's attempts to get Kathleen online, contact is limited. 

Megan has started getting into trouble at school and, in an effort to steer her on the straight and narrow, the teachers suggest Megan and Jimmy read a story for the Christmas show. Megan knows Jimmy is too busy working to join her in the show, so asks Kathleen. Megan is thrilled at the prospect, but it's Kathleen's worst nightmare - she's always struggled with her literacy skills, and reading to an audience fills her with terror. 

Kathleen makes more and more excuses to avoid Megan and rehearsals. Megan's confused and hurt, and feels Kathleen is abandoning her just like her mother did. Megan's behaviour gets worse at school, resulting in a near-miss on the school crossing which could have had serious consequences. Horrified that she's provoked Megan's bad behaviour, Kathleen convinces the headteacher to give Megan another chance. A written apology backfires on them both, and Kathleen is forced to come clean to Megan about her literacy problems. 

Kathleen realises that she's been cutting herself off from the world, and that it's about time she asked for help and tried something new. She has a heart-to-heart with Megan's dad Jimmy - Kathleen lost her childhood and most of her adulthood looking after her mother - she doesn't want the same to happen to Megan. But, still hurt by Kathleen's lies and secrecy, will it be too late to patch things up with Megan?

BBC One

Stand-alone dramas on the theme of adult literacy.

Stand-alone dramas on the theme of adult literacy, which affects millions of adults across the UK.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Secrets and Words

Episode 4: The Crossing

Contributors

Genres

Series

BBC One South East

About BBC One