Sex Education spoilers follow.
Sex Education is, without doubt, one of Netflix's most beloved series, but season three left some major fears over what lies ahead for the Moordale students.
While season four was officially given the go-ahead in September 2021, it was announced in July 2023 that the upcoming episodes will mark the end of Sex Education... at least as we know it.
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So what exactly is going on with the Moordale gang? Who's already left the series, and who has confirmed they'll be in the upcoming episodes? Most importantly: When will we even see season four?
Don't worry, we've got you covered. Here's everything you need to know about what's been going on.
Sex Education season 4 release date: When will it air?
In July 2023, Netflix officially announced that Sex Education will be ending with season four. We know. We grieve.
The streaming platform also confirmed the new episodes will be released on September 21.
While this is the last we'll be seeing of Otis, Maeve, Eric, and co, it's possible that another future season could welcome a fresh generation of students within that same high school setting, á la Skins or Degrassi.
After all, series creator Laurie Nunn recently told Tudum that "there's always potential for more to be explored in that world", adding: "Moordale is a really rich world, and writing about teenagers is always a lot of fun."
Now this is something we could definitely get on board with.
Sex Education season 4 cast: Who's in it?
Sex Education just wouldn't be the show it is without its A+ ensemble cast, each bringing a colourful and wonderfully weird character to live in the Welsh suburbs.
But it seems we're about to get a whole load of new characters, or a very stripped-back cast list, as a lot of stars have confirmed they won't return.
Let's start with the good stuff: Asa Butterfield will return as Otis Milburn, and bona fide legend Gillian Anderson will be back as his sex therapist mother, Dr Jean Milburn.
Ncuti Gatwa, who was confirmed as the next Doctor in Doctor Who, will also be back as Otis's larger-than-life best mate Eric Effiong, and Emma Mackey, who is Otis's will they/won't they love interest Maeve Wiley, is back in business.
However, Emma will be having a scaled-back role in the new episodes as Maeve is in the US studying.
After winning the Rising Star award at the Baftas 2023 at the end of February, Emma confirmed she'd "said goodbye to Maeve".
But all is not lost, and it's been confirmed returning cast members are:
• Connor Swindells (Adam Groff)
• Aimee-Lou Wood (Aimee Gibbs)
• Kedar Williams-Stirling (Jackson Marchetti)
• Dua Saleh (Cal Bowman)
• Mimi Keene (Ruby Matthews)
• Chinenye Ezeudu (Viv Odusanya)
• George Robinson (Isaac Goodwin)
• Alistair Petrie (Michael Groff)
• Samantha Spiro (Maureen Groff)
Plus, we have some new additions! Schitt's Creek star Dan Levy will be joining the cast as Thomas Molloy, Maeve's mentor while she studies in the States.
Doctor Who's Thaddea Graham will also appear as O, a new rival for Otis, at his progressive new sixth-form college called Cavendish, following Moordale's closure.
"She's just brilliant," series creator Laurie Nunn enthused about Graham in an interview with Tudum. "That was a really specific bit of casting that we knew we needed to get right because it had to be someone who could keep Otis on his toes.
"Otis starts at Cavendish, and quickly realises that his ambition to start an ethical new sex therapy clinic has been thwarted because there's already a talented sex therapist called O on campus, and this becomes the catalyst for Otis' journey in Series 4."
Completing the new additions for season four of Sex Education are Marie Reuther, Felix Mufti, Anthony Lexa, Alexandra James, Reda Elazouar, Bella Maclean, and Imani Yahshua.
However, there sadly will be some faces missing from proceedings, and at least four major players have confirmed they won't be back for the next season.
Following the success of Bridgerton, Simone Ashley has bowed out of season four, and won't return as "Untouchable" Olivia Hanan, confirming instead she'll appear in a third run of Bridgerton and sharing she's excited to see Kate Sharma's life as a married Viscountess.
In July 2022, two more cast members announced within a week of each other that they wouldn't be back. The first was Patricia Allison, who plays Otis's ex and possible soon-to-be step-sibling, Ola Nyman.
"I absolutely have loved being on Sex Education so, so much, and playing Ola," Allison remarked on Capital Xtra's breakfast show on July 6. "But unfortunately, I won't be joining the team for season four."
Allison made the decision to leave the show in order to make way for some alternative work.
"Some other opportunities have come up," the star teased (possibly referring to the superhero show Extraordinary). "So, I've been doing it for three years and I've genuinely loved it."
This announcement was followed by another on July 13 from Tanya Reynolds, who played fan favourite Lily Iglehart, Ola's girlfriend, and creator of frankly bizarre erotic Shakespeare adaptations.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, Reynolds said: "Lily is not coming back either. I think that for Lily, her storyline was just wrapped up quite nicely at the end of season three. So she's got no loose ends to tie up, she had quite a happy ending.
"At the end of last season, everyone kind of gets scattered, and I think that's just a good opportunity to bring in some new characters.
"I absolutely will miss [her]. I love, love Lily with my whole entire being and I had the best time on those three seasons, and I will miss it for sure.
"I will miss Lily, and I will miss the gang. But it just kind of feels very right. It feels like time. It felt like it was my time."
And then, Rakhee Thakrar, who plays English teacher Emily Sands, confirmed she also won't return for season four of Sex Education.
The former EastEnders star hinted at future projects, saying that she wasn't yet able to share why she wouldn't be back as Emily, but said she was "proud" of her work on the show.
Jim Howick, who plays Emily's partner, music, and science teacher Colin Hendricks, added in August 2022 he didn't know whether he'd be back either, having still not received a call.
"I'll probably find out soon, and I'm pretty sure I am, I would know if I wasn't. I think I'm probably in it, but probably in the second block, and that films until February. So we've got ages to go," he exclusively told Digital Spy, later adding: "I don't want to say anything for definite because in these situations, you just don't know obviously."
It's also been confirmed that two new trans characters are joining the Sex Education cast for season four – Abbi and Kent, who were dubbed a "power couple" in a casting call, with Abbi having a "'90s Winona Ryder vibe".
Kicked out from her ultra-religious and conservative family, Abbi lives with Kent and his parents. Her bio reads: "Abbi is the leader of her group and the queen bee of her college. She's sunny, magnetic, generous, and loyal."
Kent is transmasculine and comes from an accepting home, but isn't as confident with his position as a popular kid at his college.
He is "goofy, forgetful, and a great listener", and has been with Abbi for a while – with the entire school adoring their "couple goals" nature. We can't wait to meet them.
Sex Education season 4 plot and spoilers: What will happen?
The official synopsis for Sex Education season four reads: "Following the closure of Moordale Secondary, Otis and Eric now face a new frontier – their first day at Cavendish Sixth Form College.
"Otis is nervous about setting up his new clinic, whilst Eric is praying they won't be losers again. But Cavendish is a culture shock for all the Moordale students – they thought they were progressive but this new college is another level.
"There's daily yoga in the communal garden, a strong sustainability vibe, and a group of kids who are popular for being… kind?! Viv is totally thrown by the college's student-led, non-competitive approach, while Jackson is still struggling to get over Cal.
"Aimee tries something new by taking an Art A-Level, and Adam grapples with whether mainstream education is for him. Over in the US, Maeve is living her dream at prestigious Wallace University, being taught by cult author Thomas Molloy.
"Otis is pining after her, whilst adjusting to not being an only child at home, or the only therapist on campus…"
So... looks like it's all go!
Sex Education threw a metaphorical life bomb at the students at the end of season three with the announcement that Moordale High was closing.
After becoming internet sensations for their open and frank discussions about sex (and the several plays and films they created that proved a little raunchy for parents' taste), the school board decided to close the place down.
That's forcing ALL our teen characters to scatter and find somewhere else to complete their education away from each other.
As a result of the school closure, more than ever relationships and friendships will be tested to their limit… unless they band together to try and save Moordale before it's too late.
Maeve and Otis are still very much in 'Will they/won't they?' territory, after a kiss in France finally had them reveal their feelings for each other. But now that Otis has become closer to Ruby, is it a case of it being a missed opportunity that will never quite materialise?
Just when it looked like the duo were finally going to give it a go, Maeve decided to head off to the US to make her "disgustingly big brain even bigger", which leaves their relationship hanging in the balance once again.
Butterfield has spoken about the evolution of the show which fans can expect to see more of in the coming season.
He told the Radio Times: "We're in the new school, new locations, and things have changed up a bit. And we've got some new characters.
"It's still got the core team involved and it's been fun. I mean, we all know each other so well at this point, so it's a great time and it's a laugh."
"Everything flows, nothing stands still," said Heraclitus back in ye old days of yore, and there's every chance that Maeve and Otis might never be on the same page. Only time will tell.
Eric and Adam have officially split after realising that, sadly, they're not on the same page when it comes to their sexuality. In an emotional scene, the proudly out Eric told Adam: "I just feel like I'm ready to fly and you're just learning to walk."
Season three's central theme was undoubtedly people doing what's right for them – prioritising their own mental health, and learning to understand and truly love and accept themselves. Self-love, guys, it's the most important relationship there is.
At least Adam has patched things up with his family, and he's just at the beginning of his coming-out journey. He's also discovered a love of dog training, which could definitely play out in the upcoming episodes.
Aimee is still dealing with the after-effects of a sexual assault on a bus back in season two, and again this has led her to break things off with her boyfriend, and seek therapy with Jean. It's allowing her to come into her own without having a man around as necessary backup.
"Aimee's had all these voices around her, talking about what she's been through, and telling her what she's been through," Wood told Digital Spy. "Everyone's trying to help, but it's not until that moment in therapy... She's fallen out with Maeve, her one best friend. She's been told, 'You should break up with Steve'.
"She's never been without a boyfriend. Everything that she's afraid of, comes true. And actually, she realises, 'Oh my God, I'm okay. Even though all these really terrifying things have happened, I'm still here, and I'm still okay.'"
And Wood gave Digital Spy a further update, during the promotion of Living.
"The characters feel like they're in very new territory because they literally are, they're at a new school. A lot of our feeling slightly off-centre is actually also just because of what is happening in the story which is that they are [at] a new school.
"Aimee, particularly, her best friend's in America, she doesn't have a boyfriend for the first time ever, she's at a brand new school where she doesn't have any mates. So there's a lot of newness for all of the characters and I think that that does make the show feel very new."
Wood also discussed some positive changes for Aimee, following Maeve's move to the States.
"She's not got her best friend with her, she's not got a boyfriend for the first time ever. Also, she's at this new school and she doesn't have any mates," Wood said (via HypeBae).
"But what's so amazing is that through art, Aimee finds something that connects her to herself. I've always felt that Aimee isn't stupid, and people think that she is. She's so astute and emotionally intelligent and has an incredible imagination. This season, she realises that she has a brilliant brain and has got loads to say."
But the biggest bombshell we need to be dealing with comes not from the teens, but the adults, with Jean nearly dying giving birth at the end of season three.
Jean's unexpected pregnancy allowed her to grow closer to the presumed baby daddy, Jakob (Ola's father). But in the final seconds of the finale, as she recovered in hospital, she found out the DNA results and… in the words of Jerry Springer: "Jakob… you are NOT the father!"
But now Jean has a decision to make. Does she continue to lie to her other half to maintain this happy life? Or does she come clean? Either way, this is not going to end well, we can be sure of that.
Sex Education season 4 trailer: When can I watch it?
Now! The trailer for the final season of Sex Education has arrived and you can watch it above.
"Hi everyone, I’m Otis Milburn," Otis begins as he stands on stage in front of his fellow classmates. "I’m new here, I’m with the whole Moordale secondary team."
"I just want to let you know a little bit about myself. I spend a lot of my free time thinking about sex. I live and breathe sex everyday," he continues his speech, cueing some embarrassed reactions from his teenage peers.
We're then shown a montage of all the drama to come and, of course, it looks like sex is very much the thing on everyone's mind. It certainly looks like season four will go out with a bang... in every sense of the word.
The team also dropped these incredible bloopers from filming the third season (see below), which will definitely keep us busy and laughing while we wait for the show’s return.
Sex Education seasons 1-3 are streaming on Netflix.
Netflix/Left Bank Pictures The Crown season 3 with Amazon exclusive box artwork
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
Freelance writer, Digital Spy
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