Everything to Know About Season 4 of ‘Sex Education’: From Cast Departures to Upcoming Story Lines

Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Everything to Know About Season 4 of 'Sex Education': From Cast Departures to Upcoming Story Lines

Is this the end? Sex Education's fourth season made headlines before its premiere after several cast members confirmed their departures from the show. In July 2022, Patricia Allison announced she would not be reprising the role of Ola in the upcoming season. “I absolutely have loved being on Sex Education so, so much … but unfortunately, I won’t be joining the team for season 4,” the actress, who appeared in the series since 2019, said during an episode of U.K. radio show "Breakfast With Yinka and Shayna Marie." “Some other opportunities have come up. I’ve been doing it for three years, and I’ve genuinely loved it.” The England native admitted it wasn't easy to part ways with the show. “Absolutely [it was difficult],” she continued. “I guess I have to say goodbye at some time, which is kind of sad, but other things are coming.” Sex Education explores high school students such as Otis (Asa Butterfield), Maeve (Emma Mackey), Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ola as they deal with ups and downs in their daily lives. The show, which also starred Simone Ashley and Gillian Anderson, specifically addressed personal issues that teenagers go through including sexual intimacy. As season 4 wrapped up filming, Gatwa shocked fans with the news of his own exit. "Last day. Last time. Bye bubs, thank you for all the lessons and for all the strength✨," the BAFTA award winner, who joined the cast of Doctor Who in 2022, captioned a February 2023 Instagram photo from set. Meanwhile, Mackey seemingly addressed why several stars of the show were ready for a fresh start after season 4. "It's just always tricky, it's different when you're playing a character that is sort of stuck in time. You know, we're playing 17-year-olds, and we're all almost 30, it is a bit weird," she told Total Film that same month. "It's something that has given us opportunities in different ways, but it's something that I want to gracefully exit from and be happy that it exists and protect it and enjoy it in the time that it has existed in. But yeah, it needs to be left alone now I think." The Barbie star continued: "It's just so contained and so condensed and intense when you're shooting those kinds of things. We well up just thinking about how far we've come from when we were 21 and had our first auditions to where we are now." Scroll down for everything to know about the future of Sex Education:

Credit: Sam Taylor/Netflix

Who Is Joining the Cast of 'Sex' Education in Season 4?

Dan Levy and Jodie Turner-Smith have been cast as new characters in the next season of the hit Netflix series.

Credit: Sam Taylor/Netflix

Which Stars Won't Appear in Season 4?

Before season 4 debuted, Rakhee Thakrar confirmed she wouldn't be back for more episodes. Tanya Reynolds and Allison will also move on from their roles. Meanwhile, Ashley previously noted that her decision to bring Kate Sharma to life in Netflix's Bridgerton series ended her arc on Sex Education.

Credit: Sam Taylor/Netflix

Which Cast Members Plan to Depart 'Sex Education' After Season 5?

Mackey and Gatwa hinted that they have no plans to sign on for more seasons of Sex Education. The duo have been on the show since it debuted in 2019.

Credit: Sam Taylor/NETFLIX

Has Netflix Renewed 'Sex Education' for Season 5?

Sex Education has not been picked up for more episodes.

Aimee Lou Wood, who plays Aimee, also teased that season 4 may be the conclusion to the show. "I'm not sure because there's a part of me that could just do it forever. But there's also a part of me that's like, 'No — we've all got to go and do different things and play different parts,'" she told Radio Times in October 2021. "It's a bittersweet thing because it probably is, even if it's not this series, it probably is closer now to ending than it is to the start. Which is sad but also probably in many ways, will be positive. I always think leave them wanting more as well. Always leave them wanting more."

Credit: Sam Taylor/Netflix

Who Is Interested in a Potential 'Sex Education' Spinoff?

"A spinoff would be good but it has to be well-thought-out and really unique and not just for the sake of doing a spinoff," Butterfield told Cosmopolitan UK in September 2021. "I’d love to do a fourth season, because we have so much fun on this show. At the same time, we’ve been doing it for three years now, and I’d be happy saying goodbye to these characters."

Credit: Sam Taylor/Netflix

What Changes Can Fans Expect in Season 4?

"I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to tease. But we're in the new school, new locations and things have changed up a bit. And we've got some new characters," Butterfield teased to Radio Times in February 2023. "The show's definitely sort of evolved somewhat. But 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."