While Netflix fans were delighted to hear the next season of Sex Education will be landing in September, the news also came with a downside: it will be the fourth and final instalment of the show. But why isn't Sex Education season 5 happening, and what have the cast said about it coming to an end?
If you didn't already know, Otis, Maeve and the gang are heading back to Moordale High for one last time, as the Sex Education story comes to a close. While fans are gutted about the news to say the least, it's hardly surprising - it's been almost five years since the first season came out, so things have changed quite a bit.
Why is Sex Education on Netflix coming to an end?
The cast have all grown up a lot
Emma Mackey, who plays Maeve and is 27 in real life, previously told Hunger that she was ready to take on a more grown up role. "Sex Education is so momentous as a concept, as a show, and the cast are phenomenal. I genuinely care about them all a lot and I made lifelong friends. But the bittersweet nature of it is that I also can't be 17 my whole life."
She elaborated to Total Film, "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."
Many of the cast are in their mid- to late-20s, so it does make sense that they would want to move on from playing characters in their teens. Also, the cast can't be at school forever! By season four, the likelihood that they'd be in year 13 is high.
They want to work on other projects
While Sex Education acted as a brilliant launch pad for many of the cast, it's safe to say many of them have other projects lined up. Ncuti Gatwa, for example, is casually the next Doctor Who, while Emma Mackey is being cast left, right and centre in big Hollywood blockbusters - most recently, she starred in Barbie alongside Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling (Connor Swindells and Ncuti are actually in it, too.)
Aimee Lou Wood, who plays Aimee, meanwhile was in Living with Bill Nighy, while Asa Butterfield, who plays Otis, has six other projects on the go right now, including the sequel to Your Christmas Or Mine?
They've potentially outgrown their roles
Ncuti Gatwa, who plays the beloved Eric in the series, admitted the role also came with its downsides. "It was very hard; it was such a big show," he told Rolling Stone UK. "When you’re telling stories that haven’t been seen before, there’s always a battle as to how to tell them.
"It wasn’t always joyous. I feel like we’ve outgrown it and we’ve given everything we can to it. Being on it fast-tracked me into the downsides of this industry. I remember being told by an executive producer that white people wouldn’t understand my character, Eric, which incensed me. There’s an entire show there for white people to understand."
The story has come to its natural conclusion
Above all, the show's creator and writer Laurie Nunn revealed Sex Education had kind of reached its natural conclusion with season four, and it felt like the right time to tie up the loose ends.
In an open letter to fans, she explained, "Writing this feels bittersweet, as we've decided the fourth season will also be the final instalment of the show. This was not an easy decision to make, but as the themes and stories of the new season crystallised, it became clear that this was the right time to graduate."
Welp. At least we've got the first four seasons for company.
Sex Education season 4 is released 21 September 2023.
