Good news, Sex Education fans: Emma Mackey, 26, is returning as fan-favorite Maeve Wiley for season 4! Netflix announced the full returning cast on August 19 and shared a first-look photo of Emma with Schitt’s Creek alum Dan Levy, who is joining the show as Thomas, Maeve’s U.S. tutor at her Ivy League college. Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Aimee-Lou Wood, Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Mimi Keene, George Robinson, Chinenye Ezeudu, Dua Saleh, Alistair Petrie and Samantha Spiro are also all returning.
In addition to Dan, new cast members include Thaddea Graham, Marie Reuther, Felix Mufti, Anthony Lexa, Alexandra James and Imani Yahshua. Season 4 will definitely feel different since several cast members left the show after season 3, including Simone Ashley (Olivia), Tanya Reynolds (Lily), Chaneil Kular (Anwar), Rakhee Thakrar (Emily), Patricia Allison (Ola), and Michael Persbrandt (Jakob). At the end of season 3, Maeve left Otis behind in the U.K. to pursue the study program in the U.S. Meanwhile, Moordale Secondary closes from a lack of funding which sends everyone into a tailspin.
Netflix also released the official longline for the new season. “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, while 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 U.S., Maeve is living her dream at prestigious Wallace University, being taught by cult author Thomas Molloy. Otis is pining after her, while adjusting to not being an only child at home, or the only therapist on campus,” the logline reads, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Sex Education premiered in January 2019. It focuses on Moordale Secondary School student Otis Millburn (Asa Butterfield) and his complicated feelings about sex. His mother Jean (Gillian Anderson) is a sex therapist. Netflix hasn’t announced the premiere date for season 4.