Sex Education: Which cast members didn't appear in season four?
At least five characters left the Netflix series
Sex Education quickly became one of Netflix's most popular shows after the release of season one back in 2019. Now with season four - the FINAL season, we might add - available to stream, we've said goodbye to the Moordale gang we've come to know and love. It appears we may have said goodbye to some characters back in 2021, however, with multiple stars not returning for the grand finale.
Ahead of the final season landing on the streaming platform, it was revealed that multiple main characters would not be returning to the show. Take a look at which characters didn't appear in season four and why.
Who left Sex Education in season four?
The fourth season shaped up to look a bit different, not only because the gang were attending a new collage, but because multiple characters didn't return. Olivia (Simone Ashley), Lily (Tanya Reynolds), Ola (Patricia Allison) and Anwar (Chaneil Kular) were all absent.
On top of that, it was revealed prior to season four's release that it would also be missing teacher Emily Sands, played by former EastEnders actress Rakhee Thakrar. Rakhee said this was due to reasons she "can't really talk about", however when the season landed on Netflix, she did in fact appear in Episode Six.
Speaking about season four to the Daily Star Sunday before its release, Rakhee said: "I'm not part of the new series. I can't really talk about why.
"But I'm so proud of the show and grateful to have been part of something so important. There is nothing bad about Sex Education."
Despite not discussing the specific reason, the actress added that she has "a couple of things coming up". Although it has not been confirmed, many fans are speculating that she may be working on the upcoming prequel film Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet.
Was Lily in season four?
Actress Tanya Reynolds, who played the quirky alien-obsessed Lily Iglehart, revealed to Digital Spy that she will not be appearing in season four, prior to the series release.
Speaking to the publication, Tanya confirmed that Lily would not be coming back, saying: "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 new characters."
Fans quickly fell in love with Tanya's character Lily, who had a keen interest in all things aliens and space - so it's fair to say that we will all miss her in season four. Sharing the love, Tanya continued: "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."
Did Ola appear in season four?
As well as Tanya, show star Patricia Allison, who plays Lily's girlfriend Ola, also confirmed before the final season's release that her time on Sex Education had come to an end, due to other opportunities coming up.
Both Lily and Ola have been characters on the show since season one, with their relationship with one another becoming romantic during season two.
Did the actress Simone Ashley return to Sex Education?
In 2022 it was revealed that Simone Ashley would not be returning to Sex Education, with the actress admitting she is now a 'Bridgerton girl', following her appearance as Kate Sharma in season two of the show.
As well as Simone's character Olivia not returning for season four, neither did her on-screen bestie Anwar, played by Chaneil Kular. In the series, the reasoning behind the pair's absence was that they had chosen to go to a different school, following the closure of Moordale Secondary School.
With most of the characters choosing to enrol at Cavendish College, Ruby's pack 'The Untouchables' was seemingly disbanded as the pair instead chose to go to Taylor's Secondary, in Northbury (according to Aimee).
Was Eric in season four?
He sure was! Despite actor Ncuti Gatwa being confirmed as the next Doctor Who, it was revealed in 2022 that he would in fact be reprising his role as Eric for the final season.
The news that Ncuti would be returning to the show was confirmed on 4th August 2022, and despite being booked and busy - with him not only starring in Doctor Who but ALSO appearing in the hit Barbie movie - the timing has worked out perfectly to allow him to return to the Sex Education set.
Are there new characters in season four?
There sure are... Plenty, in fact! One of the most exciting additions to the cast came in the form of Mr Molloy - Maeve's teacher over in America. The part was played by the legendary Dan Levy - known for the hugely successful show Schitt's Creek.
Announcing the news, show bosses wrote: 'this is what you’ve been waiting 4. we're back bébés. welcoming @danjlevy as Mr Molloy.' (sic).
Here's a recap of the relationships in Sex Education:
Maeve and Otis
Starting with the basics, you can't be a fan of the show and not know that there are some serious sparks between main characters Maeve and Otis - in fact, the whole show is kind of built around it. From meeting in series one and starting up the sex clinic, the pair's friendship quickly blossomed into romantic feelings for one another.
Despite having clear feelings for one another, series one and two see various obstacles thrown at the pair, from Maeve beginning to date Jackson, to Otis beginning to date Ola. Although both of those relationships broke down, we saw people such as Isaac (aka the boy who deleted THE voicemail) and Ruby (who Otis begins sleeping with) hinder the pair getting together.
As fans will know, series three seemed slightly more promising for the pair. Despite Otis dating popular girl Ruby for a while, this relationship breaks down and we FINALLY see Otis and Maeve tell each other how they really feel. Despite the pair sharing a kiss, and things looking on the up for their relationship, their close romance was soon cut short when Maeve decided to attend a programme in America.
Season four was the pair continue with a long-distance relationship. Exchanging some saucy text messages, we soon saw Otis and Maeve begin to struggle with the distance, resulting in many arguments. Things got more complicated when Ruby and Otis struck up their friendship again, with a certain sleepover causing more problems between him and Maeve, who returned back to England. As the season - and whole show - came to an end, we saw Otis and Maeve patch things up, and appear stronger than ever, however after Maeve decided to return to America, the pair declared their love for one another but did decide to end their relationship.
Otis and Ola
In season one, things began to look good for Otis in the romance department when he met Ola. The daughter of handy-man Jakob (don't worry, we'll get to him), the friendship between the two quickly turns romantic, with the pair sharing a kiss, and later… More.
During the high school dance, Maeve, who clearly still had feelings for Otis, attempted to make Ola question her connection with him. Ola's doubts were soon made worse, when Otis used some pretty questionable metaphors in an attempt to comfort her - placing Maeve at the top of the food chain as a lion, and Ola a little further along as a simple house cat. Nice…
Despite forgiving Otis for his backhanded insult, Ola breaks up with Otis and soon realises that she is pansexual and has feelings for Lily Igleheart.
Meave and Jackson
A short but sweet tale. In season one of the show, we saw Maeve and Jackson's relationship develop from purely physical, to emotional. Jackson wins over Maeve through a series of grand gestures, as well as enlisting Otis' help in order to find out what makes Maeve tick.
Despite what seems to be a lovely relationship, things seem to turn south when Maeve feels intimidated upon meeting his mums. The boat is rocked further when Maeve finds out that Jackson has used Otis' help to woo her - it also didn't help that she found this out due to Jackson being incredibly drunk.
Jackson catches on that Maeve may have feelings for Otis, and by the end of the first season, we see this budding relationship come to an end.
Otis and Ruby
A relationship we didn't quite see coming, but we're certainly not mad at! Dividing a dedicated audience, season two ended with 'relations' blossoming between Otis and lead popular mean girl Ruby Matthews at a house party. At the beginning of season three, we see that the pair are still seeing one another, however it is being kept a secret by both of them.
As the series unfolds, a frustrated Otis decides to present Ruby with an ultimatum, telling her that unless they go public with the relationship, they are done (or… Over). Despite being initially reluctant, Ruby decides to go public with her romance with Otis, even taking the liberty of giving him a makeover (thankfully, the outfits don't last for long). Ruby even takes Otis home and introduces him to her dad - something that she has never done before, even with her pals.
Sadly, trouble brews in paradise when Ruby gushes to Otis those big three words… "I love you". When Otis tells her "that's nice", and evidently doesn't say it back, some-what permanent ructions are made between the two, ultimately leading to them breaking up.
By season four, the pair aren't exactly on speaking terms, especially given Otis is now in a long-distance relationship with Maeve. Despite this, we see his and Ruby's friendship spark up again as she manages his campaign to be collage's one and only sex therapist. After accidentally falling asleep at Ruby's, it's clear she still has feelings for Otis, and given his rocky patch with Maeve fans were convinced we might have seen the pair get their romance back up and running. This, however, didn't happen, and the pair ended the season as friends.
Jackson and Cal
Jackson then met Cal in season three. The pair quickly became friends, and hung out frequently to smoke. The pair opened up with one another, with Jackson discussing his anxiety, and Cal revealing they identified as non-binary and spoke about their gender identity. Through this time, Jackson began to develop feelings for Cal, and the pair even shared the odd kiss or two, until Cal got nervous and questioned Jackson on whether he'd be happy in a queer relationship. Due to sharing different opinions, their romance pretty much ended there.
Ola and Lily
After breaking up with Otis, Ola realises that she in pansexual and has been suppressing feelings for her friend Lily Igleheart. As the pair grow closer, Ola kisses Lily, who at first is initially rejected. Lily, however, later realises that the feeling is mutual and they begin dating.
As we begin season three, we see the pair enjoying a successful relationship together, including some pretty raunchy alien costumes. Sadly, they hit a rocky patch when Ola tells Lily that she's not as into the alien fantasies as she initially made out to be, causing Lily to become embarrassed. Not to worry though, the pair patch things up and everything is peachy keen between them by the end of the season.
Despite getting off to a slow start, and going through a rocky patch in season three, Ola and Lily are one of the few couples to make it to the end of the series (so far) still in a relationship.
Maeve and Isaac
Isaac got off to a pretty rocky start with Sex Education fans, with the season two new-boy serving as another obstacle preventing Maeve and Otis from being together. Of course, not to mention THAT voicemail…
Isaac and Maeve met when he moved into the same caravan park as her, with his quick-wit and humour catching her attention. As their friendship begins to blossom, there is clear tension between Isaac and Maeve's bestie Otis. When Otis realises his true feelings for Maeve, he leaves her a touching voicemail and heads to her caravan to speak with her. With Maeve not yet home, Otis is met with Isaac, who proves to be the least helpful messenger on the planet - not only FAILING to pass Otis' message on, but also deleting the all-important voicemail. Tut tut.
In season three, Isaac and Maeve grow closer, inevitably developing a romantic connection. Isaac confesses his sins, and Maeve soon forgives him. As their relationship becomes a little more serious, things become complicated when Maeve and Otis kiss, after he PERFECTLY recites to her the voicemail he left all those months back. Isaac and Maeve's relationship subsequently breaks down, sadly.
Amy and Isaac
Another romance we didn't see coming! In the fourth and final season, we see Amy exploring her artistic skills in order to help her deal with her trauma. Also interested in art is none other than Isaac - Maeve's former flame. Despite getting their friendship off to a rocky start, Amy and Isaac become close, and it's clear that the pair begin having feelings for each other. Staying loyal to her bestie Maeve, Amy shakes it off, however eventually opens up and confesses to Maeve that she likes Isaac. After getting her friend's blessing, Amy and Isaac explore their romantic connection.
Eric and Rahim
Ahh, Eric and Rahim. Season two of Sex Education saw the arrival of handsome French boy Rahim, who caught the attention of pretty much everyone at Moordale High. Rahim, however, clearly only had eyes for Eric. After complimenting Eric's scarf, Rahim soon asked him out on a date, and the pair were pretty smitten from there on.
Sadly for Rahim, his bo's eyes began to stray when Adam, a bully-turned-love interest for Eric, returned from Military Camp. At the end of the season, Adam confesses his love to Eric during the school play, and heartbreakingly for Rahim, who is sat in the audience, Eric reciprocates. Sadly, Eric and Rahim break up.
In season three, Adam and Eric become an official couple, with Rahim requesting all of his books and poems back from his ex, admitting he destroyed all of Eric's gifts in a small, controlled fire. As the season goes on, we see Rahim and Adam develop a some-what friendship with one another, but this didn't seem to go anywhere as Rahim didn't appear in season four.
Eric and Adam
We think it's fair to say that Eric and Adam's relationship got off to a rocky start. After years of Adam relentlessly bullying Eric, it becomes apparent that he is struggling with his sexuality and in fact has feelings for his bullying victim. While cooked up in detention with each other, the pair start getting pretty intimate. Sadly, before they can make sense of what had happened between them, Adam is sent away to Military Camp.
In season two, Eric begins dating new boy Rahim (see above), much to Adam's dismay when he returns from camp. As you can see from above, Eric can't fight his love for Adam, and the pair end up together.
As season three rolls around, things are peachy keen for Adam and Eric, who seem madly in love and we were OBSESSED. Shockingly (warning, spoilers), Eric ends up cheating on Adam while in Nigeria with his family. He confesses his sins upon his return to Moordale, leaving Adam (and us, for that matter) heartbroken.
With the pair broken up in season four, it is clear that Adam still has lingering feelings for Eric. The pair cross paths again as they attend Maeve's mum's funeral, with Eric being a source of comfort for Adam as he discusses coming out. Despite this, we don't see the pair get back together, and we see Adam meet somebody new - don't worry, we'll get there!
Eric and Oba
It pains us to even write about this one. A short but not-so-sweet affair (literally), Eric met photographer Oba whilst visiting Nigeria with his family. When Oba took Eric to a gay club, where the pair could relax and be themselves, the night out took a turn when the pair kissed. Eric later finds himself waking up in Oba's bed.
Overwhelmed with guilt, Eric confesses his actions to Adam once he gets back home. We'd be lying if we said we didn't shed a tear when we saw a broken-hearted Adam deal with Eric's betrayal.
We're sensing a pattern here, Eric...
Adam and Jem
Season four saw the introduction of Jem, who is the instructor at the stables Adam has bagged an apprenticeship at. The pair struck up a bond pretty quickly, with Jem helping Adam teach horse riding classes on his own, and supporting him at the stables despite him having no prior experience - or a driving licence, which, as you would think, it kind of necessary when driving tractors. Towards the end of the season, Adam comes out as bisexual to Jem, and she goes on to ask him out on a date.
Jean and Jakob
Jean and Jakob met early on in season one of Sex Education. Jakob is a handy-man, and when Jean called him round due to a burst pipe, it was clear that there was instant chemistry between them. Things got a little complicated as their relationship began to become physical, due to Jakob being Otis' then-girlfriend Ola's father, but that's a whole other story…
Jean and Jakob begin a relationship with one another, however his slobbish ways begin to irritate his sex therapist girlfriend. Things then get a little messy, when Otis' father, and Jeans ex, Remi turns up. Jakob begins to feel intimidated, and despite trying to win over her affections, Jean sadly cheats on the Swedish handy-man with her cheating ex (who, yes, is cheating on his new wife with Jean).
In the season two finale, Jean finds out that she is pregnant with who she thinks is Jakob's baby (despite him previously having had a vasectomy). As we enter season three, we see a heavily pregnant Jean EVENTUALLY confess to Jakob that she is expecting their first child. Jakob and Ola move into the Milburn's home (awks), and the dad-again-to-be begins to doubt whether or not he is the real father.
Of course, in THAT season three finale, we see Jean look a little unsettled with the paternity test results. It turns out that Jakob is not the father, and sadly season three is the last we see of him.
Jean and Remi
Remi's appearance on the show is pretty minimal to be honest, and it looks like the same can be said for his presence in Otis' life. But, boy, do his stints on the show have an impact…
Ex-husband Remi wants to collaborate with Jean on a book based on her experiences at school, however Jean is reluctant, and tells Remi's agent that he is a "colossal tw-t." Despite not liking her ex much at all, Jean is wooed by Remi during season two and the pair end up sleeping together, despite Remi having a wife, and Jean being in a relationship with Jakob. The romance (can we call it that?) didn't last long, with Remi soon leaving.
After the finale of season three, fans thought they might see his face pop up soon, given Jean's reaction to her new baby's paternity test. This, however, wasn't the case, and we didn't see him appear in season four - with Jean confessing in the final season that a man called Dan is the father.
You can watch seasons one-four of Sex Education on Netflix now.
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