Sex Education Season 4: Trailer, Release Date, Cast, and Everything You Need to Know

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Attention, all students: Netflix’s beloved teen comedy Sex Education is coming back for a fourth and final season soon.

The Emmy Award-winning show was renewed just a week after Season 3 was released. But that was back in 2021, which means that it’s been nearly two years since we last saw Otis, Eric, Maeve, Aimee, and the rest of the students (and adults) of the recently closed Moordale Secondary School.

So, if you’re wondering what to expect and if it really will be the show’s last hurrah, here’s everything you need to know about Sex Education Season 4.

Is There a Trailer for Sex Education’s Fourth Season?

There is.

Netflix dropped the first official teaser for Sex Education’s fourth and final season just a few days ago. In it, Asa Butterfield’s Otis is as delightfully awkward as we remember, introducing himself to the students of his new school, Cavendish Sixth Form College, as his old classmates watch (and cringe). 

We’re also blessed with a few glimpses of the other characters: Maeve at her new school across the pond; Aimee with a toy; Adam driving with his dad Michael, Jean with her new baby and, of special interest to those who ship them, Ruby in bed next to Otis.

We’re keeping our eyes peeled for more trailers and promotional materials before the season premiere. And speaking of… 

When Is the Release Date for Sex Education Season 4?

Sex Education Season 4 premieres on Netflix on Thursday, September 21, 2023.

Who’s in the Cast of Sex Education Season 4?

Most of the cast members from previous seasons will be returning for the fourth and final season, namely:

• Asa Butterfield (Otis Milburn)
• Ncuti Gatwa (Eric Effiong)
• Emma Mackey (Maeve Wiley)
• Gillian Anderson (Dr. Jean Milburn)
• Aimee Lou Wood (Aimee Gibbs)
• Connor Swindells (Adam Groff)
• Kedar Williams-Stirling (Jackson Marchetti)
• Mimi Keene (Ruby Matthews)
• Chinenye Ezeudu (Vivienne ‘Viv’ Odusanya)
• Dua Saleh (Cal Bowman)
• George Robinson (Isaac Goodwin)
• Samantha Spiro (Maureen Groff)
• Alistair Petrie (Michael Groff)
• Jim Howick (Colin Hendricks)
• Rakhee Thakrar (Emily Sands)
• Daniel Ings (Dan)

A few Sex Education stars aren’t coming back for Season 4, however.

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Tanya Reynolds, who played Lily Iglehart, told the UK’s Radio Times that though leaving the show is very sad, “I loved every minute of it and I loved Lily with my whole entire heart. Three seasons was just a really perfect amount for me.”

Patricia Allison, who played Lily’s love interest Ola Nyman, will also not be returning, citing other opportunities that have come up for her.

Simone Ashley, who played untouchable Olivia Hanan, has since made her debut in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton. 

On a more positive note, the show will welcome some new faces in the upcoming final season — a few of which we glimpsed in the trailer.

For instance, Dan Levy (from Schitt’s Creek) is playing Thomas, a tutor at Maeve’s US school. Other actors joining the Sex Education cast are:

• Jodie Turner Smith (Anne Boleyn)
• Thaddea Graham (Doctor Who)
• Marie Reuther (Kamikaze)
• Lisa McGrillis (BBC’s Mum)
• Eshaan Akbar
• Felix Mufti
• Anthony Lexa
• Alexandra James
• Reda Elazouar
• Bella Maclean
• Imani Yahshua

What’s Going to Happen in Season 4 of Sex Education?

Released back in 2021, Season 3 of Sex Education gave us plenty of heart-warming scenes and important lessons. But it also left us with several cliffhangers, which Season 4 should cover.

Season 4’s official log line reads:

“Following the closure of Moordale Secondary, Otis (Butterfield) and Eric (Gatwa) 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 (Ezeudu) is totally thrown by the college’s student-led, non-competitive approach, while Jackson (Williams-Stirling) is still struggling to get over Cal. Aimee (Wood) tries something new by taking an Art A-Level, and Adam (Swindells) grapples with whether mainstream education is for him.”

“Over in the US, Maeve (Mackey) is living her dream at prestigious Wallace University, being taught by cult author Thomas Molloy (Levy). Otis is pining after her, whilst adjusting to not being an only child at home, or the only therapist on campus…”

On the whole, a lot is in store for Sex Education’s ensemble cast, some of whom have dropped some hints about their characters’ final story arcs.

Ncuti Gatwa has divulged with Vogue that Eric will get “the ending I wanted for him.” He shares, “Things get tied up. And there was one scene that I particularly fought for, and I managed to get it in, which was great.” He co-wrote the scene with co-star Aimee Lou Wood, who plays Aimee. “I’ve never written for Eric before, so that felt big, and it was a scene that meant a lot to me in terms of Eric’s journey and relationships. It felt very necessary.”

For her part, Wood has said that Season 4 feels “a lot more grown up.”

Not in the season summary is what’s next for Dr. Jean Milburn, who, at the end of Season 3, has just found out that Jakob is not the father of her newborn child. What that means for their already fragile new relationship will be fun to see in the upcoming season.

Will Season 4 Really Be Sex Education’s Last Season?

The short answer is yes.

In a letter to the show’s fans, Sex Education showrunner Laurie Nunn wrote, “This was not an easy decision to make, but as the themes and stories of the new season crystallized, it became clear that this was the right time to graduate.”

And when put that way, the show ending can be seen as a good thing.

For instance, it means that the show’s talented team of writers have the opportunity to end things on their own terms instead of being cancelled — a fate that’s befallen many a Netflix show and especially those with LGBTQ+ characters.

It also means that Sex Education’s talented cast can move on to other exciting projects.

Ncuti Gatwa and Emma Mackey, for instance, are appearing in the upcoming Barbie movie. Gatwa has signed on with the Doctor Who series, taking on the mantle from David Tennant to become the 15th Doctor this November. It would also be really exciting to see what’s next on the already impressive filmographies of Asa Butterfield and Gillian Anderson.

Ready or Not…

Sex Education will be heading out with a bang — or, given the way Season 3 opened, likely several — this September.

And while we’re sad to know that class is in session for the very last time, we’re also grateful to have watched such a hilarious, honest, and heartfelt TV show grow into one of TV’s finest and most important.