The fourth and final season of Sex Education is finally here, where cast members Asa Butterfield, Emma Mackey, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa, Aimee-Lou Wood and Connor Swindells have all returned for one last outing in the hit teen drama.
But the final season also welcomes a host of new characters to Moordale and beyond, including Dan Levy of Schitt’s Creek, Lisa McGrillis from Last Night In Soho and Doctor Who actor Thaddea Graham.
The new season is set to follow Otis and Eric’s start at Cavendish Sixth Form College, which takes a “student-led approach” where kids are “popular for being… kind”, according to Netflix, after the closure of Moordale Secondary.
Stars that will not be returning, however, include Simone Ashley, who played Olivia, Patricia Allison and Tanya Reynolds who starred as couple Ola and Lily, and Rakhee Thakrar, who played teacher Emily Sands.
Explore the new cast and where you might know them from below…
Dan Levy
Season four sees Maeve (Emma Mackey) hop across the pond to study at an Ivy League college in the US. It’s there, at the prestigious Wallace University, that she’s tutored by cult author Laurie Nunn, played by Schitt’s Creek actor Dan Levy.
Dan shared the “VERY serious news” on Twitter/X last month, where he posted a picture of his character alongside Meave.
Lisa McGrillis
The British actor plays Jean Mulburn’s (Gillian Anderson) sister Joanna in season four of Sex Education. Her previous acting credits include Last Night In Soho, and TV shows Best Interests, Maternal, Somewhere Boy and Avoidance.
It’s likely her storyline will weave into Jean’s journey of being a mum again, after a paternity test revealed her boyfriend Jakob wasn’t actually the father of her newborn daughter.
Thaddea Graham
The Northern Irish actress joins Sex Education as O, a rival sex therapist to Jean.
She played Bel in several episodes of Doctor Who, and has other credits in the TV mini series Redemption, The Irregulars, Us and Letter For The King.
Jodie Turner-Smith
Queen & Slim and Anne Boleyn actor Jodie Turner-Smith was personally invited to join the show by Ncuti Gatwa.
“First of all all my scenes were with Ncuti Gatwa who – I DIE for him – and he’s my favourite character on the show,” she said on the red carpet at the BAFTA Film Awards earlier this year (published in Variety).
“So when he called me and asked me to do it I was like, I don’t care how much they’re paying I’m doing.”
We won’t spoil who Jodie’s character is, but she has a connection to Ncuti’s much-loved character, Eric.
Eshaan Akbar
Eshaan makes his on-screen TV debut in Sex Eduction as Principle Lakhani, having previously served as a voice actor on Spitting Image and featured in the 2021 short Sometime Else.
Marie Reuther
Arriving in the role of Ellen for the new season of Sex Education, Danish actor Marie Reuther has previously starred in Dansegarderoben, The Kingdom and Kamikaze.
They posted to Instagram during filming that it had been a “pinch me moment” for them to be joining the hit show.
Felix Mufti, Anthony Lexa, Alexandra James, Reda Elazouar, Bella Maclean and Imani Yahshua
A trio of three newcomers will also join the Sex Education universe – Felix Mufti, Anthony Lexa and Alexandra James – who will play members of Eric’s new clique named The Coven, made up of fellow LGBTQ+ students.
Other new additions to the student cast include Reda Elazouar, Bella Maclean and Imani Yahshua.
You can recap on how season three ended and check out what to expect from the final season here.
Sex Education season four is streaming on Netflix now.