Jonathan Bailey Will Star In Heartstopper Season 3

Those animated sparks are about to be more explosive than ever when Heartstopper returns for its third season. This new run of episodes is the show’s most mysterious yet, as even fans of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper graphic novels can’t be too sure about what’s next for Charlie, Nick, and the rest of these lovestruck teens. If you’re eager to dive back into the Heartstopper universe, here’s everything to know about Season 3, including what it may be about and when to expect it.

The third season of Heartstopper was confirmed long before Season 2 even aired. Netflix announced it had picked up Season 3 at the same time as Season 2 back in 2022. The new season is expected to adapt the fourth and possibly fifth volumes of Oseman’s graphic novel series, which were released in May 2021 and December 2023, respectively. But even though fans can read the source material and get an idea of what Season 3’s plot might be, there’s no guarantee what happens in the books will also happen onscreen. Season 2 made a lot of big changes from the books, and Oseman has indicated that trend will continue in Season 3.

“I'm always very committed to preserving what is in the comics and making sure all the big, exciting moments are in the show, but honestly, there is just so much extra space around that to do whatever we want,” the creator told Entertainment Weekly in August 2023. “There's so much new stuff that gives us so much to play with in Season 3. I feel very comfortable letting the show be its own thing. In my mind, the show and the comic feel very separate, although it's quite a faithful adaptation. I feel excited to get to expand Heartstopper for the show.”

The Cast Is Returning... Minus Two

The whole Truham-Higgs crew is expected to be back, except for one notable student, who is confirmed to be finally out of Charlie and Nick’s life for good: Ben Hope.

This exit was heavily implied by Ben’s farewell to Charlie in the penultimate episode of Season 2. He told Charlie he was transferring schools, and apologized for all the terrible things he had put him through, but Charlie refused to forgive him. Oseman and Sebastian Croft, who played Ben, confirmed Season 2 wrapped up Ben’s story in a Netflix interview shortly after the season aired. “Ben’s role in Heartstopper is now complete,” Oseman said.

While Ben’s departure might be welcomed by fans rooting for Charlie and Nick’s romance, another character’s exit has the complete opposite effect. Olivia Colman, who plays Nick’s supportive mother Sarah Nelson, confirmed she is not part of Season 3 in a March 28 Forbes interview. She told the publication that scheduling conflicts prevented her from filming for the new season: “I couldn’t do number three. I couldn’t fit it in. I feel awful about that,” Colman said. “I feel like I was part of one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever been part of.”

Colman added that she would still like to return for future seasons if her schedule permits.

A Lot Of New Faces Will Appear

This isn’t the only change to the Heartstopper cast for Season 3. In November 2023, Oseman took to Instagram to announce a new character and the actor who will portray him. “Now some of you already figured this out, but for those who didn’t, we’re thrilled to be welcoming Darragh Hand as Michael Holden to the Heartstopper family for S3!” Oseman wrote. Michael is one of the main character’s in Oseman’s novel, Solitaire, so fans are especially excited to see this character come to life onscreen.

On April 25, three more new actors were confirmed for the upcoming season. Bridgerton breakout Jonathan Bailey will play Jack Maddox, a classics scholar whom Charlie has a crush on. The announcement came over a month after rumors that Bailey would join the cast had sprung up on social media.

Hayley Atwell and Eddie Marsan are also entering the Heartstopper universe. Atwell will play Nick’s aunt who takes him on holiday, and Marsan will play Charlie’s therapist, Geoff.

The Plot Is Under Wraps, But Fans Can Guess What Happens

Spoiler alert: The rest of this post contains spoilers from the Heartstopper novels, which could likely spoil future episodes of the show. While Season 2 already adapted a lot of the big moments from Heartstopper Volume 4, there is still plenty of ground to cover and expand upon in the new season.

The book focuses largely on Charlie’s disordered eating, as Nick struggles with how to help his boyfriend. This was already touched on in Season 2, but will likely become a central element of the third season. The fourth volume also focuses on Charlie and Nick finding the right time to finally say “I love you” to each other, which was teased in Season 2’s finale but has yet to actually happen.

Netflix confirmed the big L word will be a major plot point in Season 3 with a September 2023 social media photo of the Season 3, Episode 1 script with the caption: “Heartstopper Season 3. Episode 1. Love. That’s all we can tell you for now - but we’ll be back, as will Nick and Charlie. 🍂”

The New Season Will Premiere Soon

Locke, who plays Charlie, confirmed on his Instagram story that filming for Season 3 wrapped in December 2023. (Of course, he did so in the cutest way possible, with BTS photo from set and the message: "Bye for now Charlie Warlie x.")

Four months later, Netflix announced Season 3 will premiere in October 2024.