Sex Education Star Seemingly Confirms Maeve’s Exit After Season 4

Sex Education star Emma Mackey seemingly confirms her character, Maeve Wiley, will not return if the hit Netflix series gets renewed for season 5.

Sex Education star Emma Mackey seemingly confirms that season 4 will be her last on the show. In 2019, Mackey had her breakthrough role playing Maeve Wiley on Netflix’s Sex Education. Since then, she has had a whirlwind rise to fame, starring in films such as Death on the Nile and Emily. This made her appearance in Sex Education season 4 a bit dubious, but she ultimately opted to return. However, since the end of season 3, Sex Education has been experiencing heavy cast departures. The show hasn’t been renewed for season 5, but it will experience more character exits if it is.

In an interview with RadioTimes, Mackey seemingly confirms that Maeve won’t be returning for a potential Sex Education season 5. The news wasn’t entirely surprising, as she had hinted recently that her departure from the show was likely coming up. Now, her answer sounds more definitive. Check out her statement below:

Season 5? I’ve just finished the fourth one last week! No, I don’t think I’ll be in Season 5.

Related: How Will Sex Education End? 7 Biggest Theories

Why Are So Many Sex Education Actors Leaving?

Sex Education season 4 is already facing some major losses, and the same trend may take place for a potential season 5. So far, the major character departures have been from Rakhee Thakrar’s Emily Sands, Patricia Allison’s Ola Nyman, Tanya Reynolds’ Lily Iglehart, and Simone Ashley’s Olivia Hanan. Thakrar was the only teacher to depart the series, while Allison, Reynolds, and Ashley all portrayed students. Beyond those, two major cast members, Ncuti Gatwa and Mackey, have confirmed their departures after Sex Education season 4.

The primary reason for most of these departures was simply that the cast members have found other opportunities. Sex Education launched the careers of several young actors, opening up new doors for them. Ashley left the show after season 3 due to landing a role in the critically acclaimed Bridgerton. Gatwa’s decision to not return after Sex Education season 4 was also expected, as he landed the lead role of the Doctor in BBC’s sci-fi series Doctor Who. Similarly, Allison also mentioned deciding to leave Sex Education due to other opportunities arising.

Then there are those like Mackey who simply feel as if Sex Education has run its course. The cast members are discovering new opportunities, and they may be getting a bit too old for the high school premise of the show. Plus, there’s the fact that Sex Education is also evolving and may need to make room for some new characters, which was hinted as being the reason why Reynolds and Thakrar left. Sex Education season 4 will take place in an entirely new school, adding new characters to an already large cast. Some stars have outgrown Sex Education, while the show has also outgrown some stars, as is bound to happen after a multi-year run.

Next: How Sex Education Could Write Ncuti Gatwa Out In Season 4

Source: RadioTimes