We won’t be reunited with Ola in season four 💔
BY KATIE KIRKPATRICK, IMAGE BY NETFLIX
Since Sex Education first premiered on Netflix in 2019, Patricia Allison’s character Ola has been a fan favourite, and a rare example of onscreen pansexual representation. Now that the actor has announced she will be departing the show, what can we expect from its fourth season?
Sex Education follows the students of Moordale Secondary School through all their messy teenage relationships and awkward first sexual experiences. Originally introduced as a love interest for main character Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), the character of Ola Nyman came out as pansexual and started a relationship with the quirky, space-obsessed Lily (Tanya Reynolds) in season two. The show has been a hit among queer viewers for the diversity of its characters – it prominently features both WLW and MLM relationships, as well as discussions of asexuality and bisexuality. The most recent series also introduced the non-binary character Cal (Dua Saleh).
One of the most touching relationships in the show has been the unexpected friendship between Ola and Adam (Connor Swindells), who is bisexual. With close male/female queer friendships so rarely portrayed in film and TV, it will be a shame to lose this important depiction of LGBTQI friendship and solidarity.
“Ola has been a particularly important character for many queer women to see their experiences onscreen”
Ola has been a particularly important character for many queer women to see their experiences onscreen. As a pansexual woman, she dates characters of multiple genders and these relationships are depicted as equally meaningful on the show.
Speaking to Capital Xtra, Allison revealed that she “won’t be joining the team for season four”, citing “some other little things, some other opportunities [that] have come up”. We’ll have to wait and see what these new opportunities might be, but hopefully Allison will be gracing our screens again soon.
patricia allison AKA ola won’t be returning for sex education season 4 💔 brb just trying to process this information 😭 pic.twitter.com/4n8RW8lYyw
— Capital XTRA (@CapitalXTRA) July 5, 2022
Patricia Allison’s departure comes at a time when the future of Sex Education feels uncertain. Lead actor Ncuti Gatwa, who played Otis’s flamboyant best friend Eric, is set to start filming as Doctor Who’s new timelord, in an exciting new era that also features Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney as Rose. Meanwhile female lead Emma Mackey, who plays the edgy and intelligent Maeve, has been cast in Greta Gerwig’s new Barbie film, which will also feature Gatwa. Simone Ashley, who played popular girl Olivia in Sex Education won’t be returning to Moordale due to her starring role in Bridgerton.
With so many of the leading cast members and fan favourites taking on new projects, will Sex Education be able to continue its characters’ stories? A fourth season has been confirmed and filming started earlier this month, but we’ll have to wait a little while yet to find out the series’ new direction.
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