Olivia Colman Not Returning to Heartstopper Season 3

We have some sad news to share with y’all today, folks. Academy Award-winning actress Olivia Colman, who portrayed the beloved character Sarah, won’t be joining Heartstopper for its third season. In an interview with Forbes, the acclaimed actress shared, “I couldn’t do number three. I couldn’t fit it in. I feel awful about that. I feel like I was part of one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever been part of.”

This revelation has left many of us shocked, especially those eagerly anticipating Sarah and Nick’s (Kit Connor) scenes. As you know, in the comics, Sarah is a huge support for Nick in dealing with Charlie’s (Joe Locke)  eating disorder, making her absence in Season 3 a significant change.

Patrick Walters, executive producer of Heartstopper, took to X (formerly Twitter) to address this news. He mentioned, “We really tried, but it wasn’t meant to be this season. What initially turned out to be disappointing news ended up leaving space for something different, but equally special – the feels will still be there, don’t worry.”

But let’s hear directly from the creator and screenwriter Alice Oseman, who shared their thoughts on Instagram Stories regarding Olivia Colman’s departure and the impact on Season 3:

“As many of you have heard today, the wonderful Olivia Colman will not be returning to the show for season three. We tried absolutely everything we could, but it wasn’t meant to be, and that’s just the way the TV world works sometimes. We are so deeply grateful to Olivia for the stunning performance she gave to the show and wish her the absolute best!”

Alice didn’t stop there; they also addressed concerns about recasting Sarah and the impact on the storyline: “We did not re-cast Sarah, and I know many of you – comic fans especially – will be upset and concerned about how we will move forward without Nick’s mum. I know there is one scene in particular that many of you have been looking forward to in Season 3, and you may be feeling disappointed and disheartened with us. I totally understand – I was really worried too when I first found out!”

But here’s the silver lining – Alice reassured fans that they’ve worked hard to preserve the essence of Sarah’s role and the emotional impact it carries in the comics. They added, “If there is one thing I could ask of you, it’s not to give up on us quite yet. I have done everything in my power to preserve that scene as written in the comic, and I’ve written in some new elements of the story to ensure that it gives us the emotional punch that it gives in the comic. And as for the rest of the season – please have faith! Nick’s story from the comics is still there, still infinitely important to me, and Sarah’s role as emotional support for Nick will shift to other characters in the story for now. If we get a Season 4, I would love for Olivia to be part of it again!”

Alice finalized their message with a reflection on the challenges of TV production and her pride in the team’s efforts: “Making a TV show sometimes has completely unavoidable challenges like this. All we can do in the face of such challenges is our best, and I mean it when I say that I love this season, I love this show, and I’m so proud of everyone involved. We’ve all worked really hard and I’m so excited for you to see what we’ve come up with, including a few new casting announcements to come in the next few weeks – some may have heard about already, others that you haven’t yet…”

While we’ll miss Olivia Colman’s presence in Season 3, let’s cherish the moments she brought to the screen and keep our hopes high for her return in the future.

Stay tuned for more Heartstopper updates, and let’s continue supporting this amazing series together!

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Heartstopper Season 3 is set to premiere on Netflix this October. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!

Featured image: Footage © Netflix