Sex Education is going to be one Moordale student short in its upcoming fourth season at Netflix as Patricia Allison revealed she’s stepping away from the show.
The actress broke the news during an appearance on the UK radio show Breakfast with Yinka and Shayna Marie. Allison plays Ola in the coming-of-age dramedy and has been a fixture on the series since its 2019 debut.
When asked about what fans could anticipate from the show’s forthcoming chapter, Allison said, “I absolutely have loved being on Sex Education so, so much… but unfortunately, I won’t be joining the team for Season 4.” She went on to add that the reason for her exit is due to “some other opportunities.” She said of Sex Education, “I’ve been doing it for three years, and I’ve genuinely loved it.”
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
No official announcement about Allison’s exit has been made by Netflix, but the reveal could change up some of the storylines fans may have been looking forward to. As viewers will recall, Allison’s Ola was introduced as a love interest for Otis (Asa Butterfield) in Season 1, but the pair broke up in Season 2, leading her to the arms of Tanya Reynolds’ Lily.
Allison’s departure means there won’t be more to Ola and Lily’s story, but that’s not the only story that could be impacted by the changeup. Ola’s father Jakob (Mikael Persbrandt) and Otis’ mother Jean (Gillian Anderson) welcomed a child together — even if the baby’s not biologically Jakob’s — forming a blended family.
It will be interesting to see how Ola’s absence is explained when the show returns. Sex Education was renewed for Season 4 not long after Season 3 arrived in September of 2021. Let us know what you think of the surprising exit in the comments below, and stay tuned for more about Sex Education‘s upcoming season as it takes shape at Netflix.
Sex Education, Season 4, TBA, Netflix