Is Emma Mackey (Maeve) leaving Sex Education?

Let’s head back to Moordale, Sex Education fans! The third season is officially here and so much happens in this installment. Fans are more attached to the characters than ever and are rooting for Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey) as she navigates her feelings for Otis (Asa Butterfield), her relationship with her recovering drug addict mother Erin (Anne-Marie Duff), and keeping up her studies at school.

Last we left off with Maeve in Sex Education season 2, she was winning the quiz team nationals and at the same time, Otis was leaving her a voicemail telling her he loved her and was proud of her. Unfortunately, Isaac (George Robinson) deleted the message before Maeve could hear it, ending the season finale on a cliffhanger.

Amid all of Maeve’s drama with her mom and with Otis, a big part of her storyline is that she’s incredibly smart and good in school. And in Sex Education season 3, she’s offered an opportunity she cannot turn down.

Spoilers ahead for Sex Education season 3.

In the premiere episode of Sex Education season 3, Miss Sands (Rakhee Thakrar) hands Maeve a booklet and tells Maeve she should apply. “You’re the perfect candidate,” she says. It turns out to be a school in America for gifted and talented students, and though Maeve is hesitant at first because of the money, she applies and gets accepted.

Throughout the season, it’s tough to get a read on whether or not Maeve actually wants to go. She has her mom and sister in England to think about, plus, she can’t afford to go to America.

Maeve’s sister stays with her foster mom Anna, who encourages Maeve to stay over at her home and even asks if she needs help with money for a school trip. Of course, Maeve says she doesn’t need “charity” and dismisses the offer. Someone does end up paying for Maeve’s field trip, and although she thinks it’s Anna, it turns out to be Aimee (Aimee Lou Wood).

Maeve has a problem accepting money, but after she’s unable to receive funding from Moordale to go to the gifted and talented school in America, she’s out of luck. In a surprise twist, Maeve’s mom comes up with the money and gives it to her. Still, she doesn’t seem convinced to go to America.

Does Maeve go to America in Sex Education season 3?

In the Sex Education season 3 finale, Maeve reveals to Aimee that she’s booked on a flight to go to America but she’s not going. She explains that she doesn’t want to leave when things are finally good with Otis, which Aimee doesn’t accept. Aimee tells her she can’t miss out on the opportunity because of a boy, so Maeve agrees she’ll go.

With Maeve leaving for America at the end of the finale, does that mean she will no longer be in the show? Is Emma Mackey leaving Sex Education?

Well, at the time of this article, Sex Education season 4 hasn’t even been announced. With the way season 3 ends, however, we’re sure the show will be renewed. Since we don’t know about further seasons, we don’t know for certain if Mackey is leaving the show or not. If we’d have to guess, we’d say she’ll stay in the main cast and part of Maeve’s storyline will be living in America. After all, the school is only supposed to be for a few months, so she’s planning to come back to England in the near future.

However, Mackey did recently speak about her future on the show with the magazine Hunger, and there seems to be a possibility she won’t be returning. No! Here’s what she said:

"“It’s a complicated thing to me. Sex Education is so momentous as a concept, as a show, and the cast are phenomenal. I genuinely care about them all a lot and I made lifelong friends. We’ve kind of grown up together. But the bittersweet nature of it is that I also can’t be 17 my whole life.”"

Of course, this doesn’t confirm that Mackey won’t be returning if there’s another season of the show, but she is clearly doubting how long she’ll be able to play a high schooler.

We’ll be sure to keep everyone updated on the future of Sex Education once we hear some news, as well as Mackey’s fate on the show. Be sure to stream Sex Education season 3 out on Netflix now!