Is Ncuti Gatwa (Eric) leaving Sex Education after season 4?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like another beloved Sex Education cast member is leaving the teen series, and this time it’s Ncuti Gatwa, who portrays fan-favorite character Eric Effiong. We shared all the juicy details below.

Sex Education is arguably one of the best teen shows streaming on Netflix, so it hurts us deeply to find out that more and more cast members are exiting the series. This leads us to believe that the show might be ending its run soon. Maybe even with the upcoming fourth season. Fingers crossed, this isn’t the case, but we’re trying to be realistic here.

Throughout 2022, several cast members departed the teen series, such as Simone Ashley (Olivia), Patricia Allison (Ola), Tanya Reynolds (Lily), and Rahkee Thakrar (Emily Sands). But while these actors won’t be appearing in the fourth season, Ncuti Gatwa will be reprising his role as Eric in Sex Education season 4. We’re just not sure if he’ll come back for Sex Education season 5 if there is to be a fifth season.

Here’s why we believe Ncuti Gatwa will not be returning for a potential fifth season.

Is Ncuti Gatwa leaving Sex Education?

It appears so. On Feb. 8, Ncuti posted a photo of his Sex Education trailer with his character’s name on it on his Instagram page with a caption reading, “Last day. Last time. Bye bubs, thank you for all the lessons and for all the strength.”

I don’t know about you, but his caption reads like a goodbye letter—a goodbye to playing his character on the teen series. At first, I thought Ncuti only meant it was his last day on set for season 4. But why would he include the words “last time?” It doesn’t help that his Sex Education co-star Aimee Lou Wood commented under his post by saying, “My heart hurts badly.” So, I think it’s safe to say that after the fourth season, Ncuti will not be coming back for another season.

Honestly, it’s not really surprising that Ncuti might be exiting the series. He’s constantly being booked for new roles like his lead role in Doctor Who, his role as Ken in the comedy film Barbie, and his upcoming role in the war drama miniseries Masters of the Air. It seems that he’s moved on to new and better things like many of his other Sex Education cast mates.

What do you think about Ncuti Gatwa’s potential exit from Sex Education? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.