Sorry, Heartstopper fans: Olivia Colman won't be in season 3 as Nick's mom

After learning that Heartstopper season 3 would be coming in October 2024 and that Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey had reportedly joined the cast, we were looking forward to more good news. However, we got the complete opposite... We just learned that Academy Award-winning actress Olivia Colman would not be reprising her role as Nick's mom, Sarah Nelson, in the highly anticipated third season. What's up with that?

Colman had been a cast member on Heartstopper since the very first season. Viewers absolutely loved her portrayal as Sarah Nelson, Nick's supportive mom, in seasons 1 and 2. This is one of the main reasons why people are so upset about her not being in the upcoming third season.

Why isn't she in Heartstopper season 3, you ask? Well, to put it in simpler terms, she was booked and busy and wasn't able to fit the teen series into her busy work schedule. In other words, she wasn't able to shoot the third season because she was working on other projects. Forbes got the chance to speak with Colman as she promoted her new comedy movie Wicked Little Letters, and in this interview, Colman talked about how she wasn't able to come back for Heartstopper season 3.

"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."

Olivia Colman

Since she's one of the most sought-after actresses and is so talented, it's not surprising that she had other projects to work on besides Heartstopper. It's just disheartening knowing that we won't get to see her return as Sarah Nelson and continue being Nick's emotional support in the third season.

However, the good news is that Colman is open to returning for a potential fourth season. She told Forbes, "As long as it’s booked in advance, maybe I’ll be able to do it, yeah!”

With the news that Colman would not return for Heartstopper season 3, a huge uproar instantly occurred on X. This led the show's creator, Alice Oseman, to speak about the situation through Instagram stories. We shared what she said below.

"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 Oseman

Then, she assured fans that the Sarah character had not been recast. She also mentioned how she was able to make the season 3 plot work even with the beloved character's absence.

"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!"

Alice Oseman

"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 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 four, I would love for Olivia to be a part of it again!"

Alice Oseman

She wraps everything up by saying that she can't wait for fans to see what she and the show's creative team have come up with, including a few new cast announcements that will be revealed in the next "few weeks." Could one of these cast announcements be about Jonathan Bailey? We think so! Make sure to stay tuned to Netflix Life for more news and coverage on Heartstopper season 3.