Olivia Colman stole the hearts of Heartstopper fans as soon as the show debuted on Netflix in 2022. While she began as a shocking star guest, she quickly became a fan favourite for her portrayal of Sarah Nelson.
Colman, possibly known best for her portrayal of the late Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix’s fictional biopic The Crown, has become a national treasure. In a show that consisted of mostly new faces, Colman quickly brought the star status surrounding the teen drama to a new level. She portrayed the loving, accepting mother of Nick Nelson (Kit Connor)—one of two leading roles.
The news came shortly after the season was given a premiere date (October 2024) with Colman stating schedule conflicts as the reason during an interview with Forbes: “I couldn’t do number three. I couldn’t fit it in. I feel awful about that”. Though the other projects she was working on remain unknown, Colman will be sorely missed from the coming-of-age show regardless.
It comes as a particular loss for season three as the show begins to delve further into Nick and Charlie’s (Joe Locke) lives and the struggles of juggling a queer relationship through secondary school. A lot of which, in the graphic novels written by Alice Oseman that the series is derived from, results in many heartfelt and dramatic exchanges between the boys and their mother’s; it will be interesting to see how the show handles this without Colman’s presence.
However, there is some good news. Colman has expressed an interest in appearing in the fourth season if the offer arises to bring her back. She shared “As long as it’s booked in advance, maybe I’ll be able to do it, yeah!”
Heartstopper has won four Children’s and Family Emmy awards among a plethora of other awards, with
Colman herself winning the ‘Outstanding Guest Performance’ category. To witness this award-winning show for yourself (and to see Colman star), you can stream the first two seasons on Netflix ahead of the third season premiere this year.
Words by Ash Sutton
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