Why Olivia Colman Didn’t Return For Heartstopper Season 3

Spoilers are ahead for Heartstopper season 3.

Despite being one of the most memorable parts of the Netflix adaptation’s first outing, Olivia Colman didn’t return for Heartstopper season 3. In the coming-of-age romantic drama’s first two seasons, Colman plays Sarah Nelson, Nick Nelson’s (Kit Connor) mother. Based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series of the same name, Heartstopper centers on the budding romance between Nick and Charlie Spring (Joe Locke). Loving, supportive, and perceptive, Sarah has easily become one of the show’s best parental figures, which made it all the more disappointing (and surprising) when Colman didn’t join Heartstopper season 3’s cast of characters.

Picking up where Heartstopper season 2’s ending left off, the third outing sees Charlie navigating a dreaded rite of passage: saying “I love you” to Nick for the first time. After Charlie faints from not eating enough on a school trip in the sophomore season, Nick also has something important to discuss with Charlie. While supporting characters, including Tara (Corinna Brown), Darcy (Kizzy Edgell), Isaac (Tobie Donovan), Elle (Yasmin Finney), and Tao (William Gao), still have major roles, there’s a renewed focus on Charlie’s family in Heartstopper season 3. This shift makes the absence of Colman’s Sarah even more glaring.

Olivia Colman Didn’t Return For Heartstopper Season 3 Due To Scheduling Issues

The Oscar-Winning Actor Wanted To Return For Heartstopper Season 3

Several months before the show’s return, viewers received a disappointing update about Colman’s Heartstopper season 3 plans. Although Colman’s role as Sarah Nelson is relatively minor, she’s also a vital part of Nick’s world. In fact, the moving scene in Heartstopper season 1’s ending, which sees Nick coming out to Sarah, might still be the show’s most emotional moment yet. Sarah has always provided a welcome contrast to other fictional characters’ parents. In season 2, Colman’s character appeared more frequently as viewers learned about Nick’s homophobic brother, David (Jack Barton), and their absent father, Stéphane (Thibault de Montalembert).

Despite this promising shift in the second season, Colman was unable to re-join the cast due to scheduling conflicts. The actor admitted that she felt “awful” about missing out on the ambitious, mature, and effective Heartstopper season 3. The Oscar-winning actor, who has appeared in everything from The Favourite and The Crown to Broadchurch and The Bear, added that Heartstopper was “one of the most beautiful things” that she has ever been part of in her career. Unfortunately, timing really is everything when it comes to the business of making movies and TV shows.

How Olivia Colman’s Heartstopper Season 3 Exit Changed The Show’s Story

Nick Was Forced To Lean On Other Characters For Support In Season 3

Colman’s absence was definitely deeply felt in Heartstopper season 3. Funnily enough, Nick spends a lot of time at home during the third outing, which means the show must constantly skirt the fact that Sarah isn’t around. Since Nick and his mother would often bump into each other in the kitchen or spend quiet time together in the evenings, it’s hard to grapple with her sudden disappearance in season 3. Colman’s character is most glaringly missing in Heartstopper season 3’s Christmas episode, which doesn’t bother to address Sarah’s absence. Thankfully, Nick’s dog Nellie is still around to provide emotional support.

However, Nellie isn’t the only one providing Nick with some much-needed support. Heartstopper season 3 also introduces Nick’s aunt, Diane (Hayley Atwell), to deliver one of Sarah’s most memorable lines from the graphic novels. In Oseman’s source material, Nick has a heart-to-heart with his mom about Charlie navigating depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder. “Love can’t cure mental illness,” Sarah tells Nick in one of Heartstopper‘s most beautiful passages. While Colman was unable to deliver this line in the show, Atwell’s Aunt Diane serves as Nick’s key support as he’s figuring out how to talk to Charlie.

Will Olivia Colman Return As Nick’s Mom In Heartstopper Season 4?

Colman’s Future In The Heartstopper Series Is Unclear — But It Would Make Sense For Her To Return

While the ending of Heartstopper season 3 leaves Nick, Charlie, and their friends in a good place, Oseman has teased that a fourth season would likely be the show’s last. Netflix has yet to renew Heartstopper for season 4, but, if the show does come back for a final time, it would be great to have Colman return in at least a guest role. Toward the end of the season, Nick, Tara, Elle, and Imogen (Rhea Norwood) go on a tour of universities. Nick realizes that a uni that’s further from home might actually be the best fit for him.

Understandably, Nick is nervous about the idea of leaving Charlie. If Netflix green-lights a fourth season, Nick’s university thread would definitely continue, which pretty much necessitates Colman’s return. Even if her appearance is brief, Sarah would surely dole out indispensable advice to her son about his future. Hopefully, Colman’s schedule isn’t too busy for her to visit the set of Heartstopper one last time.