Heartstopper season 2 and 3: possible Netflix release date - and series cast with Kit Connor and Joe Locke

Heartstopper, a sweet and likeable coming-of-age romance, is already one of the most popular Netflix shows of the year - and now, just over a month since its April premiere, a second and third season have been confirmed by Netflix.

The series is adapted from a series of graphic novels of the same name by the YA author Alice Oseman, who also serves as writer and executive producer on this series.

Here’s everything you need to know about Heartstopper, and the recently confirmed second and third season.

What is it about?

Heartstopper is about Nick and Charlie, two students at an all-boys’ grammar school, who meet at the start of a new term and quickly become friends. Soon after, they begin to develop romantic feelings for one another, and explore a tentative relationship together.

Think of this coming-of-age romance between two teenagers as somewhere between Love Simon and Sex Education.

Is there going to be a second season?

Not just a second season, but a third! Netflix confirmed on May 20 that Heartstopper would return for a further two seasons - not a surprise, given how popular it had been (and given Netflix’s recent difficulties) but welcome news nonetheless.

You can read more about the plot of further Heartstopper books, and how they might be adapted for television, right here.

Is it based on a book?

Yes, it is. The series is an adaptation of the Heartstopper webcomic, which is currently available to read for free online or collected as a series of graphic novels.

Who is in the cast?

The cast is primarily made up of first-time actors found through an open audition process - for example, Joe Locke, who plays Charlie Spring in his first screen role.

Kit Connor plays Nick Nelson. Connor is one of the more experienced actors of the cast, having previously appeared in Elton John biopic Rocketman and BBC One dramas SS-GB and War and Peace.

William Gao and Yasmin Finney play Tao and Elle, friends of Charlie’s who are initially sceptical of Nick. Again, this is both of their first roles, but Finney can soon be seen in Billy Porter’s directorial debut What If?

The rest of the student cast includes Kizzy Edgell as Darcy, Corinna Brown as Tara, Jenny Walser (Call the Midwife) as Tori Spring, Sebastian Croft (Horrible Histories) as Ben, and Tobie Donovan as Isaac.

Amongst the adult cast are Fisayo Akinade (Cucumber) as Mr Ajayi, the supportive art teacher, as well as Stephen Fry (It’s A Sin) voicing headmaster Mr Barnes. Olivia Colman (Broadchurch, Peep Show, The Favourite) appears briefly as Nick’s mother.

Who writes and directs Heartstopper?

Alice Oseman – the YA author who wrote the graphic novels the Netflix series is based on – wrote all eight episodes of the series.

Euros Lyn (previously of Broadchurch, Doctor Who, and Black Mirror) directs all eight episodes also. Having worked with Colman on Broadchurch, it was Lyn that convinced her to take up a role i

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is. You can watch it right here.

How can I watch Heartstopper?

All eight episodes of Heartstopper season 1 became available to stream on Netflix on Friday 22 April.

When will Heartstopper season 2 release?

It’s not clear when Heartstopper season 2 or 3 might become available, but we know that season 1 started filming in April 2021 before releasing in April 2022. Given how popular the series has been for Netflix, they’re likely to want Season 2 to arrive on a similar or even faster timetable - so an early-t

How many episodes of Heartstopper are there?

Heartstopper is eight episodes in total, each around 25-or-so minutes long.

What do reviews of Heartstopper say?

NationalWorld’s review of Heartstopper described it as “probably the most immediately likeable new television show of the year so far,” praising its pleasant and upbeat vibe. You can read the full review here.

You wouldn’t have happened to have interviewed Alice Oseman about it, would you?

Funnily enough, actually, yes! What a remarkable coincidence. You can read our interview with Alice right here to find out more about how the series was developed, the changes that needed to be made to adapt the novels to television, and more.

Why should I watch Heartstopper?

For younger audiences, it’s the best television show that CBBC never made – the difficult task of a children’s show that’s made really well. It has an all-ages appeal beyond that, with its generally good vibes and pleasant, upbeat tone that makes for a nice contrast to some darker television, though it is worth keeping in mind that it’s a show made primarily with a youth audience in mind.