Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey and Agent Carter’s Hayley Atwell Among New Heartstopper Season 3 Cast Additions

Cue the fluttering leaves. On Thursday, Netflix announced that the Season 3 cast of its beloved LGBTQ+ romantic dramedy Heartstopper would include Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers), Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter, Conviction) and Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan).

“I am incredibly excited to be welcoming three new cast members to the Heartstopper family,” says series creator Alice Oseman, on whose graphic novels the Emmy-winning series is based. “Hayley Atwell joins the Nelson family as Nick’s Aunt Diane, who takes Nick on a summer holiday to Menorca and has some tough advice to impart about his relationship.” No doubt, it will be Aunt Diane who gets to play the scene that fans were gutted that Olivia Colman wouldn’t be around to tackle. (Read all about it here.)

More from TVLine

• Baby Reindeer Creator, Star Implore Fans to Stop 'Quite Sad' Online 'Detective Work' in Search of Netflix Series' Real-Life Figures

• Steve Carell Joins Tina Fey in Netflix Comedy The Four Seasons, Based on Alan Alda Movie

• J.Lo Banters With Her Giant Robot's A.I. in Atlas Trailer - Could Her New Netflix Movie Be Even Bigger Than The Mother?

10 LGBTQ+ Characters Who Proudly Made Waves on TV This Past Year

View List

“Eddie Marsan will be portraying a beloved character from the graphic novels,” Oseman continues. Geoff, Charlie’s wise and straight-talking therapist.” We can all be glad that he will be on hand, too, considering that Season 3 will delve much more deeply into Charlie’s mental-health struggles.

“And lastly, Jonathan Bailey will be making a cameo appearance as Jack Maddox, an Instagram-famous classicist and celebrity crush of Charlie,” Oseman concludes. “It was an absolute joy to see Hayley, Eddie and Jonathan’s talent alongside our existing cast, and I can’t wait for the Heartstopper fans to meet these new characters.”

As previously announced, Season 3 will drop in October. Per the show’s official logline, in the eight episodes, “Charlie would like to tell Nick that he loves him. Nick also has something important to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realize that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges. As they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn’t go to plan.”

Season 3, which finds Andy Newbery taking over directing duties from EP Euros Lyn, stars returning cast members Joe Locke and Kit Connor as high-school sweethearts Charlie and Nick, William Gao and Yasmin Finney as newly minted couple Tao and Elle, Corinna Brown and Kizzy Edgell as “best gal pals” and then some Tara and Darcy, Tobie Donovan as troubled Isaac, Leila Khan and Rhea Norwood as old friends (and new something mores?) Sahar and Imogen, and Jenny Walser as Charlie’s sister, fan fave Tori.

In November 2023, Oseman shared via Instagram that Season 3 would also introduce a key character from her first novel, Solitaire. “We’re thrilled to be welcoming Darragh Hand as Michael Holden,” she wrote. “Michael is a quirky, eccentric optimist with a sunshine disposition, and it was a challenge to find someone who I felt truly channelled Michael from the books. But then Darragh came along and warmed our hearts, made us all laugh so much and perfectly complimented Jenny Walser’s Tori… ”

What do you think of Heartstopper’s new hires? Check out the behind-the-scenes video at the top of this post, then hit the comments with the emojis that best reflect your reaction.

Best of TVLine

• Stars Who Almost Played Other TV Roles — on Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, Lost, Gilmore Girls, Friends and Other Shows

• TV Stars Almost Cast in Other Roles

• Fall TV Preview: Who's In? Who's Out? Your Guide to Every Casting Move!

Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter