Heartstopper season 3: release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know

Heartstopper season 3 Nick and Charlie
Heartstopper season 3 will continue Nick and Charlie's story. (Image credit: Netflix)

Heartstopper season 3 continues the beloved coming of age story, as we begin to explore more about Charlie's mental health struggles while the group are approaching adulthood.

Throughout Heartstopper season 2, we saw Nick coming to terms with his boyfriend's struggles, with the seasonal finale seeing him finally beginning to understand the extent of it. While they're growing closer, they still haven't properly confessed their love, with season 2 leaving us on quite the cliffhanger!

We saw Charlie writing out a message proclaiming his love for Nick, but the scene cut to black before he could send it, so we're not quite sure if he bit the bullet and told his boyfriend the truth about how deeply he loves him. 

In a statement, series creator and writer Alice Oseman told Netflix: "Season 2 ended with Nick beginning to understand the extent of Charlie’s mental health issues, and it’s this that will drive the story through Season 3. While Heartstopper will always celebrate the joyful and point towards hope, I’m really excited that we are allowing the tone of the show to mature alongside our beloved characters growing up. 

"Mental health, sex, university ambitions, and more: Nick, Charlie, and the Heartstopper teens are getting older, learning more about themselves and each other, and experiencing new desires, new fears, and new joys as they approach adulthood."

Here's everything we know about Heartstopper season 3...

Heartstopper season 3 cast

Heartstopper is back for a third season.  (Image credit: Netflix)

Heartstopper season 3 release date

Heartstopper season 3 arrives on Netflix on Thursday, October 3 - all eight episodes will land at the same time as a boxset. 

Previous seasons can also be watched on the streaming service.

Heartstopper season 3 plot

Heartstopper season 3 Nick and Charlie

Charlie and Nick both want to tell each other how they are feeling in season 3... (Image credit: Netflix)

According to Netflix, the season 3 premiere is called Love and picks up with Charlie eager to tell Nick that he loves him, while Nick is holding something important inside.

The summer holiday comes to an end and months pass, with Charlie, Nick and the group realising that the school year ahead will come with plenty of challenges. The main one being their university choices and future prospects. While this is going on, they will learn more about each other, with plenty of social events and parties ahead.

We don't know much about each individual episode yet, but once we have more details, we'll let you know.

Heartstopper season 3 cast

Heartstopper season 3 cast

The Heartstopper season 3 cast.  (Image credit: Netflix)

Kit Connor, Joe Locke, Yasmin Finney, William Gao, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Sebastian Croft, Tobie Donovan, Rhea Norwood, Jenny Walser, Cormac Hyde-Corrin, and Olivia Colman are all expected to return for the third season.

As well as the core cast members, there are some exciting new additions this season. Hayley Atwell (Black Mirror) will play Nick’s aunt, Diane, who takes Nick on a summer holiday to Menorca and "has some tough advice to impart about his relationship".

Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan) will portray Geoff, Charlie’s wise and straight-talking therapist, while Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) will cameo as Jack Maddox, an Instagram-famous classicist, and Charlie’s celebrity crush!

Speaking about the new casting, Alice said: "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."

Heartstopper will also welcome another graphic novel character in season 3, Michael Holden, played by Darragh Hand. In the novels, Michael is a love interest for Charlie’s older sister, Tori (Jenny Walser).

Is there a trailer?

Yes, the new trailer sees Charlie struggling with his mental health as everyone around him tries to offer their love and support, especially Nick. 

Elsewhere Nick and Charlie both want to let the other know how they really feel, while the rest of the friendship group are trying to navigate their way into early adulthood... 

Heartstopper: Season 3 | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube Heartstopper: Season 3 | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube
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Earlier this year we were treated to a Heartstopper season 3 release date announcement trailer, featuring an exclusive snippet of Billie Eilish's Birds of a Feather from the upcoming album Hit Me Hard and Soft.

You can watch below!

Heartstopper: Season 3 | Date Announcement | Netflix - YouTube Heartstopper: Season 3 | Date Announcement | Netflix - YouTube
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Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 

After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off

She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 

As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.