Why Is Patricia Allison Leaving 'Sex Education'?

One of Sex Education's favorite couples may not have the 'happy ever after' ending fans have been hoping for in Season 4.

Patricia Allison, who has played the lovable Ola since Season 1 of the hit Netflix show, has announced she will not be starring in the fourth and final season, inevitably throwing question marks around her character's relationship with Lily, played by Tanya Reynolds.

Allison is not the only cast member to step away from the fourth season.

Simone Ashley, who played Olivia in Seasons 1, 2 and 3 will also not be returning, after finding huge success in her role as Kate Sharma in Bridgerton.

So, why exactly is Allison leaving Sex Education?

Newsweek has everything you need to know.

Why Is Patricia Allison Leaving Sex Education?

Patricia Allison broke the news she would not be returning to Sex Education Season 4 during an interview on the U.K. radio show, Breakfast With Yinka and Shayna Marie.

She shared she had left the show as "other opportunities" had arisen, adding it was a "difficult" decision but the time had come.

Allison said: "I absolutely have loved being on Sex Education so, so much... but unfortunately, I won't be joining the team for Season 4.

"Some opportunities have come up. I've been doing it for three years, and I've genuinely loved it."

She continued: "I guess I have to say goodbye at some time, which is kind of sad, but other things are coming, and that's really exciting."

Exactly what Allison's next big career move is has not yet been revealed, but one thing is for sure, Allison is looking forward to what is to come.

At the end of Sex Education Season 3, Ola's dad Jakob (Mikael Persbrandt) and Otis (Asa Butterfield) mom Jean (Gillian Anderson) welcomed their daughter Joy into the world.

Whether Jakob is actually the father is yet to be confirmed, but the Orla, Jakob, Otis, and Jean family dynamic was sure to become very interesting for Season 4.

Season 3 also saw Ola and her love interest Lily work through their differences regarding their sex life. Ola had shared with Lily she wanted to have sex without "all of the alien" stuff, which Lily took to heart, leading to a huge argument where nasty words were exchanged.

Thankfully, the couple was able to compromise and Lily returned to embracing who she well and truly was, aliens and all, with Ola by her side.

Unfortunately, fans will not get to see them together in Sex Education Season 4, but hopefully, Orla will be given a fitting exit storyline. Perhaps she has gone off to another school to study or is off traveling the world.

Either way, Sex Education fans, for now, will be hoping Lily and Orla will still be together in Season 4, just perhaps in a long-distance relationship.

At the moment a release date for Sex Education Season 4 has not been confirmed but the good news is, there has been no other mention of other cast members departing from the show.

Therefore, fans can expect to see Asa Butterfield back as Otis, Ncuti Gatwa back as Eric, and Emma Mackey as Maeve.

Other familiar faces set to return are Aimee Lou Wood, Connor Swindells, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Mimi Keene, Dua Saleh, Sami Outalbali, and Chinenye Ezeudu.

Sex Education is streaming on Netflix now.