BAD EDUCATION: FIRST LOOK AT NEW CAST AS FILMING BEGINS

The eagerly awaited fourth series of popular BBC Three comedy Bad Education begins this January, following on from this month's Reunion Special.

Below is a first-look image from the forthcoming new series, showing the new leads - former Class K students, fabulous diva Stephen (Layton Williams), and lovable geezer Mitchell (Charlie Wernham) - return as Drama and PE teachers, to ‘educate’ a new gaggle of rebellious misfits.

Bad Education’s fourth season, due to air in early 2023, is set to return to BBC Three and BBC iPlayer and is made by award-winning Tiger Aspect Productions (part of Banijay UK) and Jackpot Productions.

The new series will be directed by Freddy Syborn and executive produced by Jack Whitehall, with a new team of breakthrough writers led by Nathan Bryon, and including Laura Smyth, Leila Navabi, Priya Hall, Ciaran Bartlett, Rhys Taylor and Layton Williams.

Series 4 will see Stephen and Mitchell get to grips with their new career and wayward students, all whilst new headteacher and control freak Ms Hoburn (Vicki Pepperdine) looms large. Meanwhile, recently departed head Mr Fraser (Mathew Horne) and his questionable ‘bants’ continues to hang around the school kitchen, as HR struggle to fire him.

We welcome new classmates to the school; glamorous gossip Usma (Asha Hassan), wannabe roadman Inchez (Anthony J Abraham), himbo Harrison (Bobby Johnson), clueless slacktivist Jinx (Laura Marcus), eccentric Warren (Ali Hadji-Heshmati) and energetic hustler, Blessing (Francesca Amewudah-Rivers).

Layton Williams says: "Stephen’s quest for stardom didn’t quite go as planned, and he’s back at Abbey Grove 'teaching' drama! I’m so excited for audiences to experience the madness of Mr Carmichael, the new Class K! We're having so much fun on set, I think you're all in for a treat!"

Charlie Wernham says: "It feels amazing to be back on set and having so many talented new individuals alongside to work with. A lot has changed for Mitchell since we last checked in on him. He’s grown up, found a missus and has a kid on the way, but in some ways he’s still a loveable big kid himself. The script this series is laugh-out-loud funny, and I can’t wait for audiences to return to Abbey Grove to laugh along with us."

Freddy Syborn, Executive Producer, says: "It’s been such a joy to work with Charlie and Layton again, as well as our room of new writers. Jack and I really hope that everyone will fall in love with our brilliant Class K 2.0, and we’re excited for a whole new generation to discover the show for the first time."

Bad Education returns Sunday 15th January on BBC Three.