'Bad Education' begins filming again after 7 years with Jack Whitehall's final appearance

Bad Education has begun filming again for the first time in seven years, marking star Jack Whitehall's final farewell to the role.

The BBC sitcom last aired a new series in 2014, followed by a film in 2015, but now the long-awaited season four has begun filming along with a Christmas special.

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Comedian Whitehall's final time as inept teacher Alfie Wickers will come with this year's Christmas special, and the large gap between series also means his class of unruly pupils has had to be replaced for the new series set to air in 2023.

However, two of them will be back as teaching staff - Stephen (Layton Williams) has discovered his acting career hasn't quite worked out and he's rejoining the school as drama teacher, while Mitchell (Charlie Wernham) is also headed for the staffroom as PE teacher.

Williams said: "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!"

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Wernham added: "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."

There's a new headteacher in the form of control freak Ms Hoburn (Vicki Pepperdine), but recently departed head Mr Fraser (Mathew Horne) is still hanging around the school kitchen as HR struggle to fire him.

New classmates include 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).

The Christmas special, which will be Whitehall's final appearance as Alfie, sees him lead a disastrous careers day at the school.

Bad Education series four will air on BBC Three in 2023, with the Christmas special airing this December.

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