Sex Education confirms fate of missing characters after mass cast exit as final season arrives on Netflix

SEX Education fans were delighted when the fourth season of the frank and comedic show premiered on Netflix yesterday.

However, some beloved faces were missing from the final series.

Viewers had been left concerned when several cast members revealed they would not be participating in the fourth season of Sex Education ahead of the show's release.

As the original sex therapists Otis (Asa Butterfield) and Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) headed to Cavendish for their first day of sixth form, the fate of some of the missing characters was revealed.

Aimee shared that 'mean girls' Olivia and Anwar decided against going to the progressive school the rest of the characters joined for their final year.

Instead, the 'untouchables' clique members chose to finish up their studies at Taylor's Secondary in a neighbouring town.

That explained away the disappearance of actress Simone Ashley, who previously announced that she would not be participating in the final season after being offered a role in famed period drama Bridgerton.

Another shocking departure was alluded to in a fight between Otis and his mum, when he referred to her boyfriend Jakob (Mikael Persbrandt) as "gone".

Season three saw Jean unexpectedly fall pregnant, but throughout the series Jakob remained unsure the child was his as he'd had a vasectomy.

As season four progresses it becomes clear that after taking a paternity test Jean realised he was not the baby's dad.

Jakob walked out of her life when she told him the truth, leaving her to raise her daughter alone, which becomes a source of tension between Jean and Otis.

Although it is never confirmed, the show implies that Jakob's daughter Ola moved away with her father.

The actress behind Otis's old flame, Patricia Allison, decided to swap her role in Sex Education for a brand new project when she was cast in new action film Paradise.

The film, which is set in Hawaii, will follow Patricia's new character as she tries to find out the truth behind her father's murder.

Ola's alien-loving girlfriend Lily Iglehart is also missing from season four, but the reason why is left up to the audience's imagination.