Bad Education axed to 'make room' for new shows

‘Bad Education’ has been axed by the BBC with "no plans" for a return.

The BBC Three sitcom - which initially starred Jack Whitehall, 35, as hapless secondary school teacher Alfie Wickers taking on a class of teen terrors over three series from 2012 to 2024 - was rebooted for two seasons in 2023 and 2024 as former pupils Stephen Carmichael (Layton Williams) and Mitchell Harper (Charlie Wernham) returned to teach, but the show has been cut by the public broadcaster to “make room” for fresh ideas.

A spokesperson told the Daily Star newspaper's Hot TV column: “We are very proud of ‘Bad Education’, but in order to make room for new comedy shows, sometimes difficult decisions have to be made, and we currently have no plans for another series.”

Layton - who became one of the show’s breakout stars as Stephen from the very beginning, and then finishing as last year’s runner-up on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ - recently teased that the show was ending as he was “too busy” with his other projects after starring in West End shows such as 'Everybody is Talking About Jamie' and his turn in the BBC One Latin and ballroom competition.

The 29-year-old actor told Digital Spy: "I don’t know how much I can say on this, but I will say it’s been a bad time. We usually film in the summer. I’m a little bit busy, so you can probably connect the dots.

“I will look back on ‘Bad Education’ memories so fondly. I feel so lucky that I got to revisit that show for a couple of years and put my own spin on it and lead a company.

"I've led a West End show or a musical, but I've never been a frontrunner when it comes to a TV show. So that was a big tick for me."