Jonathan Bailey is confirmed to appear in the forthcoming third season of Heartstopper

Alice Oseman, writer and creator of the Netflix series, announced on Thursday (25 April) that the Fellow Travelers star has joined the series alongside Hayley Atwell (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) and Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan).

According to Oseman, Marsan will play the “wise and straight-talking therapist” of Charlie (Joe Locke), while Atwell joins the family of Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) as his Aunt Diane.

She will take “Nick on a summer holiday to Menorca” and share “some tough advice to impart about his relationship”.

In a cameo role, Bailey is set to play Jack Maddox, an “Instagram-famous classicist and celebrity crush of Charlie”.

“It was an absolute joy to see Hayley, Eddie and Jonathan’s talent alongside our existing cast,” said Oseman, “and I can’t wait for the Heartstopper fans to meet these new characters.”

The official synopsis for season three reads: “Charlie would like to tell Nick that he loves him. Nick also has something important to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realize that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges.

“As they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn’t go to plan.”

Season three will also see the return of Yasmin Finney as Elle, William Gao as Tao, Corinna Brown as Tara, Kizzy Edgell as Darcy and Tobie Donovan as Isaac.

More star power incoming: Jenny Walser as Tori, Cormac Hyde-Corrin as Harry, Rhea Norwood as Imogen, Fisayo Akinade as Nathan, Chetna Pandya as Coach Singh and Bradley Riches as James.

Sadly, Sebastian Croft (Ben Hope) and Olivia Colman (Sarah Nelson) will not be joining them, with the latter recently confirming that she couldn’t “fit it in” to her busy schedule. 

Darragh Hand has also joined the cast as Michael Holden.

During a recent appearance on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Dinner’s On Me podcast, Locke revealed that his character’s eating disorder is “probably the main focus” of season three.

He echoed Oseman’s comments to the Metro, where they said mental health will be a “big element” in season three: “We’re going to continue to look at that in a big way and explore how that affects Nick and Charlie’s relationship, and all of the other friendships in the show.

“So people who’ve read volume four will have a little bit of an idea of what is coming. I’m really excited to take the show into that new place.”

Heartstopper season three will premiere on Netflix in October.

Check out a teaser of Jonathan Bailey in character here or below.