Hi, breaking news: Heartstopper season three content has dropped!

On 8 July, Netflix released the first nine images from the queer dramedy’s third season, showing the students of Truham High in various states of lovey-dovey-ness and, in Nick’s (Kit Connor) case, distress.

All of the main players appear here, including Joe Locke as Charlie, Yasmin Finney as Elle, William Gao as Tao, Corinna Brown as Tara, Kizzy Edgell as Darcy, Tobie Donovan as Isaac, Jenny Walser as Tori and Rhea Norwood as Imogen, as well as newcomer Jensen Clayden as Oliver Spring.

Additional season three cast members include Cormac Hyde-Corrin as Harry, Fisayo Akinade as Nathan, Chetna Pandya as Coach Singh, Bradley Riches as James, Bel Priestly as Naomi, Darragh Hand as Michael Holden, Jonathan Bailey as Jack Maddox, Hayley Atwell as Aunt Diane and Eddie Marian as Geoff.

Premiering 3 October on Netflix, Heartstopper season three will follow Charlie as he tries to “tell Nick that he loves him,” while Nick “also has something important to say to Charlie”.

“As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realise that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges,” reads the synopsis.

“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.”

In an interview with Tudum by Netflix, creator Alice Oseman said the season will “feel very different, and people will be surprised”: “This doesn’t mean that the series will stray from its core message – in fact, the first episode of season 3 is titled “Love”.”

They continued to reveal that Charlie’s mental health issues will “drive the story” in season three, and that viewers can also expect the characters to delve into more serious topics such as “sex” and “university ambitions”.

“Nick, Charlie and the Heartstopper teens are getting older, learning more about themselves and each other, and experiencing new desires, new fears, and new joys as they approach adulthood,” explained Oseman.

Check out the first nine images from Heartstopper‘s third season, premiering 3 October on Netflix, below!