By Ani Bundel for BritBox on January 30th, 2024

BritBox to Get More 'Bad Education' with Season 5

Anthony J. Abraham as Inchez, Laura Marcus as Jinx, Layton Williams as Stephen Carmichael, Charlie Wernham as Mitchell Harper, Ali Hadji-Heshmati as Warren, and Bobby Johnson as Harrison in 'Bad Education' Season 5

Anthony J. Abraham as Inchez, Laura Marcus as Jinx, Layton Williams as Stephen Carmichael, Charlie Wernham as Mitchell Harper, Ali Hadji-Heshmati as Warren, and Bobby Johnson as Harrison in 'Bad Education' Season 5

BritBox

For Americans, the title Bad Education will probably bring to mind images of Hugh Jackman in the HBO movie based on real events about a Long Island superintendent who lived a double life that was released in 2020. However, long before that film, there was already a British series on the BBC by the same name that ran for three seasons from 2012 to 2014. Created, starring, and written by comedian Jack Whitehall, the series was set at the fictional Abbey Grove School in Hertfordshire, where Whitehall starred as the deeply incompetent but big-hearted teacher Alfie Wickers, whose misfit Class K students might not have learned much in the way of literature or maths, but taught him a lot about life.

The series was canceled despite a devoted fanbase after critics never really warmed to it, but its following was big enough that Whitehall was allowed to tie up loose ends in a 2015 TV film by the same name. In any other era, that would have been the end of the story. However, the past decade of streaming has been one where the gaping maw of content must be fed, and any and all shows with a familiar name and ready-made fanbase are ripe for revival, and so it was with Bad Education. 

After a ten-year anniversary special did well enough in the ratings in 2022, the BBC commissioned a Season 4, bringing back cast members Layton Williams and Charlie Wernham who played students Stephen Carmichael and Mitchell Harper. The two returned to teach Class K at Abbey Grove, with a whole new set of misfit students. The series proved so popular, it was renewed for a second round, bring the show to five seasons, while BritBox snapped up the original three seasons, plus exclusive rights to the new ones to boot.

Here's the new season's synopsis:

The Jack Whitehall-created series returns for a fifth season that sees the new generation of Class K returning to Abbey Grove, including glamorous gossip Usma, wannabe roadman Inche, himbo Harrison, clueless slacktivist Jinx, eccentric Warren, and energetic hustler Blessing, all under the watchful eye of terrifying headteacher Hoburn.

The new class of Bad Education features up-and-comers Asha Hassan (Rocks), Anthony J Abraham (Jack Ryan), Bobby Johnson (Masters of the Air), Laura Marcus (Silent Witness), Ali Hadji-Heshmati (Lockwood & Co.) and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers. The series also stars Vicki Pepperdine (Getting On) as the new headteacher Hoburn.

Bad Education Seasons 5 debuts with all seven episodes on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 on BritBox.

By Ani Bundel for BritBox on January 30th, 2024
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Ani Bundel has been blogging professionally since 2010. A DC native, Hufflepuff, and Keyboard Khaleesi, she spends all her non-writing time taking pictures of her cats. Regular bylines also found on MSNBC, Paste, Primetimer, and others. 

A Woman's Place Is In Your Face. Cat Approved. Find her on BlueSky and other social media of your choice: @anibundel.bsky.social

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