'Boarders' Season 2 Moves in With One Week's Notice

HBO and Max are betting big on a certain family-oriented franchise about a poor kid whose life is magically changed for the better when he gets an invite to go away to an exclusive boarding school where the residents are used to a very different, far more rarified lifestyle. However, Anglophiles know plenty of school-based stories exist that are not focused on a special Boy Who Lived. For those looking for a fish-out-of-water story about poor students attending an exclusive boarding school where the culture will blow a few minds, may we suggest Boarders, which is returning to the U.S. with Season 2 in a matter of hours.

For those who missed Season 1's debut in 2024, Boarders follows five talented Black London inner-city teens transported to an alien world – a British boarding school – after gaining scholarships to the prestigious St. Gilbert’s as part of a poorly disguised PR exercise to improve the school's reputation. Starring Josh Tedeku as Jaheim, Jodie Campbell as Leah, Sekou Diaby as Toby, Myles Kamwendo as Omar, and Aruna Jalloh as Femi, the series was conceived by Daniel Lawrence Taylor, who also co-stars as the kids' mentor, Gus.

The series, which airs on the BBC in the U.K., was part of a small group of shows that landed on the FAST* service Tubi in 2023-2024 and one of only two to earn a second season along with Big Mood. (FAST = Free Ad-Supported TV, like TV was until ten years ago!) Boarders was a sleeper hit for the service, which aims for a younger, hipper, diverse audience, and Season 2 is one of its most anticipated originals of 2025.

Here's the series' synopsis. 

Boarders follows five talented black inner-city teens transported to an alien world – a British boarding school – after gaining scholarships to the prestigious St. Gilbert’s. They set out to make the most out of the opportunity despite their places only being offered as a poorly disguised PR exercise to improve the school's reputation.

Season 2 sees a new era for St Gilbert’s, with headmaster Bernard - who had brought the scholarship students into the school - suspended following a school rebellion. Now acting headmistress Carol Watlington-Geese (who also happens to be the mother of Jaheim’s nemesis, Rupert) is at the helm - and she wants them gone.

Season 1 saw these five outsiders begin to thrive. Season 2 asks how much they’re willing to sacrifice just to survive.

Tedeku, Campbell, Diaby, Kamwendo, and Jalloh as Femi return for Season 2 alongside Rosie Graham (Sanditon), Niyi Akin (The Diplomat), Llewella Gideon (Rye Lane), Maxim Ays (The Larkins), Niky Wardley (Queen of Oz) Assa Kanouté (Deep Cover), Harry Gilby (Tolkien), Georgina Sadler (The A-List), Tallulah Greive (Cinderella), and Zheng Xi Yong (Barbie). Season 2 also brings back Yuriri Naka (Curfew), William Andrews (Sweetpea), Dillon Mitra (Indian Summers), Archie Fisher (Death By Lighting),  Ruxandra Porojnicu (Glow Up), Mohammed Mansaray (The Cut), Al Foran (Deep Fake Neighbour Wars), plus no-longer-newcomers Andrew Harmon-Gray and Kye Malcolm.

Season 2 also introduces Wunmi Mosaku (Passenger) as Jaheim’s mum, Grace; Michael Salami (Supacell) as Femi’s Uncle Teju; Cara Theobold (Downtown Abbey) as St Gilbert’s new writer-in-residence, Jude; Alan Cumming (The Traitors) as party host Alan; Natalie Cassidy (Motherland) as rival school teacher, Sharon Hall; and Kendra Brown in her debut on-screen role as an American exchange student Devon’ye.

Taylor is the lead writer on Season 2, with Yemi Oyefuwa, Jeffrey Aidoo, and Racheal Ofori writing additional episodes. Joelle Mae David and Sarmad Masud directed it. Ali MacPhail returned as Producer, Carleen Beadle-Larcombe as Line Producer, and Mykaell Riley as Musical Director. Taylor is also an executive producer alongside Madeleine Sinclair for Studio Lambert and Nawfal Faizullah & Katherine Bond for the BBC.

Boarders Season 2 will premiere with all episodes on Tubi on Thursday, April 17, 2025.