Bad Education series 3 will be the last - probably

The third series of Bad Education, which starts tonight on BBC3, is going to be the last one.

Probably.

We know for sure that this series will be the last we'll see of Form K, but Jack Whitehall does seem a little reluctant to draw a finite line under his time as teacher Alfie Wickers...

"It probably will be the last one," Whitehall told RadioTimes.com at the launch of the series.

"But never say never. It ends in a place where if we weren't to do any more there's enough closure to hopefully satisfy fans. At the moment I think yes, it'll be the last, but maybe in six months I won't be able to resist and I'll want to do more!"

Whitehall, who writes and stars in the school-set sitcom, reckons, "there's an element of not wanting to outstay one's welcome. A lot of the great sitcoms that I've enjoyed only really do three series. Three seems like a good number to bow out on."

But he does reference the uncertain future of BBC3 as playing a part in his decision: "I think it works very well on BBC3. It sits very well with the tone of that channel."

"Bad Education wouldn't have got made anywhere else. BBC3 really did take a punt on us to do it, to believe in me and believe in unknown writers."

Whitehall calls the channel "vitally important" adding: "It would be a shame for it to go, not only for the art side of the industry, the people who create the shows, but also for the large sway of audience that the BBC should serve just as well a older people. I do think they should reconsider that particular decision."

The third series of Bad Education, starring Sarah Solemani, Harry Enfield and Matt Horne, follows shambolic new teacher Alfie during the summer term as his students take their GCSEs.

Bad Education returns tonight at 10:00pm on BBC3