Ncuti Gatwa On Bittersweet Goodbye To Sex Education: 'It Wasn't Always Joyous'

It may have been one of the worst kept secrets of the last year, but Sex Education announced it will finally and officially close its doors following its upcoming fourth season. But in a recent interview with Rolling Stone UK, Ncuti Gatwa (who will soon step into Doctor Who's shoes later this year) says it was bittersweet to say goodbye to his character Eric Effiong, and that he sometimes struggled with the show's overall creative direction.

"It was very hard. It was such a big show," he said. "When you're telling stories that haven't been seen before, there's always a battle as to how to tell them. It wasn't always joyous. I feel like we've outgrown it and we've given everything we can to it."

"Outgrown" is certainly a reasonable word choice. The actor turns 31 in October, while his character is still in his late teens. Yet despite being grateful for his experience on the Netflix series, he also expressed his frustrations of being a young Black actor and having to deal with executives who were primarily focused on satisfying white audiences.

"Being on it fast-tracked me into the downsides of this industry," he said. "I remember being told by an executive producer that white people wouldn't understand my character, Eric, which incensed me. There's an entire show there for white people to understand."

Sex Education will drop its fourth and final season on Thursday, Sept. 21. Said creator Laurie Nunn in a letter to the show's fans: "We wanted to make a show that would answer some of the questions we all used to have about love, sex, friendship and our bodies. Something that would have helped our inner teenagers feel a little less alone. It's been overwhelming seeing how the show has connected with people around the world, and we hope it's made some of you feel a little less alone too."

In addition to his well-publicized starring role in the upcoming Doctor Who season, Gatwa will appear as a variation of the Ken doll in Greta Gerwig's upcoming Barbie movie, which hits theaters Friday, July 21.

Thoughts on Gatwa's next roles or Sex Education's end? Drop them in the comments below.