Hit BBC Three comedy Bad Education is back in class for a fifth series at Abbey Grove, with filming now underway in London.

Today, a first-look image has been released taken on the set of the upcoming series featuring lead actors Layton Williams (West End’s Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) as drama teacher Stephen Carmichael and Charlie Wernham (EastEnders) as PE teacher Mitchell Harper. Also returning for the new series and pictured alongside are British comedy stars Mathew Horne (Gavin & Stacey) as Mr Fraser and Vicki Pepperdine (Getting On) as headteacher Ms Hoburn.

The Bad Education Reunion is the highest rating comedy on BBC Three since the channel was relaunched in 2022; series four drew in over 1.2 million viewers with the highest 28 day audience of a BBC Three comedy series (excluding specials) making it one of BBC Three’s most successful titles.

Since first debuting in 2012, the show successfully returned to screens last year with a Christmas special that said farewell to Alfie Wickers played by Jack Whitehall, followed by the fourth series that introduced a new chapter at Abbey Grove, with school alumni Stephen and Mitchel getting to grips with their new careers as teachers.

The new generation of Class K will all be returning to Abbey Grove for the fifth series, including glamorous gossip Usma (Asha Hassan), wannabe roadman Inchez (Anthony J Abraham), himbo Harrison (Bobby Johnson), clueless slacktivist Jinx (Laura Marcus), eccentric Warren (Ali Hadji-Heshmati) and energetic hustler Blessing (Francesca Amewudah-Rivers).

Layton Williams says: "I'm so buzzing that everyone embraced the new Bad Education! Thanks to yous, we're back and badder than ever, creating more chaos with a super talented bunch. More life, more laughs, more looks!"

Charlie Wernham says: "The response to the last series was phenomenal, I am so excited for the fans to see what we have in store for series five! We have such a wonderfully talented cast, crew and writing team who have so much fun making the show, I am truly grateful that we all get to do it again!"

Freddy Syborn, Director, Co-Creator & Executive Producer says: "Last year, Jack & I loved putting together our new crew of characters and collaborators. We couldn’t be happier to be back - series five is going to be more joyful than ever."

Sarah Fraser, Executive Producer of Comedy at Tiger Aspect says: "Jack and Freddy did a brilliant job relaunching the series last year; leading a dynamic team of new writers, cast and crew. Expect even more disruption from Abbey Grove this term."

Richard Ackerman, Executive Producer at Jackpot Productions says: "We’re so delighted that Bad Education is back for another term of mayhem. We can’t wait to deliver this next series with the amazing Layton, Charlie and all the cast."

The fifth series (6 x 30’) comes to BBC Three and BBC iPlayer next year and is made by the award-winning Tiger Aspect Comedy (part of Banijay UK) in co-production with Jackpot Productions. The series will be directed by Freddy Syborn, produced by Hussain Casey-Ahmed and executive produced by Jack Whitehall, Freddy Syborn, Sarah Fraser and Richard Ackerman. It was commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy and the Commissioning Editors for the BBC are Ben Caudell and Navi Lamba. Banijay Rights will distribute the series internationally.

The writers include Anna Costello, Ava Pickett, Charlie Wernham, Nathan Bryon, Laura Smyth, Rhys Taylor, Layton Williams, Felix Hagan, Freddy Syborn, with additional material from Kyrah Gray and Fathiya Saleh.