HBO Max Renews Comedy Series for Season 3
Comedian and writer Rose Matafeo's critically acclaimed rom-com series Starstruck has been renewed for Season 3 by HBO Max. The streamer and co-producer BBC Three announced the renewal on Monday, just three months after the series dropped its six-episode sophomore run. Details about the upcoming season, including episode count and tentative premiere date, were not revealed.
Confirming the renewal in a statement, per Deadline, Matafeo quipped, "a third? Sure. Fine." The creator went on to share that she is "truly thrilled to bring this incredibly talented cast back for a third installment, and equally excited to clamber into the director's seat alongside my nice friend Alice Snedden who I cannot seem to get rid of." Of the series and Matafeo, Sarah Aubrey, HBO Max's Head of Original Content, praised Matafeo for creating "a show that strikes just the right balance of heart and humor. Starstruck is exactly the kind of rom-com that we love at HBO Max, and we are so happy to see Jessie and Tom's story continue." Gregor Sharp, BBC Comedy Commissioning, dubbed the series "a blast of fresh comedy air, perfectly capturing the emotional mayhem of a new relationship with sharp wit, dry humor and a truthful eye," expressing excitement at what Rose and the team have in store for Jessie and Tom in the new series."
Originally premiering back in 2021, Starstruck follows Jessie, a 20-something New Zealand woman living in Hackney, London working jobs in a cinema and as a nanny. Her life gets turned upside down following a one-night stand on New Year's Eve, after which she discovers she slept with a famous movie star. The series stars Matafeo in the lead role alongside Nikesh Patel with Minnie Driver. Recurring cast members include Al Roberts, Jon Pointing, Joe Barnes, Sindhu Vee, Nic Sampson, Lola-Rose Maxwell, Abraham Popoola, Ambreen Razia, Nadia Parkes, Liz Kingsman, and Russell Tovey.
Since its premiere, Starstruck has been a massive success. The series currently holds a 96% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where a Season 1 (which received a 100% score) critics consensus reads, "Starstruck doesn't rewrite the rom-com datebook, but with a quick wit and a star-making turn from the dynamic Rose Matafeo it's easy to fall for anyway." Ratings aside, Starstruck is also buzzed about on the awards circuit, having received a nomination for best female performance in a comedy program at the 2022 BAFTAs. Following its 2021 premiere, Starstruck also became the most successful new comedy for BBC Three, with over three million requests on the BBC iPlayer, according to the BBC.
Starstruck is executive produced by Mateo alongside Rob Aslett, Jon Thoday, Cath Gagon, Richard Allen-Turner, and Gregor Sharp. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on HBO Max.