Heartstopper star Joe Locke has said he’s excited to say goodbye to the series that made him a household name.

Locke plays Charlie Spring in the Netflix adaptation of Alice Oseman’s popular web-comic. It was announced on Monday (9 June) that the film set to close the story, being directed by Gay Republicans‘ Wash Westmoreland, was now in production.

Speaking to Charlie Cox as part of Variety’s Actors on Actors, the star, who also featured in Agatha All Along, said: “I’m excited to finish the chapter of Heartstopper.” But asked if this was the end, Locke, who is an executive producer of the film, replied: “Never say never.”

He went on to discuss what the show has meant to him. “I’m so grateful, I wouldn’t have a career without it. But it feels like it’s time to push it off into the world and move on in a really nice way.”

Cox then mentioned a phenomenon Locke might experience after the film wraps. “There’s a slight weird mourning process for this character you’ve become very attached to,” he warned, prompting the star to admit: “It’s going to be weird.”

Whether the film is given a cinematic theatrical release is, Locke said, up to Netflix, adding: “It would be great, but I don’t think so.”

Oseman announced that the film was in production by saying: “We’re back,” and sharing an image of themself alongside Locke and Kit Connor, who plays Nick Nelson. Showrunners revealed in April that the series would end with a film.

You can see Joe Locke’s full interview with Variety below.

Heartstopper is streaming on Netflix now.