‘Heartstopper has always been about balancing the light with the dark,’ the writer said (Picture: Netflix/Getty)
Warning: spoilers ahead for Heartstopper season 2.
Heartstopper season 2 is finally here, and fans are overjoyed to reunite with their favourite lovebirds Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) as their beautiful relationship blossoms.
A huge focus of the latest episodes is Nick’s desire to come out publicly as bisexual, while struggling to find the words or the right time to do so with his family, friends and schoolmates.
During a recent chat with Metro.co.uk, the creator of the show Alice Oseman was asked about the way in which Nick’s storyline in the latest episodes mirrors the experience that Kit, 19, had in real life when he shared that he felt ‘forced’ to come out after speculation about his sexuality from fans.
In November last year, the actor, who was 18 at the time, wrote in a post on social media: ‘Back for a minute. I’m bi. Congrats for forcing an 18 year old to out himself. I think some of you missed the point of the show. Bye.’
In the second season of Heartstopper, Nick is pressured to come out when his older brother David (Jack Barton) discovers his relationship with Charlie and acts in a homophobic and biphobic way towards him.
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While Charlie’s friendship group knows about his relationship with Nick, and Nick tells Imogen (Rhea Norwood) that he’s bisexual, he struggles to open up to his friends in the rugby team, especially after his friendship with bully Harry (Cormac Hyde-Corrin) soured in season one.
When asked about the parallels between Nick’s journey and Kit’s experience in real life, Alice answered: ‘Well, for me, Heartstopper has always been about balancing the light with the dark.
‘It’s a joyful, optimistic, hopeful story, but at the same time, I want it to portray real issues and to explore the more negative sides of all kinds of things, whether that’s coming out or bullying or mental health or homophobia. It does mirror real life for a lot of people and I hope it does, because that’s what I want it to do.’
Alice created the Heartstopper world that formed the basis for the TV show (Picture: Faysal Hassan/Netflix)
The creator, who wrote and illustrated the Heartstopper web series and novel on which the show is based, added their hope that the balancing of light and dark gives viewers ‘hope’.
‘I think by showing those hard things while also balancing that with so much joy, it gives people hope, and it shows people that despite these things that you may have to deal with in your life, things are going to be okay in the end,’ Alice said.
‘There is so much joy and happiness and comfort to be found in the relationships around you, in the future. So yeah, that is kind of exactly what Heartstopper is trying to achieve.’
Kit stressed that coming out ‘didn’t change’ him (Picture: John Phillips/Getty Images)
During a recent interview, Kit reflected on when he felt forced to come out, saying that he feels more ‘confident’ in himself in the aftermath.
‘I’m a bit more confident in myself in a very open sense, about who I am, what I can do, the way that I hold myself and the people I spend my time with. I have a lot more pride,’ he told The New York Times.
The actor continued: ‘Telling someone you’re gay or bi or part of the queer community, there’s a thing where you feel like they might see you differently or think that it would change who you are.
‘For me, it’s just who I am. Coming out didn’t change me.’
Heartstopper is available to watch on Netflix.
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‘Heartstopper has always been about balancing the light with the dark,’ the writer said.