Hit BBC drama Industry sees fan-favourite star QUIT after three series in major shake up
HIT BBC drama Industry has been rocked by a major shake-up as central star Harry Lawtey quit after three series.
The actor will not be returning for the highly anticipated fourth season due to scheduling conflicts.
While Harry's exit will be disappointing for fans, it is not a surprise given his rising Hollywood profile.
He recently landed a big role as Harvey Dent in the Joker sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux.
But Harry's breakout role was in Industry, where he first started to receive recognition after playing optimistic finance graduate Robert Spearing, whose confidence was quickly tested by the ruthless world of Pierpoint & Co.
The season three finale saw Robert leave the high-pressure bank to work on a psilocybin startup, which many believed would set up an interesting new storyline for the next season.
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Now it seems like Robert’s entrepreneurial journey will have to unfold off-screen.
Speculation about Harry's departure reached a fever pitch on Thursday after it was announced that Max Minghella would be joining the cast in a new role.
HBO also confirmed that Kit Harington, who made his debut in season three as billionaire tech mogul Sir Henry Muck, will remain in the cast as a main character.
Despite Harry's exit, several key cast members will be returning for season four, including Myha’la, Marisa Abela, Ken Leung, Sagar Radia, and Miriam Petche.
The upcoming series is currently shrouded in secrecy, but Industry creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay previously teased that they are drawing inspiration for it from Tony Gilroy’s legal thriller Michael Clayton.
Mickey went on to call Michael Clayton "the greatest corporate thriller of all time."
Industry has been a huge success for HBO, with its third season breaking viewership records and even earning a Critics Choice nomination for Best Drama Series.
The latest season saw Pierpoint betting big on ethical investing, with Yasmin (Marisa Abela), Robert (Harry Lawtey), and Eric (Ken Leung) at the forefront of the high-stakes IPO for green energy company Lumi.
Meanwhile, Harper (Myha’la) found herself drawn back into finance, forging an unlikely partnership with FutureDawn portfolio manager Petra Koenig (Sarah Goldberg).
Production for season four is set to begin in March.