Who died? Who survived? Killing Eve's shocking finale explained (2023)

Killing Eve season 4 was commissioned by BBC Americabefore season 3 had even hit our screens, and it’s no wonder, as the black comedy thriller has won several major awards since its inception, including a Golden Globe for Sandra Oh (who plays Eve), an Emmy for Jodie Comer (Villanelle) and Baftas for Fiona Shaw (Carolyn), as well as for best drama series.

It's just as popular with viewers: the BBC has revealed that Killing Eve was the biggest show of 2019 on BBC iPlayer - with 40.4 million requests on the streaming platform.

But following the end of series 3 earlier in 2020, many fans are eagerly awaiting news of Killing Eve season 4 - which was originally developed for TV by Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge and based on the Codename Villanelle novellas by Luke Jennings.

From the UK release date and who’s in the cast to who’s writing the scripts and what we think will happen, here’s everything we know about Killing Eve season 4 so far.

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Killing Eve season 4 ending explained: Who died? Who survived?

Killing Eve season 4 finale: What’s next for the show?

What is Killing Eve about?

Killing Eve is a spy thriller like you've never seen before. It follows intelligence investigator Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) who is tasked with catching psychpathic killer Villanelle (Jodie Comer) - and the longer the chase goes on, the further a mutual obsession develops.

When was Killing Eve season 4 released?

Killing Eve season 4 started on Monday 28 February on BBC iPlayer in the UK. New episodes are available to watch every Monday on BBC iPlayer. The series consists of eight episodes, so the final episode will be available to watch from Monday 18 April.

It started in the US on 27 February, on BBC America and AMC+.

"Killing  Eve has been the most extraordinary journey and one that I will be forever grateful for," said Jodie Comer.

"Thank you to all the fans who’ve supported us throughout and come along for the ride. Although all good things come to an end, it’s not over yet. We aim to make this one to remember!"

"Killing Eve has been one of my greatest experiences and I look forward to diving back into Eve’s remarkable mind soon," said Sandra Oh.

"I'm so grateful for all cast and crew who have brought our story to life and to the fans who have joined us and will be back for our exciting and unpredictable fourth and final season."

Industry websiteDeadlineconfirmed in July 2020 that production on season 4 - which was supposed to take place across Europe in August 2020 - had been postponed indefinitely, without a clear return date to filming.

"Killing Eve shoots across multiple European locations," a spokesperson said. "Due to the uncertainty of the world as a result of Covid-19, no shooting schedules for Killing Eve season four have been locked in at this point and there are various scenarios in play."

Is there a trailer for Killing Eve season 4?

Yes - you can watch it at the top of this page!

Who’s in the cast of Killing Eve season 4?

The show's two leads, Jodie Comer (Villanelle) and Sandra Oh (Eve) are both confirmed to return for series 4.

British drama fans will recognise Comer from her roles in Doctor Foster, Thirteen and The White Princess, although Killing Eve is the Liverpool-born star's biggest role to date.

Sandra Oh is best known for her long-running role as Dr. Cristina Yang in medical drama, Grey's Anatomy.

Killing Eve season 4 wouldn't be the same withoutFiona Shaw(Carolyn), so we’d expect to see her back, along withGemma Whelan(Carolyn's daughter Geraldine).

The jury’s out on whether we’ll seeKim Bodniaback as Konstantin, but fingers crossed he’ll pop back up in a recurring role.

Hélène, the high-ranking agent of the Twelve, also has unfinished business so actressCamille Cottinis likely to make an appearance in series 4.

It's not been confirmed whetherOwen McDonnell, who plays Eve's husband Niko, will be returning for series 4 - although it is possible after he didn't actually die in series 3.

Executive producer Sally Woodward Gentle toldEntertainment Weekly: "Who the devil knows [if he'll be back]? He's not dead, as far as we know."

Harriet Walter's character Dasha had a heart attack in series 3, but the show's head writer and executive producer Suzanne Heathcote toldTV Linethat the writers “may find a way to resurrect her in season four” - so expect some flashback scenes with Villanelle.

Who wrote Killing Eve season 4?

Keeping with the tradition of appointing a new lead writer for each series, Laura Neal (Sex Education, Secret Diary of a Call Girl) will take the reins on Killing Eve season 4. Laura will also be an executive producer on the series.

“Laura is frighteningly bright, takes no prisoners and can laugh at anything,” said executive producer Sally Woodward Gentle.

“She’s wicked and wild, emotional and provocative.”

Neal follows in the footsteps of season 1 lead writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge, season 2’s Emerald Fennell and season 3's Suzanne Heathcote.

Bafta-winning writer Kayleigh Llewellyn - who wrote and co-created the BBC series In My Skin, based on her own life experiences - is also part of the series 4 writing team.

Speaking to the BFIabout working on the show, she said: "I’m so excited to be on Killing Eve because I adore the show and have wanted to work on it for years."

She added: "On Killing Eve we do a writers' room. You all work to serve a higher purpose, and that requires a lot of compromise and teamwork. I’m loving doing writers' rooms, but people normally do them first, and then do their own stuff.

"Whereas I’ve gone from having complete authority [on In My Skin] to like, ‘Why can’t I just do the idea I want to do?’ So yeah, you have to be humble."

A new writer for series 4 is Isis Davis, below, who's appeared in TV shows and films including EastEnders, Silent Witness and The Secret Garden.

Speaking about the process of being hired as a writer on the show, she told BT.com exclusively: "I’m a massive fan of the show, so to be asked to be a part of it was just unbelievable. I’ve been a fan from the very beginning.

"At the start of this year, my literary agent called and asked if I would be interested to put my name forward to join the writing team and of course I said yes.

"Then Covid struck, and it was up in the air because everything was virtual, and it’s really hard to run writers’ rooms virtually.

"Everyone thought it would only be for a few months, and we’d back in person, so it was like ‘OK we’ll put it off for a while, then once things return to normal we’ll get you in’ and things haven’t returned to normal and I don’t think they will for a very long time.

"So towards the end of lockdown, they were like ‘Look, it’s going to be a virtual writers’ room but we’d still like you to be on board’ and I was like ‘Yep of course I will!’

"It’s incredible because the execs, and the writers on board, they are just incredible talents. I’m really new. Working with these other guys is such an opportunity because they’re so talented, they’re just insane.

"The scripts are being written at the moment, they’re being developed, they’re ever-changing. The series is going to be immense."

What will happen in Killing Eve season 4?

*spoilers below*

The final scene of Killing Eve season 3 involved Eve and Villanelle having something of a heart-to-heart on a bridge, but what happens after that has yet to be revealed.

But, don't expect a 'happily ever after' for the pair, according to a recent interview with Comer.

She confessed: "I'm not sure I see a true happy ending for Villanelle because I think her own worst enemy is herself and we all know that's impossible to get away from."

With Villanelle deciding she no longer wants to be an assassin-for-hire, and with Carolyn (Fiona Shaw) turning down her request to work as a double agent for MI6, we should find out which way her career takes her next.

Speaking of Carolyn, will she make it to the end of season 4 alive after turning brutal killer in series 3 - or will she face repercussions for her impromptu murder?

And what's next for Konstanin - will we follow him to Cuba and find out if he actually killed Kenny (Sean Delaney)? Hopefully he's fully recovered from that heart attack, too...

Will there be a Killing Eve film or spin-off series?

As with any award-winning, hugely popular TV series, there is always the demand for more - lots more.

And AMC, who air the show in the US, haven't ruled out expanding the Killing Eve universe after the fourth and final season.

"We look forward to what is sure to be an unforgettable final season and to exploring potential extensions of this compelling universe," said AMC Networks president of originals, Dan McDermott.

If this means somebody gives Fiona Shaw her own spin-off series, we're onboard with that.

Where is Jodie Comer from and what is her real accent?

Although Jodie Comer uses a few accents in her role as Villanelle - including the assassin's 'native' Russian as well as French, German, Italian, Scottish, Australian and many flavours of English - the actress is actually from Liverpool and speaks with a Scouse accent.

She attributes her gift for picking up accents to childhood games with her father.

"Me and my dad, if there was an advert with a silly voice on, we’d always impersonate it around the house just joking around," she told the press in 2019.

"When I’m doing my own accent I find it harder to separate myself from the character, I don’t know why. You also don’t see many Scousers on the telly so maybe we need to change that up a bit!"

What else does Jodie Comer star in?

Although Killing Eve was undoubtedly her breakthrough role, Comer was a regular on our screens long before she picked up Villanelle's silencer.

While she had appeared in The Royal Today, Holby City and Waterloo Road as early as 2008, Comer's first recurring role was as witness Sharna in BBC legal drama Justice in 2011.

She then appeared as Chloe in three seasons of Channel 4's My Mad Fat Diary from 2013-2015 before winning the role that really brought her to the public's attention, that of Simon's girlfriend Kate Parks in BBC One hit Doctor Foster.

Since Killing Eve, Comer has starred in Help, a one-off drama set in a care home during the Covid pandemic, and appeared in two recent Hollywood films, action comedy Free Guy opposite Ryan Reynolds and The Last Duel, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck.

Comer has even appeared in the Star Wars universe, playing Rey's Mother in a brief scene in 2019's The Rise of Skywalker.

Where is Killing Eve season 4 filmed?

At this point, all we know is that season 4 was set to film across “multiple European locations”. We don't know where series 4 will take Villanelle and Eve, but past locations include London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bucharest and Tuscany.

How many episodes of Killing Eve are there?

There have been 24 episodes of Killing Eve so far - eight in each of the three series. Series 4 will also consist of eight episodes. The episode titles are as follows:

1. Just Dunk Me (released on iPlayer on 28 February)
2. Don't Get Eaten (7 March)
3. A Rainbow in Beige Boots (14 March)
4. It's Agony and I'm Revenous (21 March)
5. Don't Get Attached (28 March)
6. Oh Goodie, I'm The Winner (4 April)
7. Making Dead Things Look Nice (11 April)
8. Hello, Losers (11 April)

Watch Killing Eve if you liked…

Big Little Lies, Bodyguard, The Night Manager, Homeland, 24, Doctor Foster, Fleabag, Orphan Black, Thirteen, Sherlock.

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Killing Eve season 4 ending explained: Is Villanelle really dead?

There’s been no shortage of grisly deaths in Killing Eve season 4, with Helene (Camille Cottin), Lars (Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson), and Konstanin (Kim Bodnia) all killed - the latter of whom died at the hands of his trainee Pam (Anjana Vasan) - with a pizza cutter, no less!

But none of the deaths in Killing Eve have hit us as hard as the murder in Killing Eve Season 4 Episode 8 - the last ever episode of the show, which concluded on Sunday night with a double bill in the US (BBC America) and Monday in the UK (on BBC iPlayer). Read on to discover what went down in the finale, and what’s next for the show.

*Episode 8 spoilers ahead*

The start of Series 4 Episode 8 picks up where Episode 7 left off, with Eve (Sandra Oh) fighting off Gunn (Marie-Sophie Ferdane). Eve proves she doesn’t need Villanelle, as she blinds Gunn with her bare hands. Eve and Villanelle make their escape from the island by boat and set out to find and kill the Twelve. Eve declares to Villanelle “I came all this way to be with you”.

The inclement Scottish weather scuppers their plans to avenge the Twelve, and the pair are forced to take shelter in a nearby bothy (a remote shelter) with a very annoying and loved-up couple they met on the road. Eve and Villanelle recount how they meant, both insisting the other stalked them. Eve and Villanelle have their tarot cards read. Villanelle's future card looks optimistic, but Eve's does not - she receives the ominous death card. Gulp.

The weather clears up, and Eve and Villanelle decide to steal the couple’s camper van. Entertaining scenes ensue, as we see the pair having a laugh in their stolen vehicle, sharing a packet of Revels (the coffee ones, ugh) and dancing along to The Human League, just like any other couple on a jaunt through Scottish terrain. After stopping to wee in a bush, the sexual tension that has been building up all series comes to a head as Eve and Villanelle have a very passionate kiss on the side of the road.

Meanwhile, Carolyn is taken to the MI6 safe house before she meets Pam in Hampstead Heath. Pam tells Carolyn that Konstantin is dead - she killed him - and that his dying wish was for her to pass on a letter from him, and to tell Carolyn that he loved her.

Carolyn, Pam, Eve and Villanelle meet at The Barn Swallow Pub near MI6 headquarters in London, before it’s revealed that the Twelve have a new meeting spot - a river boat docked on the Thames, where a wedding is taking place. As Carolyn says, “You can't win the game, unless the game is on”. Carolyn knows exactly what’s going to happen next.

Eve and Villanelle smuggle themselves onto the boat, where Eve ends up officiating at the wedding. It’s all a distraction as Villanelle heads downstairs, unscrews the gas pipe kill the staff in the kitchen before finding the secret meeting of the Twelve. She kills off the Twelve one by one, as Eve enjoys the wedding disco.

The pair reunite on the top of the boat, overlooking Tower Bridge, triumphant that their mission to kill the Twelve is complete. But Villanelle gasps - she’s been shot at from someone on the bridge. Villanelle orders Eve to jump into the river below, but continues to be shot at whilst in the water. She sinks to the bottom of the river - Eve witnessing her murder, but unable to help.

Carolyn looks on - it’s all been masterminded by her. “Jolly good,” she says calmly into a walkie talkie. It’s a twist of fate, following what we expected in the tarot card reading, and the name of the show - Villanelle dies, but Eve survives.

There’s no way Villanelle could have survived the shooting, so it’s safe to say that the life of the assassin-for-hire has come to an end, just as her relationship with Eve looked to have survived.

Killing Eve season 4 finale: What’s next for the show?

No more seasons of Killing Eve have been commissioned, so the show as we know it has ended. But fans of the show will be pleased to know that a spin-off series focusing on the early life of Carolyn working in the British Secret Service is in the works.

As reported by Deadline, the spin-off is in the early stages of development with production company Sid Gentle Films, though it hasn’t been greenlit yet. There's no word on whether we'll be able to watch the spin-off show on BBC iPlayer in the UK, where Killing Eve was shown here.

But, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Killing Eve executive producer Sally Woodward Gentle said of the rumoured Carolyn spin-off: "That's not necessarily happening. I think somebody picked up on something and sort of ran with it."

She continued: "Of course, there's various thoughts. It's well-known that we've been thinking about where we could go next in the Killing Eve universe, but we're quite a long way off and there's a few ideas in the ether. There's nothing solid yet."

In March 2021, AMC Networks President of Original Programming Dan McDermott pointed to “potential extensions of this compelling universe” upon the announcement of Killing Eve season 4. Fans speculated that this could mean a film spin-off, like the Peaky Blinders movie, but this hasn't been confirmed.

Where can I watch Killing Eve?

Catch up on Killing Eve Seasons 1-4 on BBC iPlayer.