Why is Robert missing in Industry Season 4? Update from HBO show creators

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The first episode of Industry Season 4 features a busy start, introducing Charlie Heaton as a journalist and covering a range of dramatic events. However, fans won’t see Robert Spearing (played by Harry Lawtey) return, and there’s a specific explanation for his absence.

By January 2026, there will be plenty of new shows to watch! While Stranger Things may be finished, The Pitt is back for another season, the Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is coming soon, and the fourth season of Industry will also be available.

At the end of Season 3, things changed dramatically for the show’s main characters. Yasmin (Marisa Abela) accepted a proposal from Henry (Kit Harington) and fully embraced her glamorous new life, while Harper (Myha’la) started her own investment fund with financial support from Otto Mostyn (Roger Barclay).

Rob realizes that, despite their feelings, a relationship with Yasmin isn’t meant to be. He decides to leave his job in finance and move away from the UK to start a business focused on psychedelics.

Why isn’t Rob in Industry Season 4?

Harry Lawtey, who plays Robert in Industry, won’t be back for Season 4 due to a busy filming schedule. He’s currently working on several projects, including the 2025 movies Mr. Burton and Words of War, plus films like The Billion Dollar Spy, Longbourn, and Brides. He’s also filming a new TV series called Under Salt Marsh.

The creators of the HBO series recently explained that the characters’ growth and recovery played a role in why Robb Stark was killed off in Season 3, as they told TVInsider.

Mickey Down, one of the show’s creators, says the characters grow and change over time. The series increasingly focuses on characters examining their past traumas, and they now pause to reflect on things in a way they didn’t when they were younger—mirroring how people naturally mature and gain perspective.

When you’re 22, you tend to focus intensely on whatever you’re doing. Looking back on that younger self at 32, you might not even recognize them, but you’ll also understand how that person and their experiences ultimately shaped who you’ve become.

The show features some characters undergoing positive transformations. According to Down, Robert, in particular, experienced a redemptive arc, culminating in a strong final episode in Season 3, which ultimately led to his departure from the show.

The show focuses on characters who are still dealing with past trauma. As they heal and move forward, their stories often conclude, and they naturally exit the series.

Things might change in future seasons, but right now, that’s essentially how the show works and is structured.

Despite Rob’s departure, Season 4, Episode 1 of Industry, titled ‘Tender,’ introduces many new characters and actors.

Industry Season 4 new cast

Joining Charlie Heaton as Jim Dyker, the show will also star Max Minghella as Whitney Halberstram, Kiernan Shipka as Hayley Clay, Toheeb Jimoh as Kwabena Bannerman, Amy James-Kelly as Jenni Bevan, and Kal Penn as Jay Jonah Atterbury.

You probably know Noah Heaton as Jonathan Byers from Stranger Things. What many people don’t realize is that he’s actually English, and gets to use his natural accent when playing a role in Season 4 of Industry.

In Season 4, Episode 1, Jim, the financial journalist played by Heaton, faces a difficult ethical dilemma. Heaton explained to Elle that Jim is trying to rebuild his professional reputation and regain the trust of his colleagues after past mistakes.

Jim is so determined to regain what he feels he’s owed that he’s willing to ignore what’s right and do whatever it takes to succeed.

English actor Toby Minghella has been in several films and TV shows, including The Social Network, Elvis, Annabelle, and Spiral. He’s particularly well-known for his role as Nick in The Handmaid’s Tale, and he’s slated to appear in the upcoming DCU horror film Clayface.

In Season 4 of Industry, he plays a key role as the founder of Tender, a payment processing company. According to Minghella, the character is mysterious, even to himself, and driven by intense ambition.

Shipka is a well-known actress with roles in popular shows like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Mad Men, and Riverdale, and films including Longlegs, Twisters, and Totally Killer.

In the fourth season of the show Industry, Hayley, played by an actress who calls her character “wild,” works as an assistant to Whitney at Tender. However, there’s more to Hayley than just her initial impression.

She’s known for changing her approach and being incredibly bold. She’s determined and won’t let anything stand in her way.

If you’re a Ted Lasso fan, you definitely know me as Sam Obisanya! But acting isn’t just about that role for me. I’ve also been in some cool projects like The French Dispatch, Anthony, and The Power – always fun to take on different characters.

Jimoh Kwabena has started a new job as a trader at Mostyn Asset Management, reporting to Harper. The actor playing Kwabena notes that his character carries himself with a sense of confidence and arrogance stemming from his private school upbringing.

Jimoh noted that he’s much more relaxed than Harper, and the two have very different ways of handling both work and their personal lives.

James-Kelly began her acting career with a role in the British soap opera Coronation Street. Since then, she’s appeared in the series Safe, Three Families, and Everyone Else Burns. In Boiling Point, she plays Jenni, a Labour government minister and political rival to Henry.

James-Kelly described the story arc between Yasmin and Jenni as a give-and-take, where each woman tries to succeed in a challenging environment that isn’t built to support them.

Jenni is a determined and enthusiastic young woman rising in the company, mentored by Lisa Dearn (Chloe Pirrie), who understands the harsh realities of this competitive world.

Finally, there’s Penn, who’s worked on a variety of projects. He’s probably most recognizable for his roles as Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar films and as Lawrence Kutner on the TV show House.

In April 2009, he began working for the Obama administration, serving as an associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement. In this role, he connected with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, as well as arts organizations.

Penn balanced his political work with acting in television and films. In 2020, he hosted the short political series, Kal Penn Approves This Message.

In Season 4 of Industry, he portrays Jay, a co-founder of Tender. According to Penn, Jay is an interesting mix – a bit like a childish frat boy with a surprising knack for business.

He’s passionate about his work and deeply values everything he’s created. He’s also fiercely loyal to his close friend, who’s like a brother to him – an actor named Max Minghella.

Find out what’s new to stream with our list of this month’s Netflix releases, and see what TV shows are scheduled for 2026.

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2026-01-12 14:51