At the start of the second season of Disney Channel’s Andi Mack, the show made history for the network when main character Cyrus (Joshua Rush) came out to his friend Buffy (Sofia Wylie). Having a gay character in the core ensemble in Disney Channel’s most popular show is a huge leap forward and earned the show a GLAAD Media Award nomination in the new category, Outstanding Kids and Family Programming.

Tonight, Cyrus’ story continues in the extended, full-hour episode “Cyrus’ Bash-Mitzvah,” where, in addition to having his Bar Mitzvah, he finally tells Andi (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) about his crush on Jonah. In the episode, Andi and Jonah’s relationship seems to be on the rocks after they disagree over calling each other “boyfriend” and “girlfriend.” As Andi vents to Cyrus and Buffy, Cyrus opens up to her, saying, “Andi, you’re not the only one who likes Jonah. I like him too.” After a moment’s pause to process Andi fully accepts him, as did Buffy, and the two friends make him feel safe and protected. Andi and Cyrus immediately begin bonding over their shared crush, and become closer as friends for his honesty. In the episode, audiences also meet Cyrus’ parents for the first time who are supportive and proud of their son.

This was a big week for Andi Mack as the show was renewed for a third season! Audiences can look forward to exploring Cyrus’ story further, as well as more on the other important topics covered in the series. Andi Mack includes plots addressing issues faced by military veterans with Buffy’s mom, and ongoing themes of self-empowerment and embracing your most authentic self. These stories are connecting with audiences, making Andi Mack both Disney Channel’s most popular series and a top 10 series on all of cable TV among kids and girls aged 6-11.

Having a coming out story on such a popular show among young viewers is hugely important, and we hope to see other series following Andi Mack’s example. As Lee (Andi) told Teen Vogue, “I think kids who have those very real feelings and things that actually really do happen, seeing that on TV can give them the confidence to be more proud of who they are.”

Don’t miss Andi Mack on Disney Channel on Fridays at 8/7c. You can also catch up on the DisneyNOW app and on-demand.