Rakhee Thakrar has become the latest Sex Education star to confirm that she won’t be back for the fourth season.
The actress – who played teacher Emily Sands in each of the first three seasons – said that although she had thoroughly enjoyed working on the Netflix hit, her time on the show is now at an end.
“I’m not part of the new series. I can’t really talk about why,” she explained to the Daily Star Sunday.
“But I’m so proud of the show and grateful to have been part of something so important. There is nothing bad about Sex Education.”
Thakrar’s revelation comes soon after fellow cast members Tanya Reynolds and Patricia Alison, who played Lily and Ola respectively, announced that they would not be reprising their roles in the Netflix series.
Reynolds exclusively revealed to RadioTimes.com in July that she wouldn’t be taking part, describing her departure as “just the natural progression of these shows”.
“I’m not [returning], actually, which is sad, very sad,” she said.
“When you have such big ensemble casts and so many characters, I think you have to let a few older characters go to make way for newer ones, which is absolutely the right thing, the way it should happen.”
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Meanwhile, Allison announced that she similarly would not be back for more episodes during an interview on Capital Xtra Breakfast.
“I won’t be joining the team for season 4,” she said. “I absolutely have loved my time on Sex Education, and I’m so sorry to have to break that to you guys.
“I’ve been doing it for three years and I’ve loved it.”
The fourth season of Sex Education was officially greenlit by Netflix in September 2021, and despite the aforementioned exits, most of the main cast are expected to return – including Asa Butterfield as Otis, Emma Mackey as Maeve, and new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa as Eric.
Sex Education seasons 1-3 are streaming now on Netflix – visit our Drama hub for more news, interviews and features, or find something else to watch with our TV Guide.
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