‘Sex Education star Rakhee Thakra confirms departure from Netflix series

Sex Education star Rakhee Thakra has become the latest cast member to announce her departure from the show.

Thankra, who played teacher Emily Sands in the Netflix series, recently confirmed that she won’t be returning for season four.

“I’m not part of the new series,” she told Daily Star Sunday, before adding: “I can’t really talk about why.”

She continued: “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.”

The Netflix series was officially renewed for a fourth run in September 2021, following the critical success of the third season. However, in the past few months, several cast members have revealed that they’ve not been asked to return.

In April, Simone Ashley, who played Olivia Hanan, confirmed she wouldn’t appear in the fourth season due to her commitments on fellow Netflix series Bridgerton.

“I get asked that all the time,” Ashley said on ITV’s This Morning. “No, I’m a Bridgerton girl now.”

Then in July, Patrica Allison, who played Ola Nyman, announced that she too would not feature.

“I have absolutely loved being on Sex Education so much and playing Ola, but unfortunately I won’t be joining the team for season four,” Allison said during an interview on Capital Xtra radio show Breakfast With Yinka and Shayna Marie.

“I’m so sorry to have to break that to you guys, but I’m just going to be doing some other little things. Some other opportunities have come up. I’ve been doing it for three years and I’ve genuinely loved it.”

Her departure was soon followed by Lily Iglehart actress Tanya Reynolds, who told RadioTimes.com: “I’m not [returning], actually, which is sad, very sad.

“It’s just the natural progression of these shows – 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.”

In a three-star review of season three, NME wrote: “Otis and Maeve used to offer the show’s most compelling narrative, but the stakes now feel a lot lower. There are still wise musings on love and adolescence, but season three fails to build on the show’s foundations.

“Moordale is still the same place fans fell in love with, but these new episodes do little to take that relationship to the next level.”