Sex Education season 4: ‘Dropped’ cast member will be in final episodes after all

A Sex Education star who claimed they’d been dropped from the series will return in the final season.

In September 2021, the Netflix comedy-drama was renewed following critical praise for season three.

However, the following summer, it was revealed that several cast members have not been asked to return.

This included Tanya Reynolds and Patricia Allison, who played the eccentric Lily and her girlfriend Ola, respectively. Reynolds said she was “very sad” to not be in the new episodes.

Following this, in August 2022, Rakhee Thakra, who plays teacher Emily Sands, told Daily Star Sunday: “I’m not part of the new series. I can’t really talk about why.”

On Wednesday (5 July), Netflix announced new details about season four, which creator Laurie Nunn confirmed would be the show’s last.

A trailer for the final season was released, as well as an air date of 21 September and a full list of returning cast members; Thakra’s name was there.

The Independent has contacted Thakra and Netflix for comment.

Nunn said in a letter to fans about her decision to end the show: “We are incredibly proud of Sex Education and feel indebted to our brilliant writers, cast and crew who put so much heart into making every episode. They have worked tirelessly to bring you the final series, and we can’t wait to share it with you.”

Asa Butterfield, Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey, Gillian Anderson and Aimee Lou Wood will all return in the final season as Otis, Erica, Maeve, Jean and Aimee, alongside Connor Swindells (Adam), Kedar Williams-Stirling (Jackson) and Mimi Keene (Ruby).

George Robinson, Chinenye Ezeudu, Dua Saleh, Alistair Petrie, Samantha Spiro, Jim Howick and Daniel Ings will also return.

In terms of new cast additions, there’s Schitt’s Creek star, Dan Levy, Jodie Turner-Smith, Thaddea Graham (Doctor Who), Lisa McGrillis (Somewhere Boy), Marie Reuther (Kamikaze) and comedian Eshaan Akbar.

Former cast member Reynolds said of her departure from the series in 2022: “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.”

She added: “I loved every minute of it and I loved Lily with my whole entire heart. Three seasons was just a really perfect amount for me.”

Sex Education arrived on Netflix in 2019. The final season will be released on 21 September.