Sex Education Facts That You Haven’t Heard Before About The Netflix Series

Sex Education is the popular Netflix series that follows the story of Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), a socially awkward teenager who lives with his sex therapist mother, Jean (Gillian Anderson). Set in the fictional Moordale Secondary School, the show takes a unique and humorous approach to exploring the complexities of teenage sexuality and relationships.

Otis becomes an unexpected guru of sex advice for his classmates, despite his own lack of personal experience. His knowledge comes from growing up surrounded by his mother's profession and absorbing valuable insights over the years. Through a series of hilarious and heartfelt encounters, Otis, with the help of his friends Eric Effiong (played by Ncuti Gatwa) and Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey), establishes an underground sex therapy clinic at their school.

The show doesn't shy away from addressing the awkward, embarrassing, and sometimes confusing aspects of growing up. This authenticity strikes a chord with viewers, who appreciate the relatability and the way the series handles these sensitive topics with sensitivity and humour.

Our Sex Education facts include why Moordale feels like an American secondary school, which cast member plays esports competitively and where the majority of the show is filmed on location.

1. Sex Education Season 1 Reached 40 Million Viewers

Sex Education has garnered widespread acclaim for its exceptional ensemble cast, well-crafted writing, skillful direction, high production values, and its mature exploration of relevant themes. The show has also been a hit with audiences, as the first series alone drew in over 40 million viewers after its debut. 

2. Aimee Lou Wood Win A BAFTA For Her Role

Aimee Lou Wood, who plays Amy, received the BAFTA TV Award for Best Female Comedy Performance, and the third series won the prestigious Best Comedy Series award at the 50th International Emmy Awards.

3. Ted Sarandos Announced Season Three To Shareholders Via Video

On November 28, 2017, Netflix announced that they had greenlit the production of the series. Created by Laurie Nunn, with Ben Taylor expected to direct, the show was set to be executive produced by Jamie Campbell and Joel Wilson through their production company Eleven Film. 

Netflix renewed Sex Education for a third series on February 10, 2020. In April 2021, Ted Sarandos, the co-chief executive officer and chief content officer of Netflix, mentioned in a video and letter to shareholders that the third series was slated for release in the second half of 2021. 

4. Sex Education Was Filmed Predominantly Across Wales And The Wye Valley

The filming locations for Sex Education are spread across various regions in Wales and England. 

For the first series, filming took place in the Wye Valley, encompassing locations such as Llandogo, Tintern, Symonds Yat, Monmouth, and Redbrook. Additionally, scenes were filmed in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, in 2018. 

Filming for the second series occurred between May and September 2019, including scenes filmed in the Forest of Dean.

5. The University of South Wales Is Moordale Secondary School

The former campus of the University of South Wales in Caerleon, Newport, served as the setting for Moordale Secondary School, while the Newport International Sports Village complex was utilised for swimming pool scenes. 

6. Scenes In France Were Actually Shot In Kent

During the production of the third series in February 2021, the crew visited several locations in Kent. Shorncliffe Military Cemetery in Sandgate and The Hawthorne Trench were used as WWI locations in France for Episode 5. Additionally, the Harbour Arm in Folkestone Harbour was chosen as a filming location for a scene in Episode 7.

7. Sex Education Is Intentionally Ambiguous With Time And Location

Sex Education is set in a fictional village called Moordale, which appears to be situated in modern-day Britain. However, the show intentionally incorporates elements that create an ambiguous time and location. 

While smartphones and other modern technologies are present, the majority of cars depicted in the show range from the 1970s to the 1990s, with very few contemporary models. The police cars featured in the series finale of the second season reflect a 1990s aesthetic rather than the appearance of present-day police vehicles. 

The show prominently showcases older technologies like CRT televisions and outdated household appliances.

8. Sex Education Has A Mix Of American And British Interior Design

Sex Education is widely recognized for its distinctive visual language and aesthetics, seamlessly blending American teen culture tropes with a British backdrop.

The interior design of the Groffs' house draws inspiration from popular decor styles of the 1970s, while Maeve's caravan embodies the aesthetic of the 1990s to early 2000s. The Milburns' house features a more modern decor, complete with an "American-style" fridge. Moordale Secondary School combines elements found in UK secondary schools with an American high school image.

9. Sex Education’s Aesthetic Pays Tribute To John Hughes

Laurie Nunn, the showrunner, has expressed that the deliberate aesthetic of Sex Education pays tribute to the 1980s films by John Hughes, known for their distinct style.

Taking inspiration from the works of John Hughes and the 1980s teen comedies, the series skillfully incorporates various elements, motifs, and designs reminiscent of those films and American teen media as a whole. These include scenes of students congregating around lockers, non-uniform school dress codes, and characters donning letterman jackets.

In the UK, secondary school students would wear identical school uniforms.

10. It Was Watched 447,750,000 Hours In A Month

Based on Netflix's Top 10 global viewership data, between September 12 and October 24, 2021, viewers collectively watched Sex Education for over 447,750,000 hours, further highlighting its widespread viewership.

11. A Manga Version Of Sex Education Exists

To expand the reach of the series, a manga adaptation illustrated by John Tarachine began serialisation in Kadokawa Corporation's Comic Bridge online manga magazine on July 15, 2022.

12. Rotten Tomatoes Rates Sex Education On Average 8.1/10

Rotten Tomatoes, the aggregation website, reports that 91% of the 80 critic ratings for the first series were positive, with an average rating of 8.10/10. 

The critical consensus on the website describes the show as "bawdy, heartfelt, and surprisingly wise," highlighting its ability to thoughtfully depict the sexual misadventures of teenagers while imparting meaningful lessons that even adults could benefit from.

13. Sex Education Has Been Praised For Its Diverse Casting

Ncuti Gatwa, known for his portrayal of Eric Effiong, a gay black teen, has received acclaim from both critics and cultural commentators. They have appreciated how his character avoids the clichéd portrayal of a token gay or black "best friend" stock character, highlighting the depth and authenticity of his performance.

14. Laurie Nunn Wanted A Unexpected Positive Portrayal Of A British School

In an interview with British GQ, series director Ben Taylor shed light on the creative choices, stating that Laurie Nunn's script and world-building leaned more towards American references to the school experience depicted in film and television rather than British ones. 

The intention was to infuse the narrative with warmth and positivity, portraying the school experience as a positive aspect, which is often uncommon in British storytelling. Taylor also mentioned that this approach visually expanded the canvas and created a more expansive atmosphere.

15. Sex Education Deliberately Doesn’t Focus On Modern Technology

Regarding Sex Education’s retro setting, evoking a nostalgic 1980s vibe, Ben Taylor clarified in interviews that the story was always set in a contemporary timeframe. However, the emphasis was deliberately not placed on modern technology and a generation obsessed with their phones. Instead, the focus was on creating a timeless quality by downplaying the prominence of digital devices in the narrative.

16. Netflix Hired An Intimacy Coordinator For Sex Education

In response to the #MeToo movement, HBO introduced intimacy coordinators for their productions, and Netflix followed suit by hiring intimacy coordinator Ita O'Brien. Their role was to ensure that actors felt comfortable and safe during the rehearsal and filming of intimate scenes.

17. Ezra Furman’s Music Features In Sex Education

The music of Ezra Furman is featured prominently throughout the entire first season, and the artist even appears as a singer in episode 7 during the school dance.

18. Asa Butterfield Plays Esports Competitively

References to the Super Smash Bros game are made in the show, with Eric mentioning Otis playing the game, and Otis inviting Eric to play it together. In real life, Asa Butterfield, who portrays Otis, is a fan of the game series and competes in Esports competitively.

19. Ncuti Gatwa Used To Be Homeless

Prior to being cast in Sex Education, Ncuti Gatwa, who plays Eric, faced struggles as an actor and experienced homelessness for five months. Since his role in Sex Education, he has been hired as the new Doctor Who on the BBC.

20. Each Episode Starts With Sexual Content

Each episode of Sex Education begins with a scene related to sexuality or relationships, including sex scenes, make-out scenes, self-pleasure scenes, or instances of harassment.

21. Sex Education Has A Similar Storyline To Charlie Bartlett

The film Charlie Bartlett (2007) shares a similar plot to Sex Education, as both feature protagonists who are outsiders and provide therapy to high school students from an unconventional location, such as a public toilet.

22. The Milburn House Has Been Toured By Sandi Toksvig 

The house where Otis and his mother live was featured in an episode of Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig. You may know Toksvig as the host of QI.

23. The Name Ola Is Considered A Masculine Name

Ola is the daughter of a Swedish man named Jakob. Traditionally, Ola is considered a masculine name, although there are a few hundred women named Ola in Sweden.

24. There Is A Friends Reference At Moordale Secondary

The Sex Education humanities teacher who was dating the science teacher (known for his difficulty in talking dirty) had a gold-framed peephole on her door that resembled Monica's from the TV show Friends.

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