Gillian Anderson ‘hopes’ her kids haven’t watched Sex Education

Gillian Anderson says she “hopes” that her children haven’t watched her hit Netflix show Sex Education.

In the series, the 53-year-old actor portrays Dr Jean Milburn, Otis’ mother and a sex therapist.

During an appearance on the Radio Times podcast, Anderson, who has three children, said that while she is sure they watch the show, she is “living happily in the denial” pretending they don’t.

“I am living happily in the denial that my children do not watch the show,” she said. “I hope they haven’t.”

The X Files actor also revealed that when Sex Education’s first season came out, she banned her children from watching it.

“When [the show] first came out, I told them they weren’t allowed to [watch it],” Anderson said, adding: “I have had conversations with them about certain aspects of the show, and also the importance of certain aspects of the show, and conversations that are had that aren’t usually had on television that are very important, if not vital, for young people to hear.”

Earlier this week, Anderson also won an award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in Netflix’s period drama The Crown.

After her win, she was presented with a far more crude gift that paid homage to both her The Crown and Sex Education roles.

Anderson took to Instagram to share a photo of an enormous cake by French fashion house Chloé moulded in the shape of a penis wearing a crown.

“Let them eat cake! Thank you thank you,” wrote the actor, who accompanied her caption with the hashtags: “#sizedoesmatter” and “#penisoftheyear”.

Sex Education season 3 is available to stream on Netflix and you can read The Independent’s five-star review of it here.