Eshaan Akbar joins Netflix's Sex Education
Eshaan Akbar has joined the fourth series of Sex Education.
The stand-up revealed he was making his acting debut in the hit Netflix comedy in an interview. But the streamer has declined to reveal his role, which will reportedly span several episodes.
"I've had to play so many different roles in my life and I can tap into that with acting" he told The List magazine last week. "I've worked in government, banking, journalism and what I've realised is that everyone is stupid. We're force-fed this idea that they're cleverer than they are. We keep elevating these people to positions of power and influence, just because they're able to have highfalutin conversations over a glass of Chardonnay."
Filming is set to wrap shortly on the next series of Sex Education, expected to be the last, ahead of its release later this year. And posting on social media, Akbar said he was "absolutely astounded and honoured" to have got the job.
He previously voiced Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid for Spitting Image, despite not being an impressionist.
And the comic admitted to The List that he was "an appointment made in order to improve representation", adding that there "is no reason for a brown person to voice another brown person ... I was distraught when they got rid of Apu from The Simpsons because it mattered not a jot to me that Hank Azaria voiced him."
The Emmy-winning Sex Education revolves around the socially awkward Otis, played by Asa Butterfield, and his mother Jean (Gillian Anderson), a sex therapist who runs a clinic at his school.
Also returning are Ncuti Gatwa, the next Doctor Who, who will be back as Otis's best friend Eric Effiong, and Emma Mackey as Otis's love interest Maeve Wiley.
Schitt's Creek star Dan Levy is joining the cast too, playing Thomas Molloy, Maeve's mentor while she studies in the States.
Akbar has just begun touring his stand-up show The Pretender, with dates until May 20th.