Danny Dyer, Miriam Margolyes among those exploring the world of sex education

With sex education becoming mandatory for all secondary school children in England from September 2020, Channel 4 are sending a cast of parents and their children including Danny Dyer and his 11-year-old daughter Sunnie and Ulrika Jonsson and 14 year old Martha back to the classroom in Let’s Talk About Sex. 

The 3 x 60’ series from Spelthorne Community Television will take the most outrageous, unexpected and unintentionally hilarious sex education videos both past and present and show them to a diverse range of pupils and parents. Others sharing their candid opinions and fascinating anecdotes of their own personal experiences are Miriam Margolyes OBE, Stephen Mangan, Alastair and Grace Campbell, Phil Wang, London Hughes and Kieron Richardson.

Together they’ll discuss what works and what doesn’t and what they think should be on the syllabus next year as they have some very frank conversations about what each of them knows about sex. From watching how sex educators have handled erections and managed menstruation to how they’ve dealt with the LGBT+ issues and the challenges of masturbation – no subject will be off limits.

From September 2020 relationship and sex education will for the first time become mandatory for all school children in England. To coincide with this, next year the government plans to release new statutory guidance to replace the current “outdated” regulations last updated at the turn of the century in 2000. Using a wealth of video archive, this informative and entertaining series examines what young people have been taught to date an uncovers exactly what school children today do and don’t know about relationships and sex.

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX STARTS ON FRIDAY 5TH APRIL AT 10PM ON CHANNEL 4

Danny Dyer to deliver Channel 4's Alternative Christmas Message

Actor and broadcaster Danny Dyer, the unofficial man of the people, is to deliver this year’s Channel 4 Alternative Christmas Message.

Picture the scene, the post-Christmas Day kitchen carnage, rubbish everywhere, everyone fighting to be heard and nowhere to sit down and relax. Enter Danny Dyer.

Sipping tea out of a Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Royal Wedding mug, Danny reflects on a “pretty full on” year. He goes on to give his view candidly about the lack of leadership in this country.

"That shambles down in Westminster, what a palava that is. I mean where are our leaders? Where are they? There’s been more backstabbing than we have in Albert Square.”

Donald Trump doesn’t get off lightly where Danny is concerned either – he gets both barrels for both not turning up to the Armistice memorial as it was raining and for cancelling his trip to Britain.

“It ain't any better for the Yanks though is it, you know, what an absolute melt they've got there. He don't want to turn up to memorials because it's raining. He don't fancy a little trip to Britain because there's people here that just don't like him. Leave off.”

On a more positive note, Danny raises a glass to both to the heroes of 1918 to mark both 100 years since the Armistice of World War I and the victory in the fight for the women’s vote.

In the Alternative Christmas Message, which will be broadcast on Christmas Day at 3.50pm on Channel 4, Danny calls for more heroes and role models, citing his mum, Nan – and in later years, Harold Pinter, as his.

“That’s what I think we need more of, heroes, role models. If we need anything for 2019, it’s for each of us to find who we look up to. Could be your mum, could be your dad, your stepdad, your Nan, teacher, social worker. Maybe even a handsome roguish actor off your favourite soap.”

He talks of Pinter, “a father figure I didn’t even know I needed,” teaching him “that where I came from didn’t dictate where I went to” and he’s tried to pass this message on.

“I teach my girls they can be who they want to be, and I try and teach my boy to be a good man. Now don’t get me wrong, I ain’t no saint, you know, I can do better. I think we can all do better. And as dads, we can’t stop trying to do better until there’s no need for hashtags to remind us that no means no.”

He signs off with a thoughtful reflection, “Life can get a little stressful and we might get on each other’s nerves a bit, but remember how much there is to be proud of, to be grateful of, and get yourself a Harold, you know, if you can …. Merry Christmas, my loves.”