Gillian Anderson's artistic Sex Education poster of pregnant Jean has fans going wild

Gillian Anderson will grace our screens once again as Jean Milburn in Sex Education Season 3

Gillian Anderson's artistic Sex Education poster of pregnant Jean has fans going wild
(Image credit: Terence Patrick/CBS via Getty Images))

Gillian Anderson has sent Sex Education viewers wild with her latest update—a promo poster of a pregnant Jean Milburn. 

The American actress shared the exciting post on her Instagram on Monday, teasing fans of what's to come for the iconic sex therapist on the highly-anticipated Season 3 of the hit Netflix series. 

The image, which was cleverly captioned, "Sprouting Sept 17th 🌱🪴🌸 @sexeducation", depicts Jean, the lovable mother of the show's protagonist Otis, cradling a baby bump while holding a bouquet of cowslips. 

Her burgundy dress springs up from a leafy plant, hinting at new beginnings for both her character and her soon-to-be baby, while her blonde hair is elegantly tied back with a silver bow. The floral theme continues with sketches of the life cycle of flowers, again indicating this next season will be all about growth, rebirth, and—pure speculation here—maybe even death. 


Fans were quick to share their reaction to the poster, flooding Gillian's comment section with their excitement for another round of Jean Milburn. 

"Finally!!! The goddess returns!" one delighted follower wrote. Many Sex Education viewers were also itching to see Jean's pregnancy storyline unfold—a Season 2 cliffhanger that left audiences desperate to find out what happens next. 

Sex Education

Gillian Anderson as Jean Milburn in Sex Education 

(Image credit: Sam Taylor/Netlix)

"Finally!!! Mummy Jean 🥺 I can’t wait!!!! 💜" another person posted. This is far from the first time The Crown star has delighted her followers with a teaser Instagram photo. Her fans couldn't contain themselves last week after Gillian Anderson went bald for her Eleanor Roosevelt role in The First Lady, and it looks like they've been set off all over again. 

Gillian also shared a poster of the entire Sex Education cast, featuring all eleven of its legendary characters. "Growth is a group project" is written clearly at the top, suggesting Jean won't be the only one to experience change this season. 

A different flower is also prescribed to each character, likely to symbolize certain aspects of their personality. Interestingly, Otis (Asa Butterfield) is assigned bittersweet, a scrambling wildflower that just so happens to be poisonous. 

Sex Education

Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey) in Sex Education 

(Image credit: Netflix)

On the contrary, his love interest, Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey), is given the plant blessed thistle, a herb often used as a holistic remedy for indigestion and colds. Read into that what you will, but it looks like there's some serious tension on the horizon for these two in Season 3. 

"Their relationship continues to develop in season three," Asa told the Guardian in an interview earlier this year. "We also explore why Otis was running his sex therapy clinic in the first place. Was it just to be close to Maeve or does he get fulfillment from helping people?” 

Luckily, the wait is almost over to find out the answers to these pressing questions. All eight episodes of Sex Education Season 3 will be released on Netflix on September 17th, meaning you've less than a month to refresh your memory on what happened in its 2020 finale. You know what to do.  

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.