Rakhee Thakrar (born 29 February 1984) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the roles of Shabnam Masood in the long-running BBC One soap opera EastEnders (2014–2016) and Emily Sands in the Netflix comedy-drama series Sex Education (2019–present). She also plays the Eighth Doctor's companion, Bliss in Big Finish's Doctor Who: The Time War audio dramas. THEATRE includes Paradise Now! At The Bush; There or Here at the Park Theatre; Astronauts of Hartlepool at the VAULT Festival; Free Booze at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival; Retalisation at the Peepul Centre; Somewhere Over The Rainbow at the Phoenix Theatre. TELEVISION includes Man Like Mobeen, Karen Pirie, I Jack White, Finders Keepers, Sex Education, Rules of the Game, The Girl Before, Criminal: UK, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Eastenders, Peep Show, The Jury, Doctors and Banglatown Banquet. FILM includes September Says, Spirit of Place, Wonka, My Happy Ending, End-O, 23 Walks, Summerland, Running Naked, Juliet Remembered, and Page Eight.