Freddie Fox: Sex scenes were actually sexy

The actor had to get intimate in new interlinked Channel 4 and E4 dramas Banana and Cucumber, but although filming bedroom liaisons is often viewed as an embarrassing or awkward experience, Freddie admitted he really enjoyed himself.

“[The scenes] were all really sexy to do,” said the 25-year-old.

“Usually you’re like, ‘OK, it’s sex. Well, we all know what you do with sex – we do this, we do this and this and that’s it – woah, thank f*** that’s over!’

“But actually, we didn’t [do that this time]. We were allowed to make them as real as possible, without actually doing it.”

“I have sex scenes with women and men, and you’d imagine there would be a different dynamic for each, but there wasn’t,” explained Freddie, who credited the directors for “allowing a certain intimacy” and “time to get over nerves”.

The Manchester-set series explores gay relationships in the 21st century.

Using many of the same characters in both, Channel 4′s Cucumber – penned by Queer As Folk writer Russell T Davies – centres around 40-something gay man Henry, whose life is turned upside down after a disastrous date with his long-term boyfriend.

Banana delves into the lives and loves of younger members of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community.

Freddie plays bed-hopping and lustworthy namesake Freddie in both, and prepared for the role by resisting sweet treats, so that he could boast an enviable 28 inch waist.

He said: “I thought, ‘I haven’t got that’, and I thought in every way that I can, I want to get as close to him as possible,” said the actor.

“The sort of mental preparation for the role was a change, and it was great,” he added.

Cucumber starts on Channel 4 on Thursday, January 22.