Yes, yes, YES! Older women are finally calling the shots on TV

The autumn TV schedules are upon us, and this year you can barely move for the amount of sex on screen. Indeed, our airwaves are so blue it’s a moot point as to whether the TV belongs in the living room or the bedroom.

If it’s not the home Secretary in the guise of Keeley hawes undressing while her (very) close protection officer looks on agog in Bodyguard, it’s a middle-aged wife romping with a hunky silver fox policeman from her hydrotherapy class in Wanderlust.

Wanderlust, which began last night, is a very adult drama. Not just because of the amount of X-rated activity on screen, but also in terms of its main themes.

Unlike Bodyguard — which at heart is a crude action thriller, heavy on explosions and intrigue — it is a more nuanced observation of human adult behaviour.

But there is one area where these shows do find common ground — and no, it’s not just the bedsprings. They both have strong, singleminded and — crucially — attractive middle-aged career women as central characters. What’s more, they’re women who unashamedly enjoy sexual gratification.

When it comes to my age group (50-ish), TV has always reflected a certain bias. We can be funny, tragic, embarrassing, self-deprecating, blousey, vain, absurd, clever, mad. But sexy? Bar a few exceptions, never.

MeN, of course, can be seducers at any age, and the objects of their attention range from trembling waifs, helpless in the face of irresistible manliness (Poldark et al) to hormone-crazed bunny boilers (Doctor Foster).

Bodyguard and Wanderlust subvert these notions. They put women into roles traditionally played by men — and shift the focus onto this most neglected section of humanity.

hitherto, older women have been largely invisible to the wider cultural world. But now more of us are finally in real positions of influence and power, our emotions and opinions are suddenly being taken seriously.

It’s not just on TV; it’s in books, theatre and films. It’s in the fashion and cosmetic industries, for so long obsessed with youth.

It’s crept up everywhere, from politics to business. This feminism by stealth — changing the culture slowly from within until, lo and behold, we’re suddenly calling the shots — may be anathema to the younger generation, who seem to prefer loud but empty gestures to hard graft.

But in practice it has far more influence than any noisy nippleexposing protest. And now we are starting to see the benefits.

It’s why these two TV dramas have re-written perceptions of what it means to be an older woman in the 21st century.

And while it may make some viewers uncomfortable, the way these two fictional female characters behave is actually fairly representative of the behaviour of most mature women I know.

Women who have raised children, pursued careers — and don’t want to spend the rest of their lives sorting washing. Who have ambition, desires — and are determined to strive for what they want.

Today’s woman of a certain age is not only smarter, more financially independent and better groomed than ever before. She’s also wiser, funnier and — unlike today’s generation of anxiety stricken, politically correct #MeToo bores — a damn sight more fun to spend an evening with.

Of course, I’m not suggesting we should all indulge in affairs or head for the hills with the nearest law enforcement officer. Far from it. Let’s not confuse a saucy bit of TV drama with real life.

Just that it’s very pleasing after all this time finally to see older women being portrayed as something more than just a sideshow.