No TV sex please, we want to sell this to America! BBC cuts steamy scenes from new Le Carre epic
‘It made filming sex scenes challenging’
THE last major TV adaptation of one of his novels caused a rumpus with its steamy sex scenes – and shots of Tom Hiddleston’s bottom.
But fans of hit spy mini- series The Night Manager might be disappointed to learn that the BBC’s follow-up, a version of John Le Carre’s The Little Drummer Girl, is a far more prudish affair.
Star Florence Pugh, 22, has revealed the six-parter, a co-production with US channel AMC, will be a nudity-free zone for fear of scaring off American viewers.
Miss Pugh – who plays a British actress drawn into the murky world of espionage after a holiday romance with an Israeli intelligence officer, played by Swedish star Alexander Skarsgard – told Radio Times: ‘America is quite scared of bums. And nipples. Such strange people.
‘We had to make sure there were no bums and nipples out. It made filming sex scenes challenging.
‘There was one scene we did where Alex and I were under the duvet and supposedly naked. I was wriggling down one end and Alex is wriggling down the other.
‘Halfway through, I hear, “Cut! Cut!” The director says, “Florence, you’ve got to hide your nipples more!” I’m like, “OK!”
So we do it again, and again I hear, “Cut! Cut! Florence! It looks like you’re hiding your nipples.” ‘I’m like, “Arrrgh! Just let me get my breasts out, I don’t care!” But America does care.’
The Little Drummer Girl starts at 9pm on Sunday on BBC One.