EastEnders veteran Letitia Dean has spoken about the importance of her character's raunchy scenes.
The 52-year-old actress discussed with Heat magazine her character Sharon Mitchell's steamy love affair with younger man Keanu Taylor, played by 26-year-old actor Danny Walters.
Letitia told Heat of the reaction to the 'Sheanu' affair: "I got a lot of, "You lucky b*****d!" And I was.
"I've been very blessed with my young leading men."
The blonde bombshell has been appearing on and off in the BBC One soap opera since its first episode in 1985, but her latest storyline has given some representation for older women's sexuality.
She explained of the age-gap romance: "You don't all have to look like Claudia Schiffer to have that happen, do you?
"I think a lot of women have been through that situation."
Letitia noted: "You hear a lot of women saying they feel invisible as they get older.
"And it was nice trying to portray that situation without making it sleazy."
The characters got down and dirty on the Mitchells' kitchen table in scenes last year, which Letitia remembers vividly and with much amusement.
She recalled" "With the leg up? Yes! I had to dig deep to remember what that was like, I can tell you...
"I’m living vicariously through my character."
Letitia added: "It was a little awkward to start with, but you just laugh your way through it, and I did wear my drawers.'"
Both Sharon and Keanu are set to be at the centre of the epic week of EastEnders' 35th anniversary episodes, with Keanu poised to have an epic final confrontation with Sharon's husband Phil Mitchell and his son Ben Mitchell.
Meanwhile, Sharon is due to go into labour and give birth to Keanu's baby.
Will Sheanu have a happy ending?
EastEnders continues tonight at 7.30pm on BBC One.
What do you think of the Sheanu drama? Let us know in the comments below.
