A mum who directed a porn film has admitted she threw up during filming - because of the SMELL on the set.
Sarah-Louise Pritchard, from Greater Manchester, was one of five women taking part in Channel 4 series Mums Make Porn to highlight easy access to adult material.
The 40-year-old said it was important to face the cringe factor head on, in a bid to change the adult film industry.
Sarah-Louise Pritchard, 40, joined four other women for Channel 4’s Mums Make Porn to confront the impact of easy access porn on their kids, and highlight how this affects their attitude to sex.
Sarah-Louise, who has six children between the ages of 14 and 25, told the Manchester Evening News that she found the live shoot traumatic.
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She started out as one of the more open-minded contributors, admitting that she has watched porn in the past.
Although she doesn’t anymore, she 'didn’t have a problem' with it.
The beautician said: “At the start of the filming I thought I was open and liberal but when I went onto that first porn set I was physically sick.
“I think that was because I was so up close to the performers. There was the smell of bodily fluids, the noises, and it felt quite aggressive towards the female performer, Roxy.
“It was grim. I think it was the smell that knocked my stomach sick.”
Originally from Bolton, but now living in Irlam, Sarah-Louise and her colleagues - Jane, Sarah, Emma and Anita - were shocked by the hardcore content available to youngsters.
They stepped up to the brief to create an erotic film that they wouldn’t mind their over-18 children watching.
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“Things are so different to the way it was when I was growing up,” she said. “There used to be a shame attached to reaching up to the top shelf for a magazine or video.
“You didn’t want people to know you’d seen it. It was a giggle and a taboo - the elephant in the room.
“But now all you need is a mobile phone and you’re two clicks away from hardcore content.”
The NSPCC says the majority of children have been exposed to pornography by their early teens – 65 per cent of 15 to 16-year-olds and 28 per cent of 11 to 12-year-olds.
Sarah-Louise spoke of her shock that around 4.8 billion free porn films were uploaded online last year, with 80 per cent of that showing some sort of violence.
She said: “I don’t remember watching that kind of sex when I was younger. I’m not saying all porn is bad of course - there are some good porn films out there.
“But what worries me the most is the ease with which young people can access hardcore stuff.
“My son once searched on Google for dolphins and it brought up sex toys which progressed to pop ups from porn sites. This should not be happening.”
For the three-part series, the mums also jetted off to Barcelona to visit alternative porn producer Erika Lust, who aims to promote female sexuality in her productions.
For Sarah-Louise, this was a turning point.
She said: “During filming I was so shocked to start with I became uncharacteristically timid, but as it progressed and I met the amazing Erika Lust, I realised there was some intelligent porn out there.”
High on the mums’ agenda for the porn film was to include references to consent, safe sex, diversity and for Sarah-Louise, a positive body image.
She can be seen on the series emotionally opening up about her battles with body confidence.
“Four years ago I had a gastric balloon fitted in my stomach to stop me eating,” she says.
“I thought I was fat and I was only a size 16. What kind of message does that give my kids?
“I feel with this film I can make amends, or try and make amends at least. And get a really important message across. Not just to my daughter, to all teenagers and young people. You can be beautiful being curvy.”
Because of this, Sarah-Louise books size 20 adult performer Heidi for the shoot, which includes two different sex scenes - two women and a man and a woman.
The film, which they called Four Play, was then screened in a West End theatre to 130 people, including friends, family and porn industry professionals including Erika - who agreed to distribute the final 12 minute cut.
“I am proud of our film - it includes everything we wanted it to, such as consent, a mix of body types, safe sex and diversity. I cast the film and was delighted I got Heidi on board,” said Sarah-Louise.
“Yes I know people are going to say that it will get lost with the other porn, but the fact we have started such an important conversation at home is what is important.”
The important question - did her 18+ kids like it?
“I think to be honest the kids are super proud of their mum,” she said.
“We never said to our kids they had to watch it - that was their choice to make. But they came to the screening and said it was brilliant. They weren’t embarrassed, but I think their dad was.
“I think they have been ever so brave to speak about such a taboo topic, but they’ve really embraced it, and that’s all I can really hope for.”
The three-part series Mums Make Porn is available now on All4.
