She’s set to debut as WAG Kath Rickards in Channel Ten’s drama Playing For Keeps.
And as her character embarks on an affair with a male escort, Madeleine West spoke about open relationships during an appearance on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday.
Her comments come just weeks after the 38-year-old actress announced her split from longtime partner Shannon Bennett.
‘When you’ve been in a long-term relationship, things get a bit stale’: Madeleine West has spoken candidly about open marriages after splitting with Shannon Bennett. Pictured in 2016
Madeleine told KIIS FM’s Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson how her character on Playing For Keeps has an affair with an escort, while her on-screen husband also strays outside of the marriage.
She said: ‘We [the characters] have an agreement. We agree to have an open relationship, because you know what it’s like when you’ve been in a relationship for many, many, many years. Some things get a bit stale.
‘It’s like having a bit of stale crust on the bread. You just cut that off. You cut that off and you outsource.’
When asked how couples make open relationships work, Madeleine replied: ‘As long as there is communication and a bit of autonomy, you’re clear with each other – these are the boundaries, this is what we are happy to do. Beyond that, it gets a little bit dicey.’
Candid comments: Quizzed as to how couples make open relationships work, Madeleine said that there needs to be ‘communication and a bit of autonomy’
Madeleine was then asked whether she has, or would ever, consider being in an open relationship in her own life.
‘No, absolutely could not do that!’ she responded. ‘Look, I think it could work for a period but, at some stage, s**t would hit the fan.’
Madeleine revealed to Stellar magazine earlier this month that she had split from her partner of 13 years, celebrity chef Shannon Bennett.
She added that the former couple were ‘striving to reconnect as friends and parents’.
Just for the camera: Madeleine, whose character in upcoming Ten drama Playing For Keeps has an open relationship, said that she could never have a similar situation in her own life
Explaining the split, she said: ‘Having a public profile, having two high-pressure careers, having a multitude of children – and I will say they are a lot harder to train than dragons – it puts exponential pressures on a relationship, and cracks can form, and things that we don’t necessarily plan in the beginning can happen’.
Madeleine and Shannon began dating in 2005 and are parents to six children: Phoenix, 12, Hendrix, 10, Xascha, eight, Xanthe, six, and twins Xalia and Margaux, four.
It comes after Woman’s Day reported last month that the couple ‘broke up’ in July.
Calling it quits: Madeleine revealed to Stellar magazine for their Sunday September 9 issue, that she had split from her partner of 13 years, chef Shannon Bennett, 42
A source allegedly told the magazine: ‘Nobody knows what went wrong but whatever happened, it’s sad. They have such a beautiful family’.
Last September, Shannon and Madeleine bought a mansion in the ritzy Melbourne suburb of Toorak for a rumoured $16million.
Shannon is the head chef of Melbourne’s famed restaurant Vue de monde, and has published eight cookbooks.
Madeleine, meanwhile, is best known for playing Dee Bliss on Neighbours from 2000 until 2003.
Fame: Madeleine is best known for playing Dee Bliss on Neighbours from 2000 until 2003. Pictured with co-star Ryan Moloney