Viewers of BBC One’s bank holiday thriller Bodyguard have branded sex scenes between the main characters as a ‘cliched’ and ‘tasteless and mechanical’.
The final ten minutes of the second episode saw bodyguard David Budd (Richard Madden) and Home Secretary, Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes) in not one, but two steamy clinches.
However, those watching from home were less than impressed, calling the passionate scenes ‘gratuitous’ and saying it detracted from the high-octane plot that has already seen two attempted terrorist attacks and an assassination attempt in a breathless 45 minutes of drama.
The second episode of BBC One drama Bodyguard, which was written by Line of Duty’s Jed Mercurio, saw Special Protection Officer David Budd (Richard Madden) seduced by Home Secretary Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes)…but viewers were less than impressed
The couple fell into bed twice in the last ten minutes but viewers said the sex scenes were unnecessary and detracted from the high-octane thriller’s plot
Former Afghan soldier Budd is promoted to protecting the Home Secretary after he averts a terrorist attack on a train…and the couple quickly cross the professional boundary
As soon as Mercurio’s central protagonists headed for the bedroom, Twitter was awash with protests from viewers, many of whom said the sex was clinical and cliched
As Madden’s former Afghan soldier turned bodyguard and Hawe’s Home Secretary embraced passionately Twitter was quickly awash with protesting viewers.
@lspark89 blasted: ‘Why do the BBC always have to ruin what at first looks to be a good drama by making it all about sex!? Last 10 minutes was total c***!
@KrisSaunders24 added: ‘A good tense thriller spoilt by the steamy unnecessary (we knew it would happen) sex scenes. Leave it out…’
@kateorawan said she was rolling her eyes when the pair became intimate. ‘Rolling my eyes at the sex scenes…Home Secretary and her bodyguard..so cringe/cliché/ridiculous!’
@SSeanAAyre ranted: ‘Well BBC you’ve just ruined #bodyguard it was a perfectly good drama and then you had to include booze and sex! Can’t any UK drama not include that anymore?’
The first episode of the BBC’s latest drama, written by Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio, attracted a healthy 6.9million viewers on Sunday night, with many praising the edge-of-your-seat plot that saw police officer Budd dramatically avert a suicide bomb on a train – by negotiating with a jittery potential assassin.
After the pair survive a blood-drenched assassination attempt on Montague’s life, they retreat back to her apartment and quickly become intimate
Awkward: Many viewers said they found the sex scenes between the two actors distinctly lacking in passion
A late-night supper of fish and chips at Number 11 Downing street proved the aphrodisiac
Former Afghan soldier David Budd appears to be battling demons; and the first two episodes of the drama, sex scenes aside, were generally praised for its edge-of-seat plot
The second episode continued where the first had begun, with the now promoted Budd heading for Number 11 Downing Street as Specialist Protection Officer to the Home Secretary.
While many praised the ensuing drama, which saw a truck bomber heading for a primary school and a blood-drenched murder attempt on Montague, many viewers said not only were the sex scenes that followed unnecessary, they were also chemistry-free.
@SarahLaverty1 chimed in: ‘How is is physically possible for Richard Madden to be involved in such an awkward sex scene.’
However, some felt the final scene between Game of Thrones star Madden and Hawes’ characters reflected the trauma the pair had just been through.
@IreneCrammond praised: ‘What a great sex scene in #Bodyguard! No nudity, no raunch, just a very sexy, sensuous scene… Other writers, directors take note…’
Ratings for the six-parter are likely to have delighted BBC execs, with 6.9million catching the first episode.
The show could now be picked up by US broadcasters, as Mercurio’s Line of Duty, which also starred Keeley Hawes, did.
Bodyguard continues on Sunday at 9pm on BBC One