Playschool star Noni Hazlehurst shares awkward secrets of her ‘explicit’ movie sex scenes: ‘There was the odd slurping sound’

Former Playschool star Noni Hazlehurst has revealed just how awkward it can be shooting a sex scene for a film.

While she is perhaps best known for her role on Playschool, appearing as a presenter on the show from 1978 to 2001, Noni, 71, has also enjoyed a storied film and television acting career.

One of her most beloved big screen roles is in the 1982 film Monkey Grip, in which she stars alongside Colin Friels, 72.

The film, based on a novel by acclaimed Australian author Helen Garner, features some rather racy scenes between the actors and now Noni has revealed just what goes on behind the scenes.

In an exclusive extract from her memoir Dropping the Mask, published on news.com.au, Noni revealed that while she and Colin have have steamed up the screen in the film, all was not as it seemed.

Noni recalled one steamy scene where Colin had to kiss her ‘up and down my upper body’ and while the end result was ‘ sensuous and tenderly romantic’, the rushes told a different story.

‘Without music to augment the scene, all we could hear, apart from the odd slurping sound, was [director] Ken Cameron’s voice talking us through the action,’ she said.

“Slower Colin, linger there a bit more, don’t eat her, be gentle, do that thing with your fingers in your mouth again Noni, slow down Colin, go up, go down, too rough, go sideways, slower Colin” and so on.”

‘It was very funny.’

She added that all the film’s sex scenes were shot on the same day, adding to the awkwardness although one crew member offered a novel solution.

‘The first assistant offered a closed set and for the crew to be naked as well, but the thought of forty or so waving willies in my eyeline was enough to put me off sex for life,’ she admitted.

The awkwardness didn’t end there either, with Noni detailing how director Ken Cameron instructed her on-screen love interest on how to perform on camera.

While she is perhaps best known for her role on Playschool, appearing as a presenter on the show from 1978 to 2001, Noni, 71, has also enjoyed a storied film and television acting career, including the movie Monkey Grip alongside Colin Friels

Noni recalled one steamy scene where Colin had to kiss her ‘up and down my upper body’ and while the end result was ‘ sensuous and tenderly romantic’, the rushes told a different story

Released in 1982, Monkey Grip is based on the 1977 novel by author Helen Garner.

It tells the story of Nora, a single-mother who is embroiled in an on-again-off-again relationship with heroin addict Javo. 

The veteran screen star used her Logies Hall Of Fame acceptance speech in 2016 to take aim at the snail-like pace of change within the Australian TV industry.

Noni said the industry was slow accept women and non-Anglo Saxon Logie nominees Waleed Aly and Lee Lin Chin.

‘The fact that I’m only the second woman to be given this honour is merely a reflection of the prevailing guard,’ she said at the time.

‘Things are changing. They’re changing slowly. The great thing about glaciers if you’re not on them you go under. I’ve been riding that glacier for 40 years. And I’m staying on top of it.’  

Noni’s list of TV credits include Division 4, The Sullivans, The Shiralee, City Homicide and A Place to Call Home.

While she is perhaps best known for her role on Playschool, appearing as a presenter on the show from 1978 to 2001, Noni, 71, has also enjoyed a storied film and television acting career