Holding’s Siobhán McSweeney unpacks sex scene in episode 2

The ITV drama series, adapted from Graham Norton's novel of the same name, features a romantic storyline between lonely Garda PJ, and the married alcoholic Bríd Riordan (McSweeney).

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, McSweeney (best known as Sister Michael in Derry Girls) explained what filming the sex scene meant to her as an actress who isn't "usually allocated romantic leading status".

She said: "I'm not normally asked to play romantic leads like that, or have love scenes. So I was very apprehensive. But I was apprehensive for another reason which is the reason why– I've been asked a lot about that scene, and the reason why is because we don't get to see it a lot. Women who look like me aren't usually allocated romantic leading status.

"We've been told repeatedly by our films and television and our plays that women like me perhaps serve your coffee, and mind your children, but we don't get to have great sex on-screen. So you're carrying the weight of that history, that propaganda, that only certain lives are worth leading, and you're going with that and then you're going in with the male gaze going, ‘People are going to be looking at me.’ And you feel very vulnerable around that. But then you have to go, ‘F*** it. F*** it.’"

She continued: "Life teaches us that what we see continuously on television is not true. It's just not true. And love and sensuality and tenderness is not just the bastion of the skinny and of the young and of the boring. And it was one of the reasons why I wanted to do the part because we haven't seen it and it's f*****g ridiculous."

On her on-screen character, she said: "Bríd is a character that you don't get that often. I've never gotten her and I've never seen her on screen before necessarily. I had worried about it for so long [before the sex scene] and I know Conleth had as well. And when it happened, it was lovely.

"What I love about the two characters is that that they both have their own hang-ups. PJ is obviously the protagonist and the driving force in the show, and he has his own demons and his own issues, but so does Bríd. And she's not just ‘love interest’. She has her own internal world going on. So their romantic story doesn't follow a normal route, but why would it? Everything about them is something that we haven't really seen before. But it's very special. And I think a little bit heartbreaking really."

Additional reporting by Abby Robinson.

Read more:

• Holding's Conleth Hill: 'This is the best role I've ever had - including Game of Thrones' Varys'
• Holding location guide: Where is the Graham Norton adaptation filmed?

The full series of Holding is available to watch on ITV Hub now. You can also find something to watch with our TV Guide.

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