PERIOD dramas have been a TV staple for years but they’re not as straight laced and uptight as you might think.
In fact, many of these historical dramas are downright raunchy, with some pretty explicit sex scenes catching viewers off guard, particularly if they are watching with their parents expecting a sedate Sunday Downton Abbey-style watch.
If you don’t believe us, here are some of the steamiest sex scenes in period dramas that are all available to stream online now.
BRIDGERTON
Netflix’s newest period drama is a lavish affair set in Regency London and has been described as Gossip Girl meets Downton Abbey meets Sex and the City.
It follows Daphne Bridgerton, who embarks on a faux romance with Duke Simon Basset as she tries to secure a husband, but the pair end up falling for each other.
Simon not only teaches Daphne about masturbation, but as their romance develops, they end up romping all over the place, with one oral sex scene being particularly steamy.
Bridgerton is available on Netflix
HARLOTS
The saucy tale of London’s booming sex industry of the 1700s features plenty of nudity and steamy romps.
Starring Lesley Manville and Samantha Morton as rival brothel madames, the series draws heavily on Harris’s List Of Covent Garden Ladies, an annual prostitution guidebook published between 1757 to 1795.
One eye-popping sex scene saw a man and woman romping in a carriage outside in broad daylight, which viewers didn’t expect considering the show airs on BBC Two.
Harlots is available on BBC iPlayer
OUTLANDER
When Claire (Caitriona Balfe) finds herself transported back in time from 1945 to 1743, she marries Highlander Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) out of necessity to survive.
Despite being a virgin, Jamie turns out to be a promising lover as they consummate their marriage in a seriously sexy season one scene.
However, it doesn’t last long with him sweetly admitting: “I didn’t realize you did it face-to-face. I thought you must do it the back way, like horses.”
The series goes on to include numerous sex scenes to keep viewers titilated.
Outlander is available on Amazon Prime Video
VERSAILLES
Versailles is possibly the King of all raunchy period dramas thanks to its seemingly endless nudity and romps.
One particularly graphic sex scene sees pregnant Madame de Montespan having sex with King Louis XIV.
She can be seen gritting her teeth and gripping the brass bed frame as the king thrusts away further down the bed.
Versailles is available on Amazon Prime Video
WAR AND PEACE
War and Peace was another ‘bonkbuster’ for the BBC back in 2016, with the character Hélène Kuragin (Tuppence Middleton) providing much of the raunchy action.
In one scene with serial bed-hopper Fedya Dolokhov (Tom Burke), the lovers made an almighty racket as they had sex on a dining table, sending cutlery and crockery flying.
Hélène had many lovers, leading to plenty of other steamy scenes throughout the series.
War and Peace is available on Britbox
GENTLEMAN JACK
The second episode of the BBC period drama’s first series saw Anne Lister – played by Suranne Jones – trying to seduce Ann Walker with tales of her time in Paris.
As she lured Ann in, she said she was only in the French capital “to study anatomy”.
But a split second later, viewers suddenly saw Anne in bed with a naked woman in the midst of an explicit sex act, leaving them shocked.
Gentleman Jack is available on Britbox
TIPPING THE VELVET
The 2002 mini-series followed Rachael Stirling as Nan Astley, an 18-year-old who becomes enamoured with male impersonator Kitty Butler, played by Keeley Hawes.
Forming a sisterly friendship, the pair move to London together to perform, where their relationship soon turns into romance.
Stripping completely naked, Keeley passionately kisses her co-star in one steamy scene, as they have sex on the floor of their dingy apartment.
Tipping The Velvet is available on Britbox
