Alice Levine couldn’t help but crack a smile hearing people having sex

After peeking behind the curtains of how households across the country were approaching sex, relationships and intimacy for the first season of her show in 2021, she is now back to do it all again.

This time her latest three-part series delves into the role technology is playing in people’s sex lives, how ‘relationship anarchy’ is flipping the table on monogamy, and what exactly feedism is.

For those who tune in, there’s set to be lots of jaw-dropping moments, including Alice donning VR goggles to get a virtual blow job, acting as an assistance to help clean out a sex doll covered in bodily fluids, attend a sex party, and be cast in a fetish video.

While it’s all in a day’s work for her now, Alice admits there’s definitely times when what she’s seeing (or hearing) catches her off guard.

‘I think what was nice about all of the people who have taken part in both series is that they are very aware people and don’t think what they are doing is run of the mill and know that generally they are unusual,’ she told Metro.co.uk.

‘Hearing people having sex, there is something funny about it though and I haven’t done this enough to be desensitised to it,’ she added.

‘That will always be a strange feeling when I am sat at the end of someone’s bed, or they are up in a room above me having sex.’

Explaining that she doesn’t ever think this will be ‘normal’ for her as a presenter to be nearby in people’s intimate moments, Alice is happy to embrace the giggles at times.

‘I think the best things to do there is to be straight up about it and address it,’ she said.

However, Alice said she thought part of the reason she didn’t know how to act in some of the more eye-opening scenes was down to her ‘own prudishness or hang ups or conditioning’

‘We all have this programming about sex that we react in different ways, so I am also bringing that throughout,’ she explained.

But referencing the age-old adage that comedy can help break down barriers and address serious topics, Alice said making the show as respectful as possible to the people brave enough to be filmed was front of mind.

‘I like to think that humour runs throughout, and we are enjoying the experience with the people we are talking to, but I don’t think we are ever laughing at anybody,’ she said.

However she did add that ‘sex can be really funny and it’s ok to laugh at it.

Filming the first season was definitely a learning curve though, she admits.

‘I felt perhaps slightly underprepared last season for how startling some of it might be, but it definitely gave me a crash course in what to expect,’ she laughed.

While she said it was ‘always going to be intimate and awkward to a certain extent’ to talk about people’s sex lives, those taking part went to great lengths to make sure she felt comfortable.

‘I’ve been lucky, because in both seasons, the contributors have been incredibly generous and concerned with my comfort funnily enough, even though I’m not the one being vulnerable or exposed, literally or metaphorically,’ she said.

‘They kind of held my hand through it. It’s been a very warm and inviting environment.’

Sex Actually with Alice Levine starts on Monday, February 27 at 10pm on Channel 4 and will then be available to stream on All 4.

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