Nico Mirallegro insists he wasn't at all fazed by having to strip off and film a sex scene in the woods for new period drama The Village.

The 22-year-old My Mad Fat Diary star plays farmer's son Joe Middleton, who is seduced by Caro Allingham, the daughter of a wealthy landowner, while he is out hunting for rabbits, in the new BBC show set in rural Derbyshire.

Nico admitted he was shocked when he read the script, but insists he was comfortable filming the scene. Although he says it can't have been easy for co-star Emily Beecham.

He laughed: "It was OK. It was Emily's first day that day so I can imagine it might have been a bit embarrassing. 'It's my first day, yeah we're just going to go and have some sex in the woods as you do.'

"It was a scene where the director, Antonia Bird, closed the set off and all those kind of things. There was nothing embarrassing about it. I felt comfortable with everyone there anyway."

Nico has become something of a heartthrob after starring in E4 comedy My Mad Fat Diary.

But he insisted: "Being a heartthrob. I don't know. It is a compliment but I don't see what has happened.

"I'm just working and when you get the script you're like 'Oh I take my top off', that will add a few more fans to the list! But it's all part of the acting and I try not to think about that.

"I did a comedy showcase and I put it on Twitter and about 200 girls turned up in a tiny room and you couldn't move. I'd be lying if I didn't say it wasn't flattering because it is, everyone's going on about it. But it's weird though, I don't see it."

::The Village begins on BBC One tonight (March 31) at 9pm.