Madeleine West opens up about her sex life after separating from chef Shannon ...

At the age of 41, Madeleine West has finally discovered the secret to great sex.  

The mother-of-six lifted the lid on her sex life during an interview with Mamamia's No Filter podcast this week, admitting that she had fears about 'performing' in the bedroom with a new man, following her split from ex Shannon Bennett in 2018.  

'I've done a billion sex scenes for work, and yet I was terrified,' the Underbelly star confessed.  

'[After separating from Shannon] I started to envision how to perform like a woman half my age. Will they Google me, see the type of TV shows I've done and expect me to be like that highly performative sex scene?'

The Neighbours actress admitted that her first sexual encounter after splitting from Shannon 'wasn't great', but insisted that the experience helped her come to 'a really important realisation'. 

'I am my sexiest when I am just being me. I've birthed six children, I look after my body, I've worked hard in life: and ever since that realisation, I've enjoyed it ever since,' she enthused. 

Elsewhere in her interview, the Playing For Keeps actress confirmed long-running rumours of her relationship with Byron Bay environmentalist Maximo Bottaro. 

The couple were first pictured together in April 2020 enjoying a steamy PDA session in the shallows of a secluded Byron Bay beach.  

Madeline confirmed that she'd met hunky Maximo after volunteering for his environmental organisation ReForrest Now.