Daniel Craig is to blame for the rise in male nudity on television, according to Sanditon star Anne Reid.

The 84-year-old actress blames Craig's James Bond emergence from the sea in Casino Royale in 2006 for male nudity becoming a 'thing' on TV.

Miss Reid, who plays rich widow Lady Denham in Jane Austen's 'sexed-up' Sanditon drama, said it is 'unnecessary' to have so many naked men around.

Daniel Craig is to blame for the rise in male nudity on television, according to Sanditon star Anne Reid. The 84-year-old actress blames Craig's James Bond emergence from the sea in Casino Royale in 2006 for male nudity becoming a 'thing' on TV

Miss Reid, who plays rich widow Lady Denham in Jane Austen's 'sexed-up' Sanditon drama, said it is 'unnecessary' to have so many naked men around. Pictured: Scene from Sanditon

'I don't think it's Andrew,' she told Radio Times.

'It's the times we live in. There are a lot of naked males around and I think it's unnecessary.

'Look at Poldark. But I'm old and it's what people want nowadays.

Miss Reid, who made her name in Coronation Street and has recently starred in Last Tango in Halifax, added: 'I said, 'I hope they don't ask me to do it.' I'd want a great deal of money.'

'It was Daniel Craig's fault, coming out of the sea [in Casino Royale, 2006]. It's just a thing now: if you've got the sea and you've got a bloke, then he has to take his kit off and get in the water.'

Miss Reid, who made her name in Coronation Street and has recently starred in Last Tango in Halifax, added: 'I said, 'I hope they don't ask me to do it.' I'd want a great deal of money.'

'About four million pounds might do it. I could put the nation off their tea and then retire.'

And she's not wrong - Aidan Turner in Poldark became accustomed to having his top off throughout each series.

More recently Tom Bateman's body in ITV's Beecham House became a talking point.

Sanditon, which began on ITV on Sunday night, has already set pulses racing with scenes of nudity and a sex act in the woods.

Sanditon, which began on ITV on Sunday night, has already set pulses racing with scenes of nudity and a sex act in the woods. Pictured, Sidney Parker (Theo James), Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams), Miss Lambe (Crystal Clarke), Lady Denham (Anne Reid) and Tom Parker (Kris Marshall) in a promo shot for the show

Aidan Turner in Poldark became accustomed to having his top off throughout each series.

The original novel remained unfinished when Austen died in 1817, after writing just 11 chapters and writer Andrew Davies used up the material in the first half of the first episode.

But Mr Davies - who was behind the BBC's 1995 adaptation of Pride And Prejudice - has confessed that the show is 'Jane Austen, but not as you knew her' and spoke last month about 'sexing-up' the Austen novel.

'I write something that I would like to watch and I suppose the 'sexing it up' thing comes in fairly naturally,' he said at a preview event last month.

'Because if it's not there I feel, well, that's a shame. Let's put some in.'

However, Kris Marshall, 46, who plays Tom Parker, the architect in developing Sanditon into a fancy Regency resort, said he had no problem getting naked for the scenes.

He told the magazine: 'I don't have a problem showing my bum.

'The simple fact was female nudity was a lot more hidden away in those days, and male nudity was kind of natural. So it's completely historically accurate and Andrew Davies isn't sexing Austen up at all.'

He added: 'The only issue for me is that out of the male leads in the show, I'm the most senior by 14 years.

'These other boys are very beautiful and gym-ready. I had to watch the carbs.'