Written by Amy Beecham
Channel 4’s controversial new documentary My First Threesome may have raised some eyebrows online, but criticism is missing the vital importance of open conversations about sex on mainstream TV.
Channel 4 has always been known for trailblazing, often controversial post-watershed content that challenges stigmas and breaks taboos. Last night it aired My First Threesome, a deep-dive documentary aiming to create a healthy conversation about one of the nation’s biggest sexual fantasies.
“Having a threesome is one of our most popular sexual desires. This film follows first timers as they pursue their ultimate fantasy,” the documentary’s description reads, “but does it come at a cost?”
The hour-long special revealed some surprising statistics about attitudes to sex and sexual fantasies, particularly in a post-lockdown world.
According to research by Statista shared in the film, one in four people admitted that lockdown has made them want to be more sexually adventurous, and of those who confessed to having thought about having a threesome, two-thirds said they would like to turn that fantasy into a reality.
What’s more, statistics from Pornhub reveal that Britain isthe sixth most likely nation to search for threeway porn and it’s even more popular amongst women – proportionately, women search for threesomes twice as often as men.
The show follows single people and couples as they journey to explore their sexuality further by enacting their ultimate fantasy for the first time, documenting the physical, emotional and mental impact.
“For me, threesomes are the pinnacle of sex,” one participant explains in an interview.
“It’s almost like live porn, but you’re in it and directing it,” adds another on the appeal of sex with multiple people at a time.
From experimental sex parties to navigating new intimacies, the show followed groups of young people looking for ways to expand their sexual horizons – and predictably, the internet has some strong thoughts.
Social media was overrun with critiques of the show, from mocking the participants to lambasting Channel 4 for airing the series.
Others turned to the power of memes to express their mixed emotions:
The transition to the bedroom was of concern for this Twitter user:
And another ruminated on the logistics of the morning after:
The film also followed a young couple, Mart and Daisy, who are looking for ways to “spice up” their sex life after a year of monogamy. While searching for a suitable third party via a dating app, Daisy explains the insecurity she is navigating when it comes to involving another woman in her relationship.
“Sometimes I see great looking girls and we don’t swipe right,” she says. “I don’t really want to find someone that is 10/10.”
Those who have experience with couple threesomes also stress the vital importance of communication and trust with your partner, explaining that without it “insecurity and resentment will creep in”.
But while the show may have garnered the most attention for more racy reasons, the real message was an important one about consent when it comes to sex.
Before attending a sex party, one participant shares her nervousness about something happening that she might decide she “doesn’t like,” reflecting on the importance of clear boundaries when it comes to any kind of intimacy.
So whatever criticism or mocking My First Threesome is facing, by highlighting the importance of open and honest communication in sex, the show should be praised for sharing the the kind of conversations that need to be happening more on mainstream television.
My First Threesome is available to watch on All 4 now.
Images: Victoria Dawe/ Channel 4
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