Atkinson responds to 'Girls' poster row

Gemma Atkinson has admitted that she was not surprised when her Calendar Girls poster caused a furore.

The play's promotional material, which saw the actress posing with only cakes covering her chest, had to be adjusted last month following complaints that it was too raunchy.

Atkinson has now laughed off the row by revealing that she requested bigger buns before posing for the picture.

She told the Manchester Evening News: "I suggested at the photoshoot they needed Victoria sponges instead of currant buns! The buns were a bit too small. I did request larger ones, but they said it would be okay. It's all very tongue in cheek, like the show itself."

The 25-year-old is playing Miss September in the theatre production, which tells the real-life story of a group of Women's Institute members who stripped off for a charity calendar.

Of the play, Atkinson added: "It's actually not that revealing, you don't really see anything at all, sorry to let people down!"