Love Scene | Sex Scene

Sex Scenes - It is one of Australia's biggest exports - the long-running soap which sees millions flocking to the country's beaches hoping to emulate the idyllic lifestyle of its characters.

But Home and Away is embroiled in some real-life drama this week as a television watchdog in New Zealand has deemed the hit show 'too raunchy'.

The country's Broadcasting Standards Authority has deemed a passionate scene between young lovers inappropriate for its 'general viewing' classification and 5.30pm timeslot.

They say the episode - which aired in New Zealand in March - is 'sexually charged' and 'did not observe standards of good taste and decency.'

In the offending scene, Liam, played by Axle Whitehead, and Martha (Jodi Gordon) kiss passionately as he removes her bathrobe.

Miss Gordon ends up dressed only in a black bra and white pyjama bottoms, and straddles Whitehead on a kitchen table before their passionate display is cut short by the intrusion of another character.

A spokesperson for Channel 7 in Australia, who make the program, have declined to comment on the controversy, but broadcaster TVWorks have been vocal, arguing that there is no nudity and that the scene 'did not contain any salacious content.'

The authority has not issued the Channel with a penalty at this time, but has warned that the family-aimed show went 'well beyond what should be included in a G-rated program' and 'did not consider interests of child viewers.'

Jodi Gordon appeared on Australian breakfast radio program The Kyle & Jackie O show today to chat about the controversy.

'You know what, Home and Away create the best story lines and are so tasteful in everything they do, and when I saw that (story) on the internet the other day I though, "that's so strange",' she said.

The 25-year-old actress, who has since left the soap, dismissed the furore, adding: 'they were just having a fun relationship.'

This latest incident is not the first brush with controversy for the actress, who left Home and Away in February after five years.

In July last year she was embroiled in bizarre incident where Sydney police raided an apartment to find Jodi cowering in a bedroom with an alleged biker.

The pair, believed to have been on a booze and drugs bender, had called police claiming that five men were trying to break into the home.

The suspected biker, Mark Judge, later admitted he could have been hallucinating when they made the call for help.

And Axle Whitehead almost ruined his own career after an incident at the 2006 Aria Awards (Australia's answer to the Brit awards), where he exposed himself to the audience.

The 29-year-old was fired from his job as host of teen-aimed Video Hits music show on rival Network Ten, but was soon snapped up by Home and Away to play bad boy Liam.