Marie Helvin prefers "anonymous sex" since having breast cancer in 2022.
The 71-year-old model underwent a mastectomy after her diagnosis and although she is happy with the reconstruction, she admitted to being more comfortable having sex with men she is not in a relationship with.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said: "First of all, it still aches, and second, it’s hard to have to say to someone, 'You can’t touch me like that', and to have to explain why.
"But when I use the term 'anonymous sex' I don’t mean sex with a total stranger, such as someone you might pick up in a restaurant or at a party, but someone who you might meet through a friend or acquaintance and you both agree that it is going to be 'relationship-free' but casual and most likely just for that once.
"I always vet them carefully and it would always be very safe. I don’t remember what sex is like without a condom! It hasn’t happened in quite a while, but last summer I did have a very brief hook-up with a Frenchman I met through a friend of a friend of a friend.
"I was able to say, 'I don’t want my breasts touched', because I doubt very much I will ever meet him again."
However, Marie hasn't ruled out finding love again.
She said: "Look, I hope I’m not going to be by myself when I die. But I went through cancer by myself and although it wasn’t a piece of cake, it was fine.
"The pandemic uncovered a lot of truths for me. People I had thought were friends were actually acquaintances, and they kind of fell away by the time lockdown ended. But I enjoy being on my own, especially in winter when I like to hibernate.
"I must admit these days it [her libido] comes and goes. I feel I have a lot more physical healing to do. But I believe you can still feel and think sexy even if you aren’t having sex."
