Gillian Anderson revealed one of the ‘D!RTI3ST’ parts of her new book about women’s s3xual fantasies during an appearance on This Morning on Wednesday.

The actress, 56, was interviewed by presenters Alison Hammond and Cat Deeley on the ITV breakfast show, to celebrate her latest project.

Released in September, Want, which is inspired by Nancy Friday’s 1973 classic My Secret Garden, compiles anonymous letters from women around the world revealing their deepest fantasies – including her own.

The X Files star explained that both women and men have been getting their hands on it in an effort to understand how women feel about s3x when they have the freedom to be totally anonymous.

Opening up about writing her own fantasy for the project, Gillian recalled: ‘I find myself talking about this topic a lot because of S3x Education and my involvement with my socials.

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Gillian Anderson revealed one of the ‘D!RTI3ST’ parts of her new book about women’s s3xual fantasies during an appearance on This Morning on Wednesday

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The actress, 56, was interviewed by presenters Alison Hammond and Cat Deeley on the ITV breakfast show, to celebrate the release of her latest project

‘But the act of actually writing particular words down, all of a sudden I froze, and I’m not prude.

‘I can hear and see quite a lot without being affected and I was really shocked that by writing it down it felt D!RTI3ST than it was in my mind.’

Cat Deeley chimed in with: ‘It’s the connotations that come with the words,’ to which Gillian agreed: ‘Exactly!’

Elsewhere in the interview, the actress added: ‘What is surprising is that in 2024 there is such a taboo around fantasy and it’s amazing in these letters to hear women still talk about getting their needs met in their own time – if they even do.

‘Because they don’t want the awkwardness, they don’t want their partner to feel that they are judging how it is, they don’t want to waste their time… it’s really interesting isn’t it?

‘I’m an actor, I’m not a specialist, I’m not a therapist. I find this a fascinating topic and what I’m learning from the women who are talking to me is that there is a space and a need for this conversation to happen.

‘Men are buying this book, not just for themselves to have a deeper understanding of the internal workings of women and what they want and maybe how they can help them get what they want.

‘But also I’ve had men say to me that they’ve bought it for their daughters to counterbalance the toxic masculinity that’s out there.’

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Want compiles anonymous letters from women around the world revealing their deepest fantasies – including her own

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The X Files star explained that both women and men have been getting their hands on it in an effort to understand how women feel about s3x

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Gillian said: ‘I can hear and see quite a lot without being affected and I was really shocked that by writing it down it felt D!RTI3STthan it was in my mind’

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Gillian looked the picture of glamour for the appearance, in a gorgeous red dress teamed with black heels

Gushing about the book, Alison referenced some of the fantasies and quipped: ‘We’re talking Aliens, we’re talking Harry Potter, Harry Styles, we’re talking Robots, Big Foot.’

The S3x Education star added: ‘They are on another level but there’s also so much tenderness.

‘Young girls who are yet to have s3x, women in their seventies who have never been kisses, women who have been married for 35 years and just are exhausted by the same old same old.’

Following the interview, fans were all saying the same thing as they rushed to social media to express their adoration for the actress, writing:

‘Just caught the end of interview on @thismorning Look at her!! she was talking about WANT #ThisMorning #Want #GillianAnderson’

‘Well done to the lovely Gillian for humouring these two bubble heads #ThisMorning’

‘Full interview of our most favourite inspirational woman Gillian Anderson on This Morning.’

‘F****** love Gillian Anderson, me #thismorning’

Gillian looked the picture of glamour for the appearance, in a gorgeous red dress teamed with black heels.

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She added: ‘But also I’ve had men say to me that they’ve bought it for their daughters to counterbalance the toxic masculinity that’s out there’

The actress has previously delved into the shame that still surrounds women’s desires, finding it ‘shocking’ that many women, including herself, still feel inhibited about expressing them, even in private.

Gillian also admitted it felt surreal to be voted the world’s s3xiest woman in 1996, as there was a stark contrast between her glamorous pin-up magazine covers and her daily reality – which involved juggling work with motherhood.

In an interview with The Guardian, she said: ‘It felt so preposterous to me.

‘If you saw my life and where I am half the time, between work and set and kids and driving and drop-offs and pick-ups and all that sort of stuff – the fact that you’d end up with those pictures is just so…

‘It’s just part of the fantasy. It doesn’t feel like it represents me at all.’

Gillian – who dated The Crown creator Peter Morgan for four years – expressed the project aimed to unify and encourage self-acceptance among women and encourage more openness and understanding, despite the cultural taboos that still linger.

Reflecting on her career, Gillian credited her role as the unapologetic confident DS Stella Gibson in The Fall for helping her step into her own s3xual power in her 40s.

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The actress has previously delved into the shame that still surrounds women’s desires, finding it ‘shocking’ that many women, including herself, still feel inhibited about expressing them

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Despite playing a s3x therapist in Netflix’s S3x Education (pictured), Gillian revealed she struggled to write down her own fantasy for the book

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The star admitted it felt surreal to be voted the world’s s3xiest woman in 1996, explaining it was in stark contrast to her daily reality (pictured in 1997 at the SAG Awards)

She said: ‘Like only in the last three or four years have I felt comfortable enough in my own skin… to reveal more of that aspect of me.’

Now, as she approaches 60, Gillian admitted that she is embracing a new chapter in her life, both professionally and personally.

The mother-of-three revealed she is trying to set an example for women everywhere that it is never too late to start something new.

Gillian lives in London with her teenage sons, Oscar and Felix, who she had with ex-partner, Mark Griffiths.

She is also mother to her older daughter, Piper, who she had in her 20s with her first husband, Clyde Klotz, an art director she met on the set of The X-Files.