Scottish actor John Hannah has no reservations about the X-rated content of 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand'.
Noted for its foul language, explicit violence and sexual content, the show has pushed the boundaries in terms of telly-watching experiences and has its detractors.
"On the one hand, it was no more than you might see on a BBC show at 10pm, but with the visuals being very much to the fore," he told TV Choice.
"It was expected that there would be an outcry," he explained. "It's a cable show, and the language alone is appalling."
However, Hannah – who plays gladiatorial school owner Lentulus Batiatus - argued that the content of both 'Blood and Sand' and its six-part prequel 'Gods of the Arena' is "entirely valid within that world."
"For the gladiators, those guys were dealing with the possibility of life or death at a moment's notice," he says. "So when people are living like that, I imagine their emotions are equally as heightened."
A second season of 'Spartacus', subtitled 'Vengeance', is due later this year.
