Michelle Keegan is "frustrated" that she's constantly asked about her family plans

She said: "A few years ago it didn't bother me and I answered the question, but now I think, 'I don't need to answer that because nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors.'

"I remember when I finished 'Our Girl' people were like, 'Is it because you're going off to have a baby?'

"I know for a fact if Mark finished a job, nobody would ask him if he was going to have a baby. It's not fair. It does make me feel frustrated."

The couple - who married in 2015 - found speculation about the state of their marriage because they regularly worked away from one another "hard" but Michelle insisted the gossip doesn't bother her as much now as it used to.

She told the new issue of Britain's Cosmopolitan magazine: "If you go away for work it's seen as a negative and not a positive. I just don't understand that and find it hard.

"You're trying to carve yourself a career and people say you shouldn't be doing it because it impacts your marriage. It's ridiculous.

"That can be quite difficult because it's hard enough being away from home as it is without negative stories.

"A few years ago it would have bothered me more than it does now."

The 'Brassic' actress and her 33-year-old husband have seen a lot of each other in recent months due to the lockdown measures imposed amidst the coronavirus pandemic and they have "enjoyed" being at home together and doing simple things.

Michelle said: "We were saying we'd enjoyed it. It's been nice because we've both been working from home.

"Normally we could be out all day or I have to go to Manchester [to film 'Brassic'] or Mark is in London.

"I'm taking my dogs for daily walks, I've been doing a jigsaw a week and I've taken up cycling on a proper road bike. We go out three times a week and do 11 miles!"

Read the full interview with Michelle in the new issue of Cosmopolitan, which is out on Thursday (02.07.20).