Actor Christina Hendricks, who was recently named ’sexiest woman in America’, has found herself unwittingly spearheading a campaign for curvier women. Christina’s vital statistics — 39D-30-39 — hark back to the 50s and 60s, when an hourglass figure was envied. Lynne Featherstone, the Liberal Democrat and Equalities minister, has called the Mad Men star an “absolutely fabulous” physical role model. “We need more of these role models. There is such a sensation when there is a curvy role model. It shouldn’t be so unusual,” the Mirror quoted her as saying.

And Cosmopolitan editor Louise Court spoke of the actor’s “huge impact”, saying: “This year loads of girls want to look like Christina Hendricks, not Kate Moss.”

All this attention on her shape has left Christina, who is a size 14, bemused. “I was working my butt off on the show and then all anyone was talking about was my body,” the 34-year-old said.