United Kingdom, April 20 -- David Nicholls "chickened out" of putting a sex scene in 'One Day'.

The 57-year-old author wrote the best-selling romance novel - which was adapted into the hit Netflix series - but didn't include any intimate passages because he felt "bashful" in doing so.

He told The Saturday Times: "'One Day' should have had a sex scene, but I chickened out. It's bad, isn't it? I've always struggled and got a little bashful writing them. It feels to me like a very extreme change of gear."

The 'Starter For Ten' author served as executive producer on the global series - which follows a young couple who spend the night together on 15 July 1988, knowing they must go their separate ways the next day - but teased that his next ...