Paul Wesley says Vampire Diaries has 'sexual tone'

Vampire Diaries star Paul Wesley says movie and TV producers have turned the vampire genre into "a sex thing".

The series is about to start a second run on ITV2 and, along with the Twilight franchise and True Blood, is riding a wave of popularity for vampire-themed shows.

Wesley, 28, who plays Stefan Salvatore, thinks the popularity is partly down to the sexual dynamic in the new shows.

"They've made this whole vampire thing recently like a sex thing," he says.

"Back in the day it used to be like Dracula. They were genuinely frightening but now it's a very sexual tone."

Like the massively successful Twilight, Vampire Diaries places pin-up boys and girls at the centre of the action.

Ian Somerhalder, plays evil vampire Damon Salvatore, and is also a model.

The 31-year-old says he feels blessed to be on a successful show at a time when many others are getting axed.

"If you're on one of those things man, you're the luckiest person in this business.

"Being on a healthy TV show, something you're proud of... It's a dream."

The second series sees the on-screen brothers involved in a love triangle with Elena, (played By Nina Dobrev).

Meanwhile Katherine, the vampire who caused a rift between the brothers more than 100 years ago, is back and she's stirring up plenty of trouble.

Somerhalder jokes that the tense romantic storyline has its benefits: "Just sucking on the neck of some beautiful girls, that blows off more steam than just violently killing someone."

Vampire Diaries returns on ITV2 on 5 October at 9pm.