Denise Richards's prime-time soap SEX, LOVE + SECRETS has been axed after just seven episodes - but co-star Eric Balfour made sure it will be remembered by filming his last scene completely naked.

The daring actor was so devastated by news of the show's end that he bared all on camera to give viewers a memorable finale.

The 28-year-old, who has also starred in Six Feet Under, The OC and 24, was reportedly drunk on champagne at the time.

An insider told the New York Daily News, "When he heard the show was cancelled, Eric Balfour sobbed uncontrollably. But he still had another scene to shoot.

"With nothing to lose and having drowned some of his sorrows with Champagne, he lost his pants and shot the scene completely nude."

But a spokeswoman for the actor maintains the teetotal star was not under the influence of alcohol at the time.

She says, "I'm sure there's some truth to the nudity part, because Eric was raised at a nudist colony in Big Sur.

"But Eric doesn't need Champagne to take his clothes off."