Jesse Metcalfe was "oblivious" to behind-the-scenes drama between his Desperate Housewives co-stars.

The 46-year-old actor played gardener John Rowland in the ABC series and insists that he was focused on his work rather than what was happening with female co-stars such as Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman and Nicollette Sheridan.

Speaking about his time on the show during a panel at the Southfork Experience, Jesse said: "I was just happy to have a job. I went through an entire pilot season. I didn't book anything, and I tested for Desperate Housewives, which was a recast, right at the end of that pilot season and ended up booking it."

Metcalfe's alter ego had an affair with Gabrielle Solis (Longoria) on the show and he was "very grateful" to have the opportunity to work with his female co-stars.

The Chesapeake Shores star recalled: "I was just kind of riding the wave, you know, because that show really broke me and I had everything coming at me and I was just enjoying it.

"Matter of fact, there's a lot of stories about all the drama on that set between some of our lead females. And I was like, I was oblivious to it, basically, you know, because I was just so thrilled to be on a show and just so in the moment."

Jesse often appeared shirtless on Desperate Housewives but previously admitted that that element of the role put "pressure" on his shoulders.

He said in 2021: "Being a sex symbol is very much about the roles that you play and my roles put me up on a pedestal. But my appearance was also criticised and picked apart by a lot of people in the media. Having your shirt off in every episode of Housewives brought a lot of pressure.

"You have to stay in the best shape you can and then between projects, everyone expects you to stay in that shape 24/7, 365. That's not realistic. That's why paparazzi catch actors between projects looking 'out of shape' - they're taking time off and that includes the gym."

Metcalfe felt "caged" by his Desperate Housewives character at times.

He said: "The industry tends to think if you look a certain way that's all you have to offer.

"The best thing I could've done at that time was be patient, which I was not. I did a string of indie films that didn't work and should've kept my nose clean, so to speak. Between jobs, I just didn't know what to do with myself."