Michelle Keegan reprises her role as Sergeant Georgie Lane for another season of BBC Brit’s army drama “Our Girl”.
Fans are in for their final dose of action from Keegan in the six episode suspense-filled military show.
Shot in South Africa’s Franschoek hills and vineyards, the new season, which starts on Thursday, September 10, sees Keegan take charge in a role she describes as the most challenging one yet.
We caught up with her and asked her a few questions about the new season, her training and her new favourite spots in the Western Cape.
Tell us about the new season and what fans can expect?
I’m really excited that it's coming back. The audience response has been so positive for the last few seasons and I think Georgie is a character who resonates with viewers. I have absolutely loved playing the role. Fans can be prepared for another incredible season, tears, laughter and action of course as Georgie’s still got unfinished business.
How did you prepare for the role of Georgie?
I attended a boot camp, which was not only about physical training but also about medic knowledge. It was interesting to learn so much about the military, the ranking, the jargon and small intricacies like how to stand at command or how to hold a syringe or a weapon.
What is it like working with a mostly male cast?
After working for such a long time with the guys on set, it becomes the norm, you just become one of the lads. Also, preparing for this role took us to a newer level of understanding as you get to see that there is more to being part of the army than just a gender.
Outside of filming, do you spend any time together as a cast and what do you like to do?
The hours we spend filming and away from home it’s important that we destress and spend time doing other things. Like going out for drinks in the evenings while here in this beautiful city (Western Cape). Weirdly enough, even outside of our physically demanding days on set we still like to gym and train, so we do that most mornings.
What are some of the most memorable moments on set?
We have a lot of fun together and the guys often play pranks on set when we aren’t being too serious filming. The last one I can think of, someone threw ice- cold freezing water down my back during filming, while I was unaware and in uniform - I won’t lie though this helped me though as it was a hot day.
Tell us about the kit you wear, is it heavy?
Yes! It’s an actual kit worn in the military by soldiers which weigh a few tons. The only thing that’s different for me is that the costume designer had to become a bit more creative as my head is a bit petite so my hat is actually a bicycle helmet. And we do take off the kit in-between takes.
Because of the gruelling amount of physical activity you do, how does your body debrief after a day on set?
I know it sounds a bit weird but I do go to the gym just to get all the adrenaline out of my system.
Catch Michelle Keegan on “Our Girl” Season 4 on BBC Brit (DStv channel 120) from Thursday, September 10 at 8pm.