User:FishLoveHam/Our Girl series 3

The third series of the British military drama television series Our Girl began broadcasting on 10 October 2017 on BBC One, and ended on 24 July 2018. The series follows 2-Section through three missions: HERE. It consists of twelve sixty-minute episodes.

Production
UP TO DECEMBER 2017

Conception and filming
On 5 October 2016, it was announced that Our Girl had been greenlit for a third series, with Michelle Keegan set to return to her role. The new series was set to contain 12 episodes, over twice as many as the previous two series. The series would also be split into two parts, with each one following on 2-Section through a different tour. Part one focusing on a mission in Nepal following an earthquake. The second part of the series would be set in the Belize/Guatemalan border, and then the Myanmar/Bangladesh border. After Luke Pasqualino told Tony Grounds that he would leave after Part 1 of the series, his character's death was written in to explain his absence, a decision he felt was a good one for dramatic effect. Actress Keegan teased that the series would "pick up with Georgie at home with her friends and family, and she gets a call from Captain James asking her to come out to Nepal for a NGO relief mission" and teased that it would "join Georgie and Elvis in episode one in Syria where they left things on an even keel. They are work colleagues but there is still love there. Georgie still believes they can't be together but Elvis still tries his luck a couple of times. Obviously Elvis is a ladies' man but she does find out a few things she doesn't like. She tries to be professional but deep down I think she's genuinely hurt". The first teaser for the series was released on 23 September 2017.

The first part of series 3 began filming in May 2017. It was filmed in areas surrounding Kathmandu, Nepal, where the first part of the series took place. Crew took advantage of the filming and story sharing a setting, as scenes were filmed in a village that was affected by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake, where parts of the story were also set. Villagers were used as extras on occasion. Despite the series primarily being filmed in Nepal, some scenes used Cape Town, South Africa (where series 1 and 2 were filmed) as a stand-in for Nepal.

"I couldn't stand the early mornings!" she said when asked how acting compares to the Army. "Although I'm up early at the minute, we've had two military advisers with us since day one and before they start working at six in the morning they're in the gym at half four. They train every single day without fail. I couldn't do that."

So, if she's not a fan of the early starts, what is Keegan's favourite part of filming Our Girl?

"What I do like is rolling around getting dirty while filming," she said. "I always tell them to put more dirt on my face, it's really liberating."

She added that she's become used to not being able to 'glam up' during filming: "I haven't painted my nails for months because in the Army they have to have really short nails for hygiene reasons. Every day put grease in my hair to make it look sweaty and I have it up in a French plait. I love not wearing make-up here – but after a while it's nice to have a pamper sesh!"

This series of Our Girl features the show's most ambitious stunts yet, which Keegan prepared for by once again undertaking bootcamp training before filming began.

"We did bootcamp just like last year and we did it in Sandhurst and South Africa," she explained. "We work alongside people who are in the Army and it's about getting us in the mindset of being back in the Army, running drills, how to hold a weapon, discipline, all about your kit and a lot of medical skills.

"I've learnt so much. I know how to use a tourniquet, a bandage, I know how to stitch, how to do CPR and a lot of technical bits too."

Unfortunately, the stunts took a physical toll, with Keegan recalling that she was "covered in bruises" after finishing up work on the gruelling exploits. "It's been a lot more physically demanding than the first one definitely," she said. "There are a lot more stunts involved, more Army-based scenes and a lot more running which I'm not very good at! I've had to learn how to run like I'm in the Army – nightmare!"

Others
Michelle Keegan returned as Georgie Lane.

She says: “I’m so happy to be shooting the new series of Our Girl out in Nepal and so very excited to bring more stories of Georgie Lane to life. It’s an amazing experience to be working on such important stories with such an incredible group of people.”

Also returning to the show are co-stars Luke Pasqualino as Georgie’s former love and Special Forces officer Elvis Harte, and Ben Aldridge as her friend and boss, Captain James. EastEnders actor Rolan Bell will be back in Two Section, alongside Sean Sagar, Sean Ward, Mark Armstrong, Dwane Walcott and Ashley Houston. New cast members include Rudi Dharmalingam (Rellik) as Milan and Harki Bhambra (Two Doors Down) as Rab.

After being jilted at the altar at the end of series two, Georgie’s ex, Jamie Cole will not be back for series three, with Royce Pierreson not reprising his role. However, Michelle has a theory as to what he is up to now, explaining: “He’s probably settled down, got married and still a doctor.”

With Lacey Turner now still starring as Stacey Fowler in ‘EastEnders’, we wouldn’t hold your breath on seeing her back as Mollie Dawes. However, her husband Captain James will reference her in the series, with actor Ben Aldridge teasing we will “get more insight in a later tour”. James has become even more weary with life on tour, questioning what he does and the ethics of it. He will take centre stage in episode three of the series, when he experiences a massive betrayal from someone he thought he could trust. Ben explains this almost sees him lose the section and jeopardise everyone’s life. “For the first time in any drama that I’ve seen on TV, it gives a look into life in Afghanistan and for the soldiers in their Army who fought alongside them,” he says. It’s been written very carefully and delicately and well handled. It’s hard hitting drama.”

Maisie is very outspoken and rebellious, and instantly clashes with Georgie, who tries to put her in her place. But it also turns out she has a prior connection to one of the other characters. “Maisie and Elvis have their own history and when Georgie finds out, he knows he has his work cut out and it’s another hurdle to jump over,” Luke reveals. “What would the love story between Georgie and Elvis be if there wasn’t a bit of a spanner in the works? Maisie is that spanner.” Maisie will also have a love interest of her own in the shape of fellow newbie Rab, who takes a shine to her. There’s also Milan, a Nepalese engineer who catches Georgie’s eye, but when Elvis turns up in Nepal, it turns a potential romance between them upside down.

While we’re waving goodbye to Lane's ex-fiancé Cole, and the original 'our girl' Lacey Turner is still yet to make a comeback, there will be some new faces joining 2-Section. First up there’s free-spirit Maisie Richards (Shalom Brune-Franklin) – a specialist driver, whose reckless approach could land her in trouble with Captain James. Viewers ill soon discover she's also got history with Harte, which we imagine won’t endear her to Lane. There’s new recruit Rab too, who causes a stir by out-smarting Brains, and a fresh love interest for Lane – Milan (Rudi Dharmalingam), a Nepalese engineer who catches her eye.

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/will-lacey-turner-ever-bring-back-our-girls-molly-dawes/