Michelle Keegan insists long distance marriage to Mark Wright ISN’T hard as she reveals she’s ‘bruised from head to toe’ after horrific stunts on Our Girl
Actress says she and hubby Mark can keep their love alive via FaceTime - and that she had to carry her own weight in a rucksack for the BBC show
OUR Girl's Michelle Keegan has revealed how expensive and dangerous stunts in the new series left her with "ridiculous" bruises "from head to toe" in a new Radio One interview.
The former Corrie star added that she had to carry a bag that weighed the same as her as part of filming - and also admitted that she and husband Mark Wright are now acclimatised to living thousands of miles apart.
Michelle, 30, revealed that fans of the BBC military drama can expect a lot of action, as over the seven months of filming abroad a lot of stunts and explosions were packed in.
She told Nick Grimshaw: "We have done a lot of explosions and I've done the occasional stunt and I bruise like a peach so my body is bruised from head to toe.
"There's always a stunt and you can only do it once because it costs thousands. There was one with an explosion behind us and we had to get the timing perfect because the mats were buried under sand.
"The pressure was horrible. Everyone was filming on phones so the pressure was on."
Not only did poor Michelle have this to contend with, but she also went through the equivalent of real-life army training - and carried a "ridiculous" bag the equivalent of her own weight, seven and a half stone, as part of her "Bergen test", in the South African heat.
She explained: "I have to walk and run with it on my back. Not only that it's the uniform, the heavy boots and it's hard work! But I can eat what I want which is good for me because I love my food.
"My favourite snack was rice cakes - you don't understand it was so good like rice cakes with hummus and avocado. It was BBC catering."
Commenting on whether she is fit enough to be in the army herself, Michelle said: "I try to be good with health and fitness. I'm not the best. I wouldn't pass an army fitness side.
"I wouldn't pass the running test but I could pass the Bergen test."
Not only is Michelle put to the test mentally and physically for the show, but she was also required to shoot a whopping 12 episodes for this third series.
Asked if she knew what she was getting herself into when signing up for another series, Michelle recalled: "I didn't know that at the time either. It's been a long, long filming schedule.
"I was away for three months last time and this time I was in South Africa for three months and then I had three weeks off then I was in Malaysia for three months.
"So over all I was away for seven months. It was a long time being away from home. I had to do it, the contract was signed. Book me a flight!"
But Michelle insists that despite her husband saying he gets lonely without her when he's in the States for his own job, it's getting easier for them to be apart.
She added: "Last year it was a big shock that I was living away so people thought how can a marriage survive when they're away?
"But this year people are used to it, they understand it's a job. We do have FaceTime guys!
"Mark posted a picture of our Facetime and I thought oh my God. He put an alright picture on or I would've gone mad.
"When you've been with someone five years it doesn't matter what you look like I have spot cream all over my face," she joked.
Meanwhile reality hunk Mark has said he is "so proud" of wife Michelle Keegan in a loving Instagram message to the actress ahead of the return of her show.
Former Towie star Mark, 30, posted a snap of himself with Michelle on the set and praised her for her "hard work" in returning to the role of Lance Corporal Georgie Lane.
He wrote: "Finally it’s here !! Tomo night on @bbc 9pm it’s the launch of OUR GIRL !!
"Cannot wait !! This little one's hard work will all seem worthwhile. So proud of you @michkeegan."
Our Girl is set to begin again tonight at 9pm on BBC One.
The 12 episodes of the new series are being broken up into blocks of four dealing with different missions.
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