Belize's Jungle Paradise Stars In 'Our Girl

The BBC military drama series Our Girl, starring Michelle Keegan as Georgie Lane, was filmed in Malaysia for scenes set in Belize. The fourth series of the show sees Georgie travel to Nigeria, Belize, and Bangladesh. However, the cast did not film in any of these countries, instead filming in South Africa and Malaysia.

Filming locations for Our Girl

The BBC military drama series Our Girl has featured a variety of filming locations across the world, including in South Africa, Malaysia, Nepal, and the UK.

The show's fourth season, which was largely set in Afghanistan, was filmed in South Africa. This was not the first time that the show had filmed British scenes abroad, with Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia standing in for Manchester in season three.

The third series of Our Girl, which aired in 2018, featured an outing to Nigeria, Belize, and Bangladesh following the Nepal Tour. While the scenes set in Nigeria and Bangladesh were also filmed in South Africa and Malaysia, the Belize scenes were shot in Malaysia.

Michelle Keegan, who played Corporal Georgie Lane in the series, described the filming conditions in Malaysia as "gruelling" due to the intense and humid heat. Ben Aldridge, who played Captain James, also commented on the "insane" heat during the filming of the Belize tour, adding that he was "constantly attacked by bugs" and even "attacked by monkeys".

The show's creator, Tony Grounds, has stated that he wanted the stories of the people represented in the series "to be as authentic as possible", even though the show is not a documentary.

The cast's experiences in Malaysia

Malaysia was one of the filming locations for the BBC drama series Our Girl. The cast and crew travelled to Malaysia to film scenes set in Belize and Bangladesh.

Malaysia was not the easiest of workplaces for the cast and crew of Our Girl. Michelle Keegan, who played Corporal Georgie Lane, described the heat as "unbearable". She said:

> "It’s quite unbearable at times but your body does become used to it. As soon as you are in the heat we started sweating from 10am until the evening. Our t-shirts looked like we’d been in a swimming pool! But we just got on with it and it became the norm."

Keegan also had to deal with leeches and ants during her time in Malaysia. She recalled:

> "I look back now and think I can’t believe I did that. We had to wear leech socks because there were so many leeches and all the crew because they wore shorts were getting bitten by leeches all the time... I remember I ate an Oreo in bed. Big mistake. I didn’t even drop any crumbs, but I came back home the next day and got into bed and you know when something isn’t right? I turned the light on, moved the quilt and there were tiny little brown ants everywhere all over the bed."

Ben Aldridge, who played Captain James, also struggled with the heat in Malaysia, describing it as "insane". He also had to deal with bugs and monkeys:

> "I was drenched with sweat and was constantly attacked by bugs because of the blood, makeup and prosthetic I had all over me! [...] Michelle, Simon Lennon and I also got attacked by monkeys and Michelle left me and saved herself…”

The plot of the series

The plot of the BBC military drama series *Our Girl* centres on the extraordinary adventures of female medics in the British Army. The series follows the story of 18-year-old Molly Dawes, a young working-class woman from London's East End who, after discovering that her boyfriend has been cheating on her, decides to join the army.

The first series, starring Lacey Turner as Molly, focuses on her decision to join the army and her journey through training camp. The second series introduces the character of Lance Corporal Georgie Lane, played by Michelle Keegan, who is dispatched on a humanitarian tour to Kenya with 2-Section. Georgie's story continues in the third series, which sees her deployed to Nepal following an earthquake and then to Nigeria to help the local army in the fight against Boko Haram.

It is in the third series that the characters travel to Belize for a jungle training exercise. In Belize, Captain James is severely injured by a bandit trap, and Georgie is forced to put her medical skills to the test to save him.

The fourth series sees Georgie return as a sergeant, initially focusing on her training role in the UK. However, she is eventually compelled to return to Afghanistan to support new recruits, where she becomes entangled in a suicide attack orchestrated by Aatan Omar—the killer of her ex-fiancé, Elvis.

The show's creator, Tony Grounds

Grounds wrote and created Our Girl, a BBC military drama starring Michelle Keegan as Corporal Georgie Lane. The show follows the British Army to various locations, including Belize, where the characters undertake jungle training on the Belize/Guatemala border.

In an interview, Grounds explained that he wanted the stories of the people represented in the series to be "as authentic as possible". He said:

> "Of course, we're not a documentary, but we do want to do the people of the area justice. We share their stories and their lives. The fictional stories of our soldiers' lives are at the forefront, but we want what's happening behind them to feel as authentic as possible."

Grounds also shared that he spent months talking to soldiers to gather stories and ideas for the series. He stated:

> "All the events in Our Girl have happened... just obviously not all to one section. But I listen, and slowly some stories stick, and I start to build the series. We follow the art of the possible rather than the probable."

Tony Grounds' work on Our Girl has received recognition, with the show gaining a dedicated following, particularly among a young female audience.

The fictional character Georgie Lane

Georgie Lane, portrayed by Michelle Keegan, is a fictional character in the BBC military drama 'Our Girl'. She is an army medic and a Corporal in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Georgie is a crisis junkie and a workaholic who relishes the adrenaline and adventure that working with the army brings. She is brave, strong, and tough, with a great heart. She is unable to switch off and is emotionally hardened, perhaps even a little cynical.

Georgie's story begins with her loved-up fiancé Elvis Harte, who leaves her at the altar. Two years later, she is with Doctor Jamie Cole, who she plans to marry upon her return from her last tour to Kenya. However, she ends up leaving Jamie for Elvis, who needs her help in catching Jason Raynnott, the man who kidnapped her. Unfortunately, Elvis is shot and dies, leaving Georgie distraught. She then returns to England to support her sister, Marie Lane, through her husband Frankie "Fingers" Stille's funeral.

In the fourth season, Georgie initially declines to join 2-Section on a tour of Afghanistan but eventually agrees after a traumatic event forces her to face her fears. The season also sees Georgie's brother-in-law Fingers get shot and ultimately die, leaving Georgie in a state of distress as she wants revenge for his death, along with that of her late fiancé Elvis. Georgie then starts a psych evaluation to see if she can keep her job in the army and is kept on minimal duty. She also questions her friendship with Sam "Kingy" King, telling him that if she is sent home, their friendship is over.

In the finale, Georgie is determined to discover her fiancé Elvis' killer and, with the help of Prof, she finds out his identity. She refuses to kill him, however, as she believes it isn't justice. Georgie and Prof then go for a walk, and she realises that she has finally come to terms with Elvis' death. The two plan to go for a drink when they return home.

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