Michelle Keegan has spoken out about why she’s decided to bid farewell to Our Girl after leading the BBC One drama for three series.
The 32-year-old, who landed the role as combat medic Georgie Lane in 2016 after she left Coronation Street, said she was now keen to try different roles away from the BBC drama.
She added that filming on the series could lead to as many as three months away from home, as Our Girl is shot in Africa.
Speaking to the Evening Standard at the premiere of the Our Girl series four, Keegan explained: “I’d done four series. It was just me saying, I wanted to explore other opportunities, that’s it.
“I love the show so much, and this show helped me grow into who I am now. I’ve had such an amazing time and I’m very lucky for them to have had me on the show.
“I’m going to miss it, and I’m going to miss Georgie. It’s very hard.”
She added that her time on Our Girl had helped her develop as an actor, thanking writer Tony Grounds for supporting her.
“These four years have made me grow more than any other show I’ve done before in my life,” she said. “This is the pinnacle for me.
“I’ve had such an amazing time and I’m very lucky for them to have had me on the show.”
The latest series of Our Girl sees Georgie suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing the death of her fiance, Elvis Hartre (Luke Pasqualino) during their last tour of Afghanistan.
“With this season, it’s all about Georgie getting closure,” Keegan said. “She’s still grieving for Elvis. Elvis died and she’s not actually dealt with that.
“It was really sad to film my last scene. There’s this one big emotional climax scene where Georgie releases everything and how she’s felt over the years. That was her releasing everything that’s happened to her with the past with Elvis and it’s closure for Georgie.”
But while Keegan is bowing out of Our Girl for the foreseeable future, she’s not adverse to returning in the future.
“You can never say it’s forever,” she said. “[But] I’m going to miss it, and I’m going to miss Georgie. It’s very hard.”
Our Girl launches Tuesday 24th March at 9pm on BBC One
