COUNTRY CALLS
Joining the cast of Strike Back has taken Robson Green from his beloved Northumberland to the wilds of Hungary.
Robson Green is taking a break on the set of MI6 action series Strike Back in Budapest when he confides that it was “pretty intimidating” to meet his two Hulk-like co-stars, Philip Winchester and Sullivan Stapleton, for the first time.
“They’re hyper-fit and 6ft 2in. I’m a middle-aged, 5ft 7in, follow-the-yellow-brick-road kind of guy,” says Green.
On hearing his co-stars were on 6,000-calories-aday diets and constantly training, Green hit the gym in a bid to bulk up. But when you’re nearly 50, getting into shape is not the breeze it once was and, five days into training, he slipped a disc.
“I went to a chiropractor who said, ‘Oh yeah, it happens when you get to this age’,” says Green.
He joins series four of Strike Back as Lt Col Philip Locke, the boss of Section 20 (the secretive branch of MI6) and it didn’t take long for him to realise that playing such a respected role has its advantages.
“We were doing a stunt where we pull up in a car and chase a suspect,” says Green with a wicked smile.
“I was supposed to run with my co-stars, but they’re Strike Back’s answer to Usain Bolt, so I got out of the car and shouted, ‘Remember, we want them back alive’. Then I just waited.
“I’d never have kept up with them.
I’d look like the kid at the back of the cross-country run with red legs.”
The cast and crew have been shooting in a large, abandoned Cold War listening station that’s hidden in a forest, an hour from Hungary’s capital.
STRIKE BACK: ROBSON GREEN NOT A HIP GANGSTER
Robson Green was left red-faced on his first day of filming Strike Back because he was holding his gun wrong.
Robson Green has described how he got a bit carried away with a gun in a scene for Strike Back.
It's been a long time since his Soldier, Soldier days and Robson says he got caught up in all the excitement of the show's explosive stunts. He explained :
" I've got a gun in my hand and we storm this compound in South Africa. The scene is five seconds in and all I hear is 'Cut ! Robson, awful. What are you doing ?'
" The guys who trained me for the show were so good, they taught me how to hold a gun, how to be covert. It's every actor's dream - boys and toys and all that. "
" So they shout action, I jump out of the car thinking : 'This is great, yeah you f***ers, come on !' But I'm holding my gun at my hip like some wannabe gangster. "
" I was like : 'Sorry, got a bit carried away !' "
Robson, 48, may have made a mistake with his gun, but he got to show off to co-stars Sullivan Stapleton, 36, and Philip Winchester, 32, when the cameras stopped rolling.
And it was thanks to his Channel 5 show, Extreme Fishing.
Bursting into laughter he said : " We couldn't get a table in a restaurant in South Africa. Sully's there and the guy says to him 'Sorry, we're fully booked.' "
" Then he turns to me and he's like, 'Hey, you're the guy from the fishing show, just one second,' and got us a table. "
" Sully was like 'What ? You do a fishing show, you sing, what the hell are you ?' "
" I'm a triple threat, that's what I am ! "
But Sullivan, who plays Damian Scott, had the last laugh when it came to the end of the meal.
Robson joked : " I was so smug about it, telling them how it happens all the time. It came to the end of the meal and I was like, 'I'll get this,' got my wallet out and I didn't have enough money. I was devastated ! "
STRIKE BACK: ROBSON GREEN GUNNIN' FOR HUNKS
Telly fave Robson Green is locked in a gym war with his hunky co-stars.
The 48-year-old is joining the cast of Sky1’s explosive military drama as new Section 20 boss Lieutenant Colonel Philip Locke.
But he’s got more than guns and fight scenes to contend with.
Robson says he’s been hitting the gym because his co-stars Philip Winchester, 31, and Sullivan Stapleton, 35 – who play Stonebridge and Scott – look so good.
“Holy s**t those boys are ripped !” Robson laughed.
“They seriously look the part. I’m in the gym every morning trying to be like Phil and Sully. I’ve been working out for two hours a day.
“I’m not a beefcake, I’m lean. But it’s amazing what they can do with cameras and lights these days !”
Robson, who says he had an “immediate affection” for his new co-stars, says he hasn’t been able to keep up with their gun-toting action scenes.
Speaking on set in South Africa, he added: “Don’t get me wrong, I can run and fling myself around but there are certain things those two guys do and I’m like: ‘No, I can’t do that.’”
Robson also revealed that the backstage banter on Strike Back is as good as Soldier Soldier, the military series that made him famous.
He said: “The last time I played anything military I was a private. Now I’m a Lieutenant Colonel in charge of Section 20. Who would have thought it ?
“In Soldier Soldier I was like Scott in that I was this petulant clown, whereas in this role as Philip, he’s got to earn the trust of the team."
"Chris Ryan brought me over because he obviously thought I was the best person to play the lieutenant colonel of a crack SAS unit fighting a terror cell... All the stunts are real and I love that. Yesterday I took out four guys on a Cold War listening post and all four fell 150 feet ! The crew went, 'OK, let's move on'."
ROBSON GREEN RULES
Things don't look good for Col. Philip Locke in the latest episode of "Strike Back."
When we left off last week, McKenna had not only escaped her Section 20 captors, but had kidnapped Locke (Robson Green) in order to exact revenge on him for the things he did to her brother years before. As you can see in the clip below, she’s planning a deadly send-off—and making him do all the work for it.
Episodes 5 and 6 of the season have been a good showcase for Green, who has starred in such great British dramas as "Wire in the Blood" and "Touching Evil" to name just a few.
Director and series showrunner Michael J. Bassett said he wanted a new kind of leader for Section 20 this season, and thought having a man would bring a different energy to play off that of Rhona Mitra's Major Rachel Dalton.
"I thought it was going to be really interesting to keep developing that conflict. And he's a senior soldier who's sort of done everything that the boys have done. He doesn't have to fight them for respect; by default he gets it."
After looking at several actors for the role, Bassett said, they came to Green, who it turned out already was a fan of the show.
"He brought something completely new. The energy and the enthusiasm changed perceptibly when he walked on the set," said Bassett, who is notorious for putting the actors through their paces physically.
"He's a little older than these fellows and he can't keep up, but he will try. And when I'm having him in helicopters firing grenade launchers he's having the time of his life, which is fantastic."
Winchester is also a fan of Green's.
He told that Green also brought an interesting dynamic between Scott and Stonebridge and their commanding officer—who has always been a woman. "He turned the leadership on its head and it changed how the Crib operates, which was really cool," he said.
"I'm a triple threat, that's what I am ! "
But when filming’s wrapped for the day, Green doesn’t check in to a five-star hotel in the city – instead he retreats to a village outside Budapest where he rents a boat.
"I'm not comfortable in cities, I never have been," he confides.
"I'm a country boy from the remote parts of Britain and I just love solitude - that's different from isolation in my opinion."
Green is from one of the most sparsely-populated counties in England – Northumberland – a place he is still proud to call home.
“Northumbrians have a sense of self-worth, identity, family and heritage and if you have all of those things it puts you at ease with who you are,” he says.
In fact, the actor is so proud of his home that he’s presenting a show dedicated to uncovering the area’s secrets – Tales From Northumberland With Robson Green.
During the series, the actor visits Seahouses, the seaside port where he holidayed as a child, sleeps in a bothy (an ancient building where walkers can stay when they need respite from the Northumbrian weather) and voyages to the Farne Islands, inhabited by tens of thousands of birds and six rangers, who spend eight months a year there.
“It sounds crazy, but within two days of being there, I got it. I understood why they are so stressfree,” says Green.
The actor met plenty of fascinating people along the way, including the youngest shepherdess in Britain, an ex-bricklayer who runs one of the greatest observatories in Europe and a GP who took Green diving with seals. “All on my doorstep,” he says, grinning. Green’s son Taylor, from his marriage to second wife Vanya Seager, whom he’s no longer with, is also a fan of the Northern county.
“Taylor’s been coming here since he was a child.
I’ve got a beautiful picture of my footprints and his in the sand on one of the beaches,” says Green, whose Northumbrian ancestors date back around 300 years. They include his grandfather William Golightly, whose surname is Green’s middle name. It’s also where his father, Robson, lived until his death in 2009, and where his mother and siblings still live.
Green describes his dad, a miner, as “a hardy man”, but his mother is also very strong. “She doesn’t suffer fools gladly,” he says.
“And she instinctively knows a good person from a bad one.
When I was a child, she always said (about other children), ‘Don’t knock about with them, they’re only trouble.’ And she was right, half of them ended up in the nick.”
Of her son’s shows, Mrs Green’s favourite is Extreme Fishing.
“My mum and her friends have Extreme Fishing evenings. They all get together and watch it on a big TV. They don’t like the swearing though, so they watch an edited version.”
STRIKE BACK: GREEN AS GRASS IN FULL-ON ACTION
One big change this year is the aforementioned addition of Robson Green, who stars as the new head of Section 20 - Stonebridge and Scott's boss - an apparently "upstanding" man with a "corrosive secret".
Strike Back star says he believes the show is the best he’s worked on in 30 years.
The telly actor, who plays Locke in Sky’s military series, says filming was so full-on he was intimidated by his co-stars when he joined.
Robson, 48, said: “I’ve had experience with guns in other dramas but this show is seriously full-on.
“Everyone’s at the top of their game. I’ve seen nothing like it in 30 years of TV. The production levels are just extraordinary. They are like: ‘That explosion with the car didn’t work so let’s get another one.’
“Sky and HBO have really invested in the series and I think that shows on screen.” While the production team are making him look good, Robson says he couldn’t help feeling intimidated by the co-stars pictured with him above – Sullivan Stapleton, 36, left, and Philip Winchester, 32, who play secret soldiers Stonebridge and Scott.
He went on: “Phil and Sully are the real deal – they are ripped! It’s quite an intimidating sight coming across those two.
“They are there with their muscles out, all 6ft 2in and looking powerful.
“I’m more of your follow the yellow brick road type of guy.”
However, Green insists that he has contributed to Strike Back.
" I was hanging out of a helicopter firing an M-32 grenade launcher at a terrorist cell ! " he recalls. "There is a bit of action for me… but running to me is defined as a stunt. Last time I did anything military, it was in Soldier Soldier ! "
‘STRIKE BACK: SHADOW WARFARE’ CAST Q&A HIGHLIGHTS
Strike Back: Shadow Warfare is returning to Sky1 this autumn - and if you're looking for an action-packed, adrenalin-fuelled thrill ride, you could do a hell of a lot worse than Philip Winchester and Sullivan Stapleton's high-octane drama series…
But, now in its fourth series, there's a few changes in store for Strike Back - not only is Robson Green joining the regular cast as SAS legend Philip Locke, but we're going to see a softer side to Scott and Stonebridge.
Here are some of the highlights from a Q&A session with cast members Robson Green, Sullivan Stapleton and Philip Winchester.
» Robson Green: “I’ve never stopped being in awe of this program. They’re movies for television. They’re just incredible.”
» Robson Green: “It’s the relationship that [Sullivan and Phillip] have, that lovely endearing relationship that is unspoken. It’s the love they have between each other and you really care about them. You want to follow them. I thought it was great”
» Philip Winchester: “It’s a mix of hard work and lots of fun to film. It’s bloody hard work but it’s also a ton of fun.”
» Philip Winchester: “Jo’burg is rough and ready. There were a few spots where we needed armed guards to go in. So we were completely tooled up with the grenades and stuff, and we’ve got guys following us in with real guns. So that was quite an experience.”
» Sullivan Stapleton: “Michael and I went for a walk and jumped in and floated down this river. We weren’t sure if we would be insured to do that! But I got one of the art department boys really pissed one night and he said ‘funnily enough we had to take down all the signs that said ‘Crocodiles’ and ‘No Swimming’.”
» Philip Winchester: “I think this series has really turned a corner. The first series was us just figuring out what this show was, and then last season we were into it full steam and things got quite dark with the script and characters; and this series, particularly with the addition of [director] Michael Bassett we’ve just turned a corner. He really cares about the show – he doesn’t care about us though!”
» Robson Green: “It’s trippy watching [Winchester and Stapleton] doing all their own stunts.”
» Philip Winchester: “Typically Michael Bassett – we ended up doing a lot of stunts we’ve never done before.”
» Robson Green: “My character has a corrosive past. Something dark happened in his past that he will have to confront as part of his story arc.”
» Philip Winchester: “Stonebridge is still dealing with loss and we want to explore the consequences of the choices these characters make and how they deal with that stuff. They’re not superheroes, they’re real men.”
» Sullivan Stapleton: “Anything I said would be kind of a spoiler. Both these guys have grown up now. There’s less gratuitous sex which I think the crew appreciated. Scott and Stonebridge’s relationship was nice to play also, they’ve become closer.”
» Philip Winchester: “We see these two guys actually questioning whether or not they still want to be soldiers any more.”
"You see more of a vulnerable side to Scott this series," Aussie star Stapleton confirms. "There's a definite change - it's almost like he's growing up…"
Both Stapleton - 'Sully' to his friends - and Winchester were keen that their characters be portrayed as "humans" and not "superheroes" in this latest run of Strike Back.
"They have to be vulnerable, they have to be broken, they have to have a whole slew of things that make them people," insists Winchester.
"You've got to care for these guys and there has to be a possibility that they're going to get killed or maimed. We don't want to be in a show that's just blunt force trauma - you've got to care about the people."
"We can all blow s**t up and kill people - that's the easy part," Stapleton adds in agreement. "But we're trying to add some realism and more human elements to these dudes - that's the struggle."
But while the sex scenes may have been "toned down" this series, the action certainly hasn't and there's still plenty here for Strike Back fans to enjoy - in fact, Shadow Warfare is the first series that's been devised with the show's growing fanbase specifically in mind…
"There's been a shift in wanting to make a show for the fans that we have now," Winchester explains. "Keeping it Strike Back, but making it interesting and not just the same, which can happen in a third or fourth season."
One big change this year is the aforementioned addition of Green, who stars as the new head of Section 20 - Stonebridge and Scott's boss - an apparently "upstanding" man with a "corrosive secret".
"Robson Green - various number one singles… does a show about fishing… we heard it all," grins Stapleton. "It was day one - ten seconds in. 'Have you heard my song? Google me'."
However, Green insists that he has contributed more to Strike Back than on-set singing sessions.
"I was hanging out of a helicopter firing an M-32 grenade launcher at a terrorist cell!" he recalls. "There is a bit of action for me… but running to me is defined as a stunt. Last time I did anything military, it was in Soldier Soldier!"
You've got to adapt to survive, Stapleton and Winchester both agree - and with Strike Back revamped and looking better than ever, the pair both say they see no reason why the series couldn't continue for many years to come.
"We're still having fun after three years," Stapleton says. "I've heard of those casts that don't get along - I'd be out. We're in every scene together - if we didn't get along, we'd be f**ked!"
If Strike Back does return for a fifth series, the pair promise that it'll keep on changing - and expanding...
"That's a huge challenge, 'cos we're three years in," acknowledges Winchester. "There's been a lot of crazy storylines and crazy stunts - and we've got to keep thinking outside the box."
'STRIKE BACK' FLASHBACK : CINEMAX SEASON 3 TURNS UP THE HEAT
We're two weeks away from the final season of Strike Back, and that means it's time for one last Flashback. Cinemax season three (season four overall) continued to improve the show for a number of reasons, and was basically the starting point for the series as we're about to rejoin it.
It's rare to see a program that legitimately continues to top itself every single year, but Strike Back accomplished that in spades.
This season sees Lt. Col. Locke (Robson Green) officially take command of Section 20, which was a big plus for the series.
Firstly, it's Robson Green. He knows the TV medium inside and out, and there's nothing he can't do within it. Bringing him onto the show in the prior season raised the game, but it's in Cinemax season three that he really got let loose.
Locke is also the best CO that Section 20 has ever had. He basically combines the best of his predecessors; he has the natural authority and experience of Grant, but the ability to get his hands dirty like Dalton did. Whereas Dalton was more on the guys' level, Locke is back in the driver's seat as more of a boss figure - but that doesn't mean he won't play when he needs to.
"I’m joining Strike Back. That means I’m pretending to be butch. It is great to be working alongside ‘Section 20′ and being part of an ‘Elite Team’ for Sky. Strike Back is a quality drama with incredibly high production values."
ROBSON GREEN STRIKES BACK !
Robson Green returns to our screens as Section 20's new commander in Sky 1's high-octaine military drama Strike Back: Shadow Warfare.
He talks to us about his character's death wish and how he based him on his old man..
You're playing a soldier again ?
Yes I know ! Although I'm a Lieutenant Colonel now. I was a private in Soldier Soldier 20 years ago, I'm now an 'SAS God' apparently !
Tell us about your character Phillip Locke...
He's been there done it all, all over the world, but now he's stuck in an office in Whitehall, just pining to get dust on his boots again. He can't stick the deskjob - he's looking for any excuse to get back out into the field.
So it's not long before he joins Sgt Michael Stonebridge (Phillip Winchester) and Damian Scott (Sullivan Stapleton) - seen above - out in the field. But he's hiding something from them..
He's also got a very corrosive dark secret that manifests itself throughout the series. He worked undercover with the IRA - the old enemy - and they're joining hands with some of Section 20's more contemporary targets. As such Locke has one last chance to seek out his nemesis.
What is he seeking revenge for ?
I can't say too much, but when your nearest and dearest are killed it's a corrosive emotion and he just doesn't talk about it. On the outside, Locke is full of confidence, fearlessness and courage. He has respect for the two lead guys, but he's on a mission and there's a deathwish about him, which is great fun to play. He just doesn't care.
Who did you base the character on ?
Locke is partly based on my father, who was the hardest man in our village. He was a miner, a leader of men, underground in a very dangerous environment. He demanded respect, wouldn't tolerate a nuisance and unity was everything. If you didn't have it lives would be lost.
How does he get on with Stonebridge and Scott ?
He understands and respects the guys and trusts them to go out and do a great job. He knows they will make the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good. Like the lads, he's been very close to someone in a combat situation - but he's lost that person. He sees the potential for the same thing happening to his lads and he knows how painful it will be for them because they're joined at the hip. There's an unspoken love between them.
Is it true you were only supposed to be in a few episodes ?
Yes I'd only signed up for four episodes - I was meant to say one line in episode one, a couple in episode three and a bit in five and seven. The one line turned into a three-page speech ! I found out about that three days before heading out to South Africa for my first day on set. I panicked a bit !
There are some great guest stars in this year's series as well, aren't there? Martin Clunes, Dougray Scott...
Yeah it was great to see Dougray again. He was my colonel in Soldier Soldier, but he's a bit of a villain in this !
It's an action-packed series, was it fun to film ?
Yeah it's great fun to do. I've never come across drama like this before. I've done gunfights, but this is something very different ! I had a pistol in Touching Evil and every time I fired the gun on set, it was a really big thing. They'd be like 'Today's the day when you're firing a couple of bullets'. We used 17,000 rounds during this series so it was a real eye-opener ! We have explosions the size of large buildings, train crashes and at one stage I was haging out the side of a helicopter with a machine gun ! It was awesome !
...amid all the bullets, we hear you were the first casualty during the shoot ?
I slipped disc before we started filming, I was in training for the part and it was my second week on a rowing machine when I did it. I was trying to keep up with Sully and Phil !