Michelle Keegan had no choice but to star in the third season of 'Our Girl'.

Michelle Keegan

Michelle Keegan

The 30-year-old actress has reprised her role as Georgie Lane in the popular BBC One programme and, although she didn't realise another instalment was on the cards, she was forced to go ahead with the upcoming series because she had already signed her contract agreeing to take part in future episodes.

Speaking on BBC Radio One Breakfast Show with host Nick Grimshaw, the brunette beauty said: "I wasn't 100 per cent there would be another series but I signed the option for there to be another."

And not only was the former 'Coronation Street' star oblivious to a follow-up, she also didn't know the show would double the number of episodes made.

She added: "Obviously the first time it was for five episodes but this time it was for 12 so it's overly doubled.

"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."

Michelle - who is married to former 'The Only Way IS Essex' star Mark Wright - has admitted she bruises like a "peach", and after completing her own stunts for the show, she has been left battered and bruised "from head to toe".

Speaking about the physical impact filming has had on her, she said: "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 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."