Jessica Raine has revealed the surprising reality behind filming new BBC drama Two Weeks in August, admitting cast members were left battling freezing temperatures despite shooting scenes set during a glamorous Mediterranean holiday.
The actress stars as Zoe in the upcoming series, which is set in Greece and follows a group of friends and family whose idyllic getaway spirals into chaos, suspicion and danger.
Although the show looks sun-soaked on screen, Ms Raine confessed conditions during filming in Malta were anything but tropical.
Speaking about the experience, she said: “We filmed at the beginning of March, and I’ve never been so cold in my entire life, and I’ve shot in Iceland!”
The star opened up about filming the new BBC series
|BBC
The actress explained that the cast had to secretly layer up beneath their summer wardrobes while cameras rolled.
“There’s a birthday party scene we filmed early on where we’re all in summer clothes, but everyone’s secretly got thermals on underneath wherever they can fit them.
“We were packed with hot water bottles.”
Ms Raine added that friends and family back home struggled to believe just how cold the supposedly sunny shoot had become.
Ms Raine plays Zoe in the latest series
|BBC
“People didn’t believe me when I called home at the beginning of the shoot and said it was freezing,” she admitted.
Thankfully, conditions eventually improved as filming continued across the Maltese islands.
“Thankfully, the weather did change for the better,” she said. “The locations were stunning - shooting on Gozo was a real treat.”
Despite being filmed in Malta, Two Weeks in August is set in Greece and centres on Zoe, a woman attempting to rediscover happiness while holidaying with loved ones.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
However, what begins as a relaxing escape quickly descends into turmoil after an illicit kiss sparks tensions within the group.
As the drama unfolds, Zoe begins acting on her deepest desires, forcing long-buried emotions and resentments to the surface among a group of adults “who refuse to grow up”.
The stakes become even higher when the holidaymakers find themselves trapped on the island and facing life-or-death situations.
Paranoia and blame soon spread through the group as they desperately try to work out who is responsible for the chaos surrounding them.
She revealed what it was like working abroad
|BBC
The series synopsis teases an unsettling mystery at the heart of the drama, asking whether Zoe is truly responsible for the destruction around her - or whether darker, almost mythological forces are influencing events.
With its blend of psychological drama, relationship tension and survival thriller elements, Two Weeks in August promises to turn a luxury holiday into a nightmare set against the backdrop of the Greek islands - even if the cast were shivering between takes.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter