Jonas Armstrong says he’s delighted to reprise his role as Robin Hood in BBC One’s hugely successful series and couldn’t wait to get back to filming in the wild forests of rural Hungary. “As soon as we got off the plane in Budapest five months ago, it felt like coming home,” beams the actor, who made a huge splash in the first series as the dashing leader of the outlaws who take from the rich and give to the poor. “We all loved doing the first series so much that we came into this season with renewed enthusiasm.”
Jonas believes that the shoots in Hungary create a great team spirit amongst the cast and crew. “It’s lovely all being out here together, it gives us a wonderful sense of camaraderie. In a way, all we’ve got is each other so we’re all really close.”
That’s not to say that Robin has stayed the same � far from it. The actor, who previously starred in Ghost Squad and Teachers, asserts that his character has developed a great deal over the last year. “Last time, Robin was carefree. It was almost like he was slapping his thigh and saying, ‘come on, lads, danger doesn’t worry me’. He breezed through life more.
“This year, however, Robin is a worried man. The stakes have got much higher, and the weight of the world is upon his shoulders. Now, because of the Sheriff’s dastardly plan, the whole country is at risk. The threat to England is very grave indeed. So I wanted to make Robin less cheeky and more dark, troubled and introverted. He’s far more real and interesting � he certainly won’t be slapping his thigh any more.”
Robin’s relationship with Marian has moved on, too. “It has evolved” says Jonas. “They kissed at the end of the last series and now they’re an item. But the fact that he loves Marian is yet another burden for Robin. He is desperate to protect her from the evil Sheriff and Guy. She’s a spy for Robin and has to keep up the pretence at the castle. He is very concerned because her role is very dangerous, and she risks her life for him every single day. Robin certainly has a lot on his plate in this series!”
The character of Robin has also changed physically. “I’ve been working out and have bulked out considerably,” reveals 26-year-old Jonas. “I saw a picture of myself at the launch last year and I looked awful � really thin and gaunt. So I made a decision to get a personal trainer and I’ve put on a stone and a half in muscle. I now train four times a week, and I feel a lot fitter. The stunt guys have been telling me, ‘you look much more confident in your body’.”
Jonas, who is also an expert horseman, has found his increased fitness very beneficial in Robin’s numerous fight sequences. “I love those scenes,” grins the actor, who hails from Blackpool. “I always want to make them look as convincing as possible.”
In addition, Jonas’s archery has improved no end. “At one point,” the actor recollects, “to test me out, the armourer said ‘aim your bow and arrow at that cross on that tree’. The tree was about 30 metres away, but my arrow hit it right in the centre of the cross. I suppose it was a bit like William Tell!”
All in all, this has been the perfect job for Jonas. “When you’re a little boy, you dream of playing Robin Hood, hanging out with your gang of outlaws in the forest, riding horses, fighting with swords and bows and arrows and battling to right wrongs. How could it get any better than this?”
