Gemma Arterton Shares Her Experience of Filming Secret Service While Pregnant
Gemma Arterton has opened up about her experience of filming the new ITV drama Secret Service while pregnant. The 40-year-old actress revealed that she was three and a half months pregnant when the show began shooting, and as her pregnancy progressed, producers had to use CGI to conceal her growing bump.
Gemma welcomed her second child with her husband, Rory Keenan, late last year and shared the news earlier this month. Speaking to The Times, she described the challenges of balancing her role on the show with her personal life. She said: “I can so see it when I watch it. I started at about three and a half months pregnant and they just kept expanding the waistlines. By the end, I was six months and it was just undeniable. I think they had to do a bit of CGI on a couple of shots because it was very obvious.”
She also shared some of the tricks she used to hide her bump during filming. “I mastered the art of, you know, the lean that hides it, certain positions, bags, arms crossed, all that,” she explained.
A New Drama with a Unique Twist
Secret Service stars Gemma as a British intelligence officer who is tasked with solving a major political case while juggling the responsibilities of being a parent to two teenagers. The show’s IMDb synopsis reads: “A British intelligence officer races against time to uncover a UK politician’s potential ties with the Kremlin, risking her reputation and family, as a murder and election loom.”
The five-part series is based on the novel of the same name by ITV political journalist Tom Bradby. Gemma told ITV that the show offers a fresh take on the spy genre. “There has been lots of talk about a female Bond and it’s not like that. What sets this apart from a lot of others is that it looks at the domestic as well. She is a mother of two teenagers, she has a busy life, how do you live a life with so much secrecy? It’s hard enough being a parent, without all this other stuff on top. I really connected with that actually.”
Fan Reactions and Excitement for the Series
Following the release of a teaser trailer for the show on YouTube, fans were quick to express their excitement. Comments included: “Gemma Arterton is an underrated actress, glad to see her again.” Another fan wrote: “I do enjoy these UK dramas. Better than reality, as the Russian assets in the UK don’t even bother being sneaky, let alone discreet.”
Others shared: “Yes please, I’m looking forward to the series.” And: “What on earth would we do without a girlboss? Help us girlboss, you are our only hope!”
In addition to Gemma, Secret Service features Rafe Spall, Mark Stanley, Alex Kingston, Roger Allam, and Khalid Abdalla in key roles. While this isn’t Gemma’s first time in the world of espionage—she previously appeared in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace—she admitted that she wouldn’t make a good spy in real life.
A Personal Take on Espionage
Gemma told ITV: “I would be an atrocious spy. I think the first thing that would give me away is that I blush. It’s such an involuntary reaction, you cannot blush as a spy or asset. I don’t think I’m very good at keeping things to myself. I’m private but I’m not secretive. I’m clumsy as well, I’m not good at being covert.”
Catch the Show on ITV
Secret Service will air on Monday at 9pm on ITV and will be available to stream on ITVX. Fans of Gemma Arterton and the spy genre are eagerly awaiting the premiere.
