Interview with Greg McHugh of Fresh Meat

3 October 2012

This term Howard enters the job market and takes rather enthusiastically to his new position working with animals...

Says Greg McHugh: "Howard has reached the point of financial uncertainty so he has managed to get himself a very Howard like job part time at the abattoir which comes with certain perks of the job. Those perks are gruesome and real and I had to deal with those perks on set under hot lights. No, we didn't kill animals but had to deal with off cuts and if you have to keep redoing a scene or forget your lines that meat heats up and trust me it is not fresh meat...

"I basically had rotting flesh in my hands. I don't even think anyone even asked me if I was a vegetarian...someone asked if I could play the violin but not whether I minded handling lumps of meat on a hot set.  The professional that I am I don't think I mentioned how disgusting it was more than 10 times a day..."

What do learn about Howard this series?

"We learn that he is a bit of a part time Marple...The house gets robbed and Howard investigates the crime; takes responsibility for discovering who the culprit is. Turns out he is a bit of sleuth. He also turns out to be a lothario - well, more of a lady man, not ladies. Howard may well get a bit of action, which will come as no surprise to many as he is a very attractive man."

In fact Greg gets a lot of comment from fans on Howard's dress sense.

"People love his jumpers. That was probably the main thing I was asked about on Twitter last year - 'Where does Howard buy his knitwear?'  June Nevin, our costume designer, does a top job."

There are two new faces in the house this term, how does Howard deal with them?

"Of the two new characters, one is a mature student who Howard has more in common with. Sabine is straight talking and Howard, in his own way, is fairly to the point as well so they get on quite well. Heather meanwhile is entangled with Kingsley and Howard has no common ground with her so he doesn't really get involved.

"Howard does feel genuinely quite close to his fellow housemates after last term. At various points throughout the series they support each other and there are some more caring moments - broken by humour of course. I think that because as a cast we really get on well this translates on screen.

"Howard feels closer to them than he ever has to his contemporaries before but will they all continue to live together in the future? He has various, slightly repressed, emotional responses to his housemates but he does try to tell them how much he cares in Howard language..."

What Howard does love is his studies.

Greg explains: "Howard does genuinely love geology and as part of that he has his eye on a job with BP. That doesn't quite go to plan at the job fair as BP have a view of what kind of young student they'd like to recruit and it is not really Howard. They're after recruits who are smarter in appearance and Howard has managed to get abattoir substance on his jumper which doesn't really impress them."

And on the subject of his attire, this term Howard decides to give himself a makeover...

"I think inevitably at university you become aware of other groups and start to think 'how can I improve my standing in the social hierarchy of student life?' Howard loses confidence in himself and decides a new look would improve his chances with the ladies and in general make him a cooler person. So he goes out to choose what he perceives to be cool new clothes...

"I love Howard and I think he works because of the quality of the writing and also freedom from the brilliant directors to interpret lines.  It is my job to find as much appeal in Howard as I can. With any three dimensional character as well written as this you can still add the little details of human life that make them more interesting."

One of Greg's favourite filming experiences this year was the geology field trip which saw him, Jack Whitehall and Joe Thomas spending time in the Pennines.

"Oh my god we were released into the wild!  The Pennines are stunning and it also coincided with the best weather we had all year. It was marvellous to be allowed out of the studio, which has no natural light at all, and into the fresh air.

"There is something about being in an inspiring spot which just gets the best out of people.  We had a stunt guy there to work with Joe and I but being real men we never actually used the stunt mat. We just fell onto the grass and the rolled about in the ferns. It was like that scene from Women in Love where Oliver Reed and Alan Bates wrestle naked - except we were wearing hiking gear..."

 

Fresh Meat returns to Channel 4 on Tuesday 9th October at 10pm.

Don't forget to check out Fresh Meat House which will launch 9th October directly after transmission of the first episode on Channel 4. Go to www.channel4.com/freshmeathouse for a tour of the student digs and to watch exclusive content released at the end of each episode.

Fresh Meat House is a new commission from Channel 4's Education team who have a focus on life skills for young people