The first trailer for Matthew’s new project Bluestone 42 has been released. We can also announce that the show will begin airing on Tuesday February 25th at 10pm on BBC Three. This is the second series in the show chronicling the antics of a bomb disposal detachment serving in Afghanistan.
Matt Lewis Talks Joining The Army with ‘What’s On TV’
In a new interview with What’s On TV, Matt Lewis talks about his new television show Bluestone 42 as well as his near career change. Matt first appeared in the show’s Christmas Special last month and will soon be on Series 2 of the show, airing in February.
The actor, 24, joined the cast of the series about the titular bomb disposal unit in Helmand Province at Christmas, and found chippy, newly arrived Yorkshireman Corporal Gordon House, nicknamed Tower Block, engaged in a class war with Captain Nick Medhurst, played by Oliver Chris.Although a tour of duty in Helmand might seem a far cry from life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Lewis, who spent 10 years working on the Harry Potter franchise, says the two worlds aren’t as different as you might think.
“You’re all together, sleeping in the same quarters, and you’re around each other all the time,” he says, adding that he considered joining the forces himself when he became disenchanted with life as a child actor. “I actually did think about it when I was about 14,” Lewis reveals. “I’d been doing Harry Potter for a few years, and I was in a bit of a rebellious phase thinking: ‘I don’t want to do this any more – I’ll join the army’. Then I got a bit older, started to enjoy the acting a lot more, and stayed on that path. I’m so glad I did, because I’d have been the worst soldier of all time.”
Bluestone 42 Christmas Special Available on iPlayer
For those of you who were unable to watch it when it aired, the Bluestone 42 Christmas Special is now available on BBC’s iPlayer. Unfortunately only viewers in the UK can watch. Once again, the synopsis is as follows:
It’s Christmas in Afghanistan and Bluestone 42’s new team member, Corporal House, is thrown in at the deep end. A cocky lad from Leeds, he and Nick don’t exactly hit it off, but they need to get on because the Taliban doesn’t stop for Christmas. Bird is reeling from some unexpected news and the team plan a nativity play like no other.
Bluestone 42 Christmas Special Rescheduled and Airing on Boxing Day
The BBC Three Twitter account has announced that the Bluestone 42 Christmas Special will now be airing at 10pm on Boxing Day (Thursday, December 26th).
*NEWS* The #Bluestone42 Christmas special will now be shown on Boxing Day at 10pm.
— BBC Three (@bbcthree) December 24, 2013
Bluestone 42 Postponed Until Furthur Notice
In light of recent tragic events the Bluestone 42 Christmas Episode (and subsequent ones) will be postponed until further notice. A Royal Engineer was killed in action in Afghanistan, where the show takes place. Matthew released the following tweets today:
So sorry to hear the news of a Royal Engineer being killed in action today in Afghanistan. Our show will be postponed until further notice.
— Matthew Lewis (@Mattdavelewis) December 23, 2013
All our thoughts are with his friends and family right now. X
— Matthew Lewis (@Mattdavelewis) December 23, 2013