The Gathering star Eva Morgan reveals how she filmed epic free-running scenes: 'It's a lot harder than it looks'
Channel 4's new thriller The Gathering stars Eva Morgan as working-class teenager Kelly, who's competing in the world of elite gymnastics when she's attacked at an illicit rave.
Filmed and set in Liverpool, the series focuses on a group of teenagers and their parents, including Kelly's father Paul (Warren Brown), and her gymnastics rival Jessica (Sadie Soverall), many of whom have a motive for attacking Kelly.
When she's not in the gymnastics studio, Kelly spends her spare time with a free-running gang, who regularly attempt dangerous stunts. But just how were they filmed?
Whilst chatting with HELLO! and other press ahead of the new series, Eva revealed that she spent weeks training for the scenes, but also had help from two "amazing" stunt doubles.
"We did a few weeks training in a parkour and gymnastics gym in Liverpool called Airborne Academy. It was fun and I never thought I would be doing that," explained the actress. "I've gained a lot of respect for both these sports because it's a lot harder than it looks."
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She went on to praise her "amazing" parkour and gymnastics stunt doubles. "They just knew what they were doing, they were so talented and so effortless."
Eva admitted that she was keen to do as many of her own stunts as possible. "I was quite eager to make it look realistic and do as much as I can," she said, adding: "Probably a bit too much. I was asking to do certain things that maybe I shouldn't but it was all safe.
"I didn't have a lot of fear with it which could be a positive or negative thing but I just threw myself into things in the parkour gym," she continued. "I did do a little bit of it in the show. I don't know if people will be able to tell if it's me or not. But it was very exciting and fun."
The series, which comes from the producers of Line of Duty and Vigil, also stars Sadie Soverall as Jessica, Kelly's friend and elite gymnastics teammate who seems to have it all, but behind closed doors has to contend with her pushy mother Natalie (Vinette Robinson).
"Each episode privileges a different character’s lens to give insight into the respective worlds of these teenagers and their families and allows the viewer to speculate who committed the crime," teases the synopsis.
"A series that leans into the controversial and the provocative, The Gathering examines the intertwined sex lives, loyalties and rivalries of a group of teens. And asks how they can negotiate their sense of identity and freedom in the face of surveillance parenting."
The Gathering airs on Channel 4 from Tuesday 14 May at 9pm.
