Mackenzie Crook has described the process of donning prosthetics for his role as Worzel Gummidge as “intensive”.
The actor, 48, stars as the popular walking, talking scarecrow in the BBC’s modern-day Christmas adaptation.
He told the PA news agency the transformation took three hours every day but that the process gave him valuable “meditation time”.
Asked about the challenges of filming the show, he said: “Bringing these stories from the 30s up to date in a way that was relevant and interesting – that was a challenge.
“The practicalities of being in that make-up, three hours of make-up every day.
“Even if I wasn’t in the first scenes of the day, I had to be in before everyone else. It was a really intensive six/seven weeks but that’s doable.”
Crook also wore heavy prosthetics for the role of Veran, the ancient leader of the druids in Sky Atlantic’s series Britannia.
He said: “That was the same, yeah. It’s strange, I didn’t necessarily choose this path but it seems I’m prosthetics guy.”
He added: The putting on of the make-up, three hours slowly transforming in front of a mirror. I find that good as a warm up. It’s meditation time.”
Detectorists star Crook penned and directed the production, which will air as two hour-long films on BBC One over the Christmas period.
Monty Python star Sir Michael Palin will appear as The Green Man, creator of the scarecrows, while Zoe Wanamaker will play the eccentric local aristocrat Lady Bloomsbury Barton.
League Of Gentlemen’s Steve Pemberton will play Mr Braithwaite, the farmer, and Rosie Cavaliero will play Mrs Braithwaite.
Worzel Gummidge is inspired by the classic books by Barbara Euphan Todd.
The TV adaptation airs on BBC One on Boxing Day and Friday, December 27.