Mike Bushell is usually seen presenting the sports news Little John interview Guy of Gisborne chats

We arrive in Hungary. Robin Hood is filmed there because on one side of Budapest there is a polystyrene castle, built for a film 20 years ago, and on the other, beautiful forests and mountains.

You need the legs of a mountain goat to get around the rocky crags and steep cliffs there, which is why the cast have kept the medical staff rather busy for the last six months.

'Hobbit costume'

My first stop was with wardrobe mistress Nicki in her costume lorry.

There was no way I was going to be let anywhere near the set with my pixie-like Robin Hood costume bought from the fancy dress shop.

I was given some brown and green rags but leading man Jonas Armstrong still asked if I was on the wrong set.

He thought I looked more like a hobbit.

The sheriff appears in disguise in this sequence

As we approached the cameras, it began raining Hungarian cats and dogs. Keith Allen, who plays the Sheriff, is made of tough stuff - he sat under his umbrella with a cuppa and a roll up while everyone else ran back to the tents.

Shower over, and we had our first chance to film with the cast.

I half expected the actors to tell us where to go when we explained what we wanted them to do for our piece, but they actually seemed to enjoy it.

First up was Gordon Kennedy, who plays Little John, who was a little too delighted to follow the script, punching me after I interviewed him.

Next, to the toothy grin of Allen. There are conflicting stories about how he lost his tooth but one thing is certain, it definitely makes him look even more evil.

It sent a shiver down my spine when he called me a "witless buffoon" in front of the whole forest - in character, of course.

If I was going to survive in our story, I would need some stage-fighting lessons. The actors use huge sticks and swords, but unlike the main cast, I did not have a stunt double.

Who will win the archery contest?

Our second day brought us together with Robin (Armstrong), Will Scarlett (Harry Lloyd) and Djaq (Anjali Jay).

We found out the truth behind the ruptured groins, the torn hamstrings, the Sheriff's broken teeth and Jonas' broken metatarsal, which held up filming for several weeks.

Our trip ended with me - an alleged oat thief in our storyline - taking on Robin Hood in an archery contest.

Armstrong was still getting over his Beckham-esque injury, but agreed to take part in our chase scene "only if we run downhill and slowly".

He must have been joking: "Come on, get going!" he bellowed as I reached full speed.

Insect bites

I realised then how fit the younger cast members have to be.

Having become an adopted member of Robin's new camp, I felt quite emotional saying goodbye. How on earth could I go back to wearing a suit again?

Back in London, we finally met up with Guy of Gisborn - otherwise known as actor Richard Armitage - who was having a break from filming.

He sat me in a torture chair in the famous Clink Museum, and accused me of stealing oats.

He then told me why he spent the summer shoving ice packs into any available crevasses and why his head swelled up with insect bites.

But, by now, nothing could surprise me.