| Captain James | |
|---|---|
| Our Girl character | |
 | |
| First appearance |
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| Last appearance |
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| Created by | Tony Grounds |
| Portrayed by | Ben Aldridge |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Charles "Charlie" James |
| Occupation | Commanding officer |
| Affiliation | British Army |
| Spouses |
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| Children | Sam (son) |
Captain James is a fictional character from the BBC military drama Our Girl, played by Ben Aldridge. Captain James first appeared in the first episode of the first series, originally broadcast on 21 September 2014. He is introduced as the laid-back but professional commanding officer of 2-Section. His storylines in the series have included the blossoming of his romance with Molly Dawes (Lacey Turner), his intense dedication to his work, his friendship with Elvis Harte (Luke Pasqualino), his inner struggles surrounding the morality of war, and his second romance with Georgie Lane (Michelle Keegan).
Captain James has been described as experienced and authoritarian, but fun and easygoing. Aldridge enjoyed the task of playing someone in charge. His character's toxic love of his work was an ongoing theme during his time on the series, as Aldridge noticed that his character was happy in his co-workers' company and could only function in the army. Aldridge was captivated by his character's continuing mental health struggles, as he found it to be a delicate matter within the armed forces. After the cast for the show's fourth series was announced, and Aldridge's absence was quickly noted, it was confirmed that he had left the role to pursue other projects he had commitments to. Captain James's relationship with Georgie was criticised by viewers, and his departure was seen as abrupt and underwhelming.