Steve Pemberton says he was so keen to work with Julia Davis he signed up before he'd even read the script.

How would you describe your character?

My character's called Robin and the camping trip is to celebrate his 50th birthday. He has arrived with his wife Fiona and their little son Archie, and he's very positive in spite of the fact he's very put-upon. He's the most browbeaten, hen-pecked, picked-on character, but he's very good natured. He's seemingly trapped in this awful marriage, but he doesn't ever get down about it, which is lovely.

Why do you think he has stayed with his wife for so long?

I guess they were absolutely in love at one point and she now really just can't bear him - loathes him - and doesn't disguise that at all. He just wants it to work - they've got the child, he still loves her, still wants to be with her and wants to be intimate with her, and she absolutely rebuffs him at every point.

But I think there must be, going back to when they first met, at least a year of happiness, and he's clinging on to that, and good on him, I felt very protective of him because he's trying to save the marriage. He's one of these people who's quite infuriating in that he won't get angry back, if you're angry at him, he'll just be very calm and loving at all times. But I think there's a hint right at the end of the series that, actually, no one knows the secret of anyone's relationships.

And what do you make of their parenting skills?

Fiona's a very overprotective mother, and Robin doesn't really have the balls to stand up to her at all. They make the poor boy wear this space helmet, because she thinks it will protect him from, I don't know, the air, and she's constantly trying to keep him infantilised. She thinks he's a dwarf, she thinks he's got every ailment under the sun and Robin does try to give the boy a bit more freedom, but Fiona soon puts an end to it. I think Robin would be a very good dad though.

What initially drew you to the role?

I'd always, always, always wanted to work with Julia Davis. I think she's just brilliant, I think any project with her name on, you're going to have a list of actors as long as your arm who want to be involved. She did an episode of Inside No. 9, but that's the only thing we've done together. Before I'd even read it, I was: "Yep, where do I sign up?" Then when I did read it, I just loved the fact that it had this classic British set-up of these three couples on a camping holiday.

You know it's going to be doomed, you know bad things are going to happen, but even so, and even knowing Julia's work, some of the scenes still took my breath away. I think she's got a uniquely, darkly comic mind and that really appeals to me. We have the same sense of humour I think.

Did you go camping as a child?

My only real experience was with the Cubs. We went to Scotland and camped by the river Annan and - not to stereotype - but a load of Scottish drunks came and terrorised us in our tents. We were just quaking in our boots, they were really hurling abuse. It was probably only about half nine, we'd done our campfire singsong, and we were quite terrified.

I think there is something about the fact that there is only this wafer-thin piece of canvas between you and whatever's on the other side. It's a classic horror thing as well - things like The Blair Witch Project and Nuts in May, I don't think there's ever been a really happy camping film that I can think of - maybe Carry On Camping.

This is a bit of a different holiday vibe to Benidorm. How did shooting in the sun compare to rural England?

It was glorious, we were going to these beautiful locations like Lyme Regis and Budleigh [for Camping]. We were on the beach, sitting in the sun, with a lovely group of actors and crew, having these really funny scenes to do, so they were really similar actually. But Benidorm's now in its ninth series, and I don't know if the characters in Camping would ever go back on holiday with each other after what happened.

But it was a very similar vibe, it's lovely to work outdoors in the sun, it puts everyone in a good mood.

Is the improvisational aspect of Camping something you enjoy?

Yeah - it was something really different for me, because when I do my own stuff we tend not to improvise once we've set the script, it's much more about capturing what you've written. What I loved about Camping is, Julia would just say: "We've done the version that I wrote, now anyone feel free to throw things in". Then she would say: "I liked that line, do that again", and try and take it in a different direction.

There was no continuity, no hitting of marks - it takes a lot of getting used to, especially if you're playing a bit of a quieter character. You sit there and watch these amazing improvisations, and actually it would be wrong for you to be jumping in all the time. There was an awful lot of laughter, because if someone comes up with a genuinely funny line, it's very hard to stay in character and not laugh - there was a very joyous, anarchic atmosphere to it, and I loved that, I really enjoyed it.

Were there any particular improvisations that made you laugh?

There were a few scenes around the breakfast table where Rufus is talking about what he and Julia's characters have got up to in their tents overnight, Robin is offering it up as something that might entice her back to the bedroom, but I tried to play it with genuine love and affection, because what he's trying to do is save his marriage.

And what item would be your one camping essential?

I think you have to be warm in bed, so really good, thick socks and good, thick long johns - as well as your ticket out for emergencies.

And your tip for surviving the camping trip from hell?

Start the day with a nice Bloody Mary and carry on from there. Just keep your alcohol level topped up and everything becomes bearable.

And finally, what do you think people will enjoy about the series?

Well I think anyone who's seen Julia's work before will kind of know what to expect. I think people will enjoy seeing these characters unravel over the six episodes, from what is already a pretty shaky start. You've got some really nice ensemble playing, a great group of actors, and they'll just enjoy the dialogue. And people do enjoy watching horror, and I think this is, in many ways, like a horror series. It's not blood and guts and gore, but it gets to a very dark place.

Personally, I enjoy something that takes you on a journey like that and makes you laugh one minute and sit there absolutely wide-eyed in horror the next.