IN NUMBERS: Call The Midwife

As the seventh series continues (8pm, BBC1), we look at some facts and figures relating to the period medical drama, which first went on air in 2012…

The number of seasons to star Jessica Raine (below) as Jennifer Lee, on whose memoir Call The Midwife is based. Vanessa Redgrave (centre) has provided the voice of the older Jennifer (married name Worth), who narrates the show, since the start. The number of cast members personally recommended by Jennifer Worth, who called the show’s producer Pippa Harris with her choice to play Chummy: ‘I doubt you will have heard of her, but her name is Miranda Hart (right). She’s 6ft 2in and falls over. I think she’d be marvellous.’

The number of viewers, in millions who tuned into the pilot episode. Immediately after, a second series was commissioned, and the show is set to continue until 2020 – at least. £5,000 The approximate cost of the prosthetic babies used in the birth scenes. At first, two were hired from a props firm – one small (for premature babies) and one larger – and, over time, more were commissioned. For scenes after the birth, the production uses real babies around a week old. The number of current stars to have appeared on the main series of Strictly Come Dancing. Helen George (Trixie) came sixth in 2015; that same year, Laura Main (Shelagh) took part in a Strictly special for Children In Need – and won.