Istartedoutas anun..nowI’m marriedwith fourchildren
A star who has been at the centre of many of the best storylines on the hit BBC One Sunday night drama series since it began almost 10 years ago says she doesn’t want the show to ever end
Wheeler-Holes for the 2013 Christmas special. Laura joked: “I didn’t expect that when I was cast as a nun.”
The actress was also thrilled that despite the Covid pandemic, they were able to film the ninth Christmas special and the 10th series, which includes other original stars of the show such as Jenny Agutter, Helen George and Cliff Parisi.
Laura said: “When filming was initially postponed back in March 2020, we thought it would be a couple of months. Then we thought it could be delayed until this year. So when we started in August, we actually hadn’t waited too long. We were delighted.”
Lockdown may have stopped filming but Laura kept the show’s devoted followers connected, interacting with them online. She said: “We did watch parties and were interacting with fans on Twitter and Facebook.
“It’s lovely to get that immediate response from people. We’ve been on for 10 series but it’s as though the appetite and enthusiasm for the show has grown.”
Following on from the success of Call the Midwife, Laura was one of the main singers on a 2013 album by the cast, won the Children in Need Strictly Come Dancing special in 2015 with Brendan Cole and starred as Princess Fiona in a UK tour of Shrek the Musical.
But playing the character for almost a decade has certainly rubbed off on the Scot.
She said: “The main thing I’ve learned from playing a nurse and midwife is thinking of others. When you play a character, it’s infectious and it does rub off on you. It’s taught me to think more about putting other people’s needs ahead of your own.”
As well as tackling tough and gritty subjects such as childbirth and relationships, Call the Midwife has broken film ground by using more women in front of and behind the camera.
Laura added: “I’m also really proud of the fact that the show champions the NHS and celebrates nurses and midwives.” ● Call the Midwife returns on Sunday, on BBC One at 8pm.
We did watch parties and interacted with fans LAURA MAIN ON CAST’S LOCKDOWN LINK-UP