‘We drank a lot of gin – nuns or not!’
The Call The Midwife cast on the magic of this year’s seasonal episode, coming from the Scottish wilderness …
The Outer Hebrides, then: how cold? JENNIFER KIRBY (VALERY): On screen, it looks open and remote – and that’s exactly how it was. The wind was whipping across and it was very cold and rainy. But magical as well.
HELEN GEORGE (TRIXIE):
It was the most amazing place and we captured some really beautiful moments.
Did it feel magical?
LINDA BASSETT (PHYLLIS):
It felt magical to me. The place was very spiritual and wonderful, and we saw a lot of stags...
CLIFF PARISI (FRED): Every journey back to the hotel was fabulous. You had to stop a lot because there would be sheep or cows in the road.
JENNY AGUTTER (SISTER JULIENNE): We had a lot of fun filming it. There’s something very special about being away on location, it just brings everybody together, despite the cold. The storyline itself is quite different from anything we’ve ever done. We hear you stayed in a castle? MIRIAM MARGOLYES (MOTHER MILDRED): Staying in a castle was all about the gin for me!
It’s the only drink I really enjoy, and they made a most delicious gin on the island – which we drank a considerable amount of, whether we were nuns or not! Was there a wrap party?
LEONIE ELLIOTT (LUCILLE): Cliff organised a bagpipe player for our last night, so that was really nice.
JENNIFER: And, on one night, the power went off and we were all a bit scared of the ghost…
The ghost…?
JENNIFER: Laura Main was staying in the room the ghost was meant to haunt.
LAURA MAIN (SHELAGH):
I deliberately didn’t research this ghost too much – but then I found out it resided in the bedroom where I was staying. Jenny looks after everyone and she insisted on swapping rooms. Miriam, is being part of the show everything you hoped for? MIRIAM: I love it and I desperately want to continue being a part of it! Anyone would give their eyeteeth to be in this show! I’m foul-mouthed, yes – but I love the decency of it.
Do you sit down to watch Call The Midwife on Xmas Day? CLIFF: I watch from behind the sofa. The kids will generally be playing on the iPads. JENNIFER: I’m not keen. We’ve already seen it, and it’s work… JENNY: 25 December is my son’s birthday, so we tend to do Christmas the day before. My husband is Swedish, so it’s a lovely celebration, with lots of Schnapps.
JUDY PARFITT (SISTER MONICA JOAN): I’ve just moved house, but my old house had small windows and voile [netting] over the windows. I used to sit there and think, “Do you know Judy, you look amazing!” But now
I’ve seen myself in the daylight, and this is not a happy thing!