The star of the feel-good period drama reveals five secrets from the set

MIRIAM MARGOLYES

CALL THE MIDWIFE Tomorrow, 8pm, BBC1

1

The part of Mother Mildred was written with me in mind after creator Heidi Thomas heard I wanted to be in the show. I share Mildred’s directness but not her piety – I don’t believe in religion. Thankfully an advisor on settaughtmehowto make the sign of the cross and other religious things.

2

This series is set in 1965 and all the attention to period detail takes me back to being in London then. I was lodging with a vicar at the time so it feels apt. But I wasn’t a swinger nor liked The Beatles. I was far too fat to buy the clothes everyone else wore. Seeing the actresses in short skirts feels the same now as it did then – it has no relevance to me. My costume is fine apart from the wimple – it makes it hard to see and hear.

3

We mostly film in Longcross Film Studios, an old vehicle test track in Surrey. The sets there are

extraordinarily realistic. The place where we shoot our Nonnatus House scenes is a real old manor house on the studio site, and it’s wonderful. Sadly they’re going to demolish it, which is why there’s a storyline about the nuns having to move. It’s all very sad.

4

There are always lots of children and babies around but I don’t coo like everyone else. I don’t like children and I hand the babies back as soon as I can. One of our younger cast members is pretty and sweet but also quite naughty. I’d rather just not be with kids and I don’t mind telling them, ‘I don’t like you.’

5

I’m bossy but Jenny Agutter (pictured, top right, with Miriam, far left) is our leader on set. I still feel I’m not that good at TV acting and Jenny does it so well. We look up to her because she’s a nurturer – a mother to us all.