I thought it would be easier not to be here, says Ranj

Pride Awards the day before, where he was host, Dr Ranj – real name Ranjit Singh – says: “I never thought my family would be as accepting as they are.

“And I am so lucky to say this as a gay man of colour who is Asian, my family are the most accepting people I know.

“I genuinely thought I would be rejected by my entire family, but they have honestly been the most loving and supportive people I know and I am so proud and grateful of that.”

Dr Ranj, who married Sulvinder Samra in 2006, reveals he only had the courage to speak to his family about his sexuality when he appeared on Strictly.

“That was the first time in 10 years we properly talked about it,” he says.

“Maybe I wasn’t ready, and they probably weren’t ready, but we were forced to because of me going on Strictly.

“They couldn’t have handled it better. I am really, really happy and privileged and I never take that for granted.” Call the Midwife star

is so happy as a new mum she says only a second series of police drama Baptiste would tempt her back to work.

Jessica, 37, says that having a son, born in February, with actor

is “fantastic and joyous”.

She adds: “I am taking things at a slower pace. I’m still waiting to hear about a follow-up to Baptiste. I would love to work again with the Williams brothers, who wrote and produced it.”

The star was heavily pregnant while filming the series about a cop in Amsterdam, and shaved her head to play feisty Genevieve.

She says: “It’s not very mum-like, but I thought it was quite cool going into NCT antenatal classes with my shaved head.”