Call the Midwife
Drama Call the Midwife Sunday / BBC1 / 8.00Pm
Call the Midwife favourite Jennifer Kirby, 29, talks exclusively to TV Times about Valerie’s taboo new storyline and why she’s glad the spirited nurse isn’t looking for love…
What’s valerie doing this week? She’s running sex-education classes because she feels that girls should have as much information as possible, as back then it was taboo. That was fun to film, drawing on diagrams! She and Lucille [Leonie Elliott] make a great double act because they have very different opinions on it.
There is conflict with one of the girls’ mums, too, isn’t there? Yes, one mum takes strong exception and says that we should be punished for putting on the classes. Valerie gets angry, but she helps sort the underlying issues that this lady has and we find out why she reacts in such an alarming way.
What do you love about valerie?
She is forthright but vulnerable because we have seen how she was bullied in the Army. That has taken its toll, so she has two interesting layers to her because she has confidence in her ability but also an undercurrent of having gone through a difficult experience.
Will there be any romance for her? You’ll have to ask our creator, Heidi Thomas. I don’t mind if she doesn’t have any because it’s nice that she is independent, defiant and has a feminist streak. She has been to all kinds of places on her own so it would take a special person to seduce Valerie.
What reaction have you had to valerie from viewers?
One of the loveliest things I had was from a doctor, who, after he watched the Christmas special [when Valerie dealt with what initially appeared to be a stillbirth], said he loved the way that I portrayed the anguish that every doctor and nurse feels acutely when they lose a patient.
Jennifer Kirby on why she loves her character
valerie is a good friend to Lucille. Have you taken Leonie under your wing, too?
Leonie is such a pro that she didn’t need my advice but it was great showing her around. I told her just to have fun because everybody only wants you to do your best.
valerie has a new beehive hairstyle this series; does it take ages to do?
No, but it takes lots of dry shampoo and back-combing! There was a picture of Audrey Hepburn with almost that exact hairdo and it looks so cool. But those Sixties styles are funny – if you saw somebody in the street with it now you’d be quite
shocked!
call the
midwife is PREVIEWED on PAGES 42-43