image

watch-next

instagram

editoriallinks

Helen George shares sweet photo of her youngest daughter

Beauty

Former Deputy Multiplatform Editor

News

Standard Article

Hearst Editorial

- Hello! My name's Steve McGann. I play Doctor Turner in tv's 'Call the Midwife.' - Oh yes, my name is Laura Main. - She remembers. - And I play Shelagh Turner, who's married to him, and we are here for the Good Housekeeping Christmas photo shoot. - Look how well we turn out. Look at us. - Ladies first, than you very much. And, which member of the cast is most like their character? - Don't look at me. - Do you think it's me? Am I being like Shelagh? - No, I think you're so different as your character. Don't you think she's different as her character? - Well yes, now I don't really get recognised. So, yes. If you've got somebody, say. Who do you think? - Oh, I would say Fred. Don't you think Cliff is like Fred? - Do you know what, he did actually come to mind to be fair. - Oh, did he? - Yes. - I think he is. I think that's one of his strongest things. I think he's wonderful. Imagine having Fred working with you, imagine how brilliant that is. That's what we get with Cliff. - Yeah, that's a good point. - Yeah? - Yes, Cliff is like Fred. - Ah. What has been your most emotional 'Call the Midwife' moment of all time? We are a very emotional programme. There's a lot of those. Ah! There is one! Erm, well the scene is yours sitting here. Do you remember when Teddy Turner was born? - Oh, yes I do. - Now, we were outside the door. I was outside the door, while you were giving birth. And I had to actually sing through the door to my in-labor wife. What was it I sang? - Once I had a Secret Love. - ♪ Once I had a secret love ♪ But I did it like I was, like, desperate husband. So, it was like, ♪ Once I had a secret love ♪ - 'Cause I wasn't letting him in the room, you see. - ♪ And then-- ♪ - Not me, personally. - But you know what? Sometimes you do stuff on this show and it's so moving as a programme that you just get so used to this emotional range of it, the tenor of it. You're quite beaten up after it. Some of it's really heavy duty stuff. It's something isn't it? - Mhm. - But we love it. - We love it, we love it. I've got two-- Can I say my two? I've got two emotional moments. - Oh, go on. - And one is collecting and meeting our-- the daughter that we adopted, little Angela. So, going to the orphanage, and that day. And just walking towards the cot and meeting her. - That was beautiful, though. - I loved that. And you know what else? From a guest character point of view, I was really, and am still moved by the Thalidomide storyline that season five really presented really brilliantly. - I think that episode one, where the Thalidomide child is held in her mother's arms-- - Yeah. - Is still one of my favourite moments ever of 'Call the Midwife' And neither of us were involved. Probably why it was good. But there you are and that was thus one of those beautiful, quintessentially "Call the Midwife' things. Who's go is it? Is it your go? - My turn? - That's your go. - If you could take one prop home from the set, what would it be? I would take a "spigometer." - A "spigometer?" - Have I said it correctly? - No! It's not a "spigometer!" - How do you say it? I just said it 'cause I know I can't say it. - Ladies and gentlemen, the blood pressure thing that you squeeze on your arm is called a-- - How do you pronounce it? - Sphygmomanometer. Say it! - "Sphygmomonomoneter." - "Sphyg-a-bahama-nama-nama-neter." - No, I wouldn't take "sphyg." It would actually be quite handy to be able to keep an eye on your blood pressure. Especially working with him. So, yes, I'd like to take that home! - I don't know why they don't just say, "blood pressure monitor." Is it my turn? - Yeah. - Cool. What is the one birth you'll never forget from the show? I don't think that's that difficult. There was one that we called "the epic birth," and it was in series two. And it's the brilliant Monica Dolan-- - I was thinking the same one, yeah. - And this this incredible scene where Monica had to play twin sisters, she played two characters. One of them was attending the other while she gave birth. - Mhm. - There were complications with the birth, there was a haemorrhage in the birth! We were present, managing to flirt with each other at the time. - Yes! And I was dressed as a nun. - And there was a fully choreographed fight. - Yes. - All in the same room. - I got slapped. - You did! - Yeah. - I think I got something across the face as well. It was the most astonishing, it lasted all day, it was really hard to film. And we just know it as the old epic birth. - Yeah, yeah. - Back in those days, remember that? - And then being presented with two twins-- - You saved a child's life! She saved a child's life. Okay, the next one . Very good, do you want another one? - Who would be your dream guest star? We've already had, like, loads of dream guest stars. The fact that Miriam Margolyes has joined the cast, that's a bit of a dream. Apparently it was her dream! I mean, how amazing is that! This series, I mean, I do get a bit fan-girly. Samantha Spiro we've had this year, and Amanda Root, and you know, all these wonderful actresses keep walking in, and I'm like, "Oh my god," in the makeup chair. So, we've got loads of them, it is impressive. It is impressive , you know, who 'Call the Midwife' attracts. Who would be a dream guest star? - Well, I was thinking about Laura Main, but she's probably quite disappointing when you meet her. - I don't think she's available. No, she's very available. No, but, who? Have you got somebody? I bet you do. - Well, you know. - Have you put a phone call out to somebody? - Have I put a phone call in to someone? I mean, any one but you darling, to be my wife. Um, I think if it was-- I thought Sinead Cusack was a particularly good one. She's already done it. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - As Laura says-- - There's loads of them, there's loads of them if-- - It's amazing with a series like this because you can attract real talent. - Can we announce that we did once get a letter from Whoopi Goldberg. - Whoopi Goldberg asked to be-- - No, she didn't ask! - No, she-- - Did she ask? Did she ask? - I believe so. - Oh! - Isn't that amazing? See? - So, if we could make that happen, that would be pretty cool. - Okay! And me and Whoops, me and Whoops, I'll get on the phone to Whoops, "Hey Whoops." - Anyway, that would be awesome! If she's up for it, we want her. - Do the cast buy each other Christmas presents? No. - I haven't received one thing. From you. - Did you feel the edge in that? Did you feel-- No, no they don't. What've you gotten me, Laura? - No, to be fair, to be fair, we have spent six months all together, which we love. No, we do! Between April and October. So, by the time December comes, we're all kind of living our own lives for a little bit, before we're all reunited again next year. Is that fair to say? - I'm taking your present back to the shop now. Is it your turn? - I don't know. Okay. Who is the most mischievous member of the cast? Somebody that springs to mind is Judy Parfitt, actually. Or, Freddy, her dog, but he's not really a member of the cast. Yeah, she's got a very, very naughty sense of humour, hasn't she? Actually, to be fair, I'm sitting right next to him. - What, me? - It's you! - Oh, I'm shocking. I'm about five years old, most times. But I'm worse with you. I'm terrible with you. - He's very mischievous. Especially when you're trying to build yourself up for an emotional scene. - I'm terrible, I must be horrible to work with. - He's a nightmare. - I must be terrible. - I love you dearly. - And you know what, the thing is that we get on really, really well. - We do! - And it's a good job, too. Shall I have a go? - Yeah, your go. - All right! What is the character you would most like to see return to the show? Gosh, that's really, really interesting. - Mhm. - Because during a show like this, you get so many coming and going. It's a nursing precinct, a medical place, which means that you turn around characters. But if I had to see anyone again, who would it be? I think I possibly, straight off the top of my head, Sister Evangelina would be one. 'Cause I miss her uproarious, take no nonsense kind of approach. - Um, yeah. - Yeah? - You, but you-- I'm sorry, we can't have a shower scene. 'Cause that's the only way she can come back really. - What shower scene? - You can't have her like it was all a dream. - Oh, no, that's true! But I thought we were going into the realms of imagination. - Fantasy land! - Because-- - Fantasy land would be to have Pam around again, as Sister Evangelina, yeah. - And also, the wonderful Charlotte Ritchie. - Oh, don't! I know, exactly! It'll make everybody cry. - But Charlotte is just so wonderful to work with. And I miss her horribly and she's brilliant, but she's doing really well. We all love her and she's always family. - Super proud. - Your turn, my darling. - Okay, thanks. - You dig down there. - Okay. Do you watch the Christmas special with your family on Christmas day? - Oh, that's a nice one. - Yes, I do. If I can be in Aberdeen, I do, And I'm definitely going to be in Aberdeen this year, so I will be watching it. Will you? - I definitely will be watching with my family, I watch all the time, but it's a really, really weird thing isn't it? Everybody else in the country sits down to watch the telly in the afternoon. After the dinner, when you're all a bit tired, some of them are a bit drunk, and then we actually have to-- not exactly go to work, but it does make you nervous, doesn't it? So, there's that thing of Christmas Day where you haven't been able to relax because you know you're about to see your big old mug on the telly. - Yeah. - It's still a privilege. - It does make, like-- I think as an adult is does make Christmas a little bit exciting again, like you're a child. - Yeah. - It's like, you've opened the presents, you've done everything. It's not like, "Well, what do we do now?" It's like, "Oh my God! Our shows coming back!) - It's true. It's very true. - What a geek. - What a geek!

Call The Midwife's Dr Turner (Stephen McGann) and Shelagh Turner (Laura Main) answer key questions about the hit BBC One midwifery drama for Good Housekeeping

Helen George reveals new dark hair at awards ceremony

Hair