The nuns and midwives of Nonnatus House get a brush with TV stardom in the Call the Midwife Christmas special when the BBC decides to film a carol service in the local church.
Charlotte Ritchie, who plays young midwife Barbara Gilbert in the BBC1 period drama, has told TV Times she was delighted to find that the storyline had echoes of her own family history.
"It is nice because my granddad, who I never met, used to be a producer for the BBC and for ITV, he even worked on the Queen’s Coronation, so it was really strange seeing all the old BBC cameras going around during filming because I have got pictures of him and the camera operators with them," said the actress, who will reprise her role as quirky Oregon in in the final series of Fresh Meat next year.
"It was so cool to be in a time that he would have known."
For Charlotte, the episode, which will lead up to the fifth series in the new year, is particularly special as it's her first Christmas special after joining during the last series.
"I can’t believe I’m in this one; I am so excited! There’s something magical about Christmas as Nonnatus House," said the 26-year-old. "But it was a relief I wasn’t in the Christmas special last year, because it was the final one I could enjoy watching without my big old face coming in and ruining it for myself!’
