Helen George reveals her baby bump was a nightmare to cover-up on set for Call The Midwife
First-time mum Helen said producers had to find creative ways to disguise her pregnant stomach during filming for her role as Trixie Franklin
IN her five years on Call The Midwife, HELEN GEORGE has carried lots of babies but her own pregnancy proved a nightmare for the show.
Producers had to find increasingly inventive ways to hide her baby bump during filming for her role as Trixie Franklin.
First-time mum Helen explained: “It was difficult because it wasn’t a correct storyline for the character, it wasn’t right for Trixie to be pregnant.
“So we did our best to cover it up.
“You just see me walk across the screen with loads of cushions or I’m sat down a lot, or I’m wearing lots of capes.” After welcoming her baby daughter Wren with partner and co-star JACK ASHTON in September, the actress admits she still has a lot to learn about midwifery.
And her own pregnancy made filming childbirth scenes even more nerve-wracking as she approached her due date.
She said: “I’ve always found those birth scenes emotional. But I definitely felt more emotional about it this time.”
After giving birth slightly early because of relatively minor health complications, Helen is now backing a campaign for women to publicly thank their own midwives via social media.
It’s an attempt to highlight the incredible work they carry out.
Helen said: “I wasn’t in the least bit worried. I was surrounded by the most wonderful midwives.
“Their unfaltering care and support got me through those early days.”
Now she’s looking forward to her first family Christmas.
Helen said: “I’m just recovering from the birth of my child.
“I will be running soon and I will put the chocolate down soon.”
With series eight of Call The Midwife commissioned, Helen will need to be back on her feet sooner rather than later. And she won’t be surrounded by cushions any more.
must watch
WHAT? Bancroft, ITV, 9pm.
WHY? It’s the start of a new four-part thriller starring SARAH PARISH as DS Elizabeth Bancroft, who is using some questionable tactics to bring down a vicious gang.
In a deep mid-winter
SNOW is forecast for this year’s Call The Midwife festive special after a rare break from the cold last Christmas when the team visited South Africa.
It’s back to blizzards and a whited-out East London for the special, which is establishing itself as a Christmas telly tradition.
First broadcast in 2012, the drama’s special episode last year attracted almost 10million viewers.
The show’s creator, Heidi Thomas, says the 2017 show is the first to recreate a real-life white Christmas, that of 1962, during one of the coldest winters on record.
She said: “With Call The Midwife we always have a white Christmas, which slightly ‘plays’ with history.
“I was just a small baby at that time but my mother, who lived in Yorkshire, couldn’t leave the house for seven weeks.
“I’d always remembered this and it was just a case of marking time until we could tell this story historically. We got through so much fake snow. In fact I don’t think there was any fake snow left in England by the time we’d finished filming this episode.”
This year the emotive storylines take place against some truly harsh winter weather, letting the nurses add car troubles to their problems.
There’s also a plotline with elements of the nativity, when a couple go through a birth in impoverished surroundings, and an appearance by ANITA DOBSON.
As Angie Watts in EastEnders, Anita was part of one of Christmas TV’s most memorable seasonal surprises when she was given divorce papers as a Christmas gift by husband “Dirty” Den.
But Call The Midwife’s Christmas won’t be all doom and gloom – there’s plenty of laughter with the likes of CLIFF PARISI as “Dame” Fred Buckle when he dons drag for a panto in which the cast is forced to wear hilarious costumes.
It’s got so much going on, this year’s chilled-looking show is a contender for some hot ratings.
soapbox
In EMMERDALE Cain and Moira take baby Isaac for a check-up and discover he has a heart condition. Moira blames herself for causing their son’s illness.
Elsewhere, Adam acts impulsively as he continues to struggle with the fact that he is a murder suspect.
Over at the Dingles’, Lisa fears for Zak’s health.
In CORONATION STREET Michelle takes a big risk to help solve Robert’s money troubles, but how will he react when he discovers that the bistro has been robbed?
Meanwhile Tyrone and Fiz argue over their children, and sparks fly as the feud between her and Beth is reignited.
Kate and Rana have a secret assignation and Rana lies to protect Zeedan.
Carrazy about Brucie
FUNNYMAN ALAN CARR has a sombre side, brought out when he fronted the reboot of The Price Is Right.
Alan said making the hit gameshow brought back memories of SIR BRUCE FORSYTH.
He wishes the legendary telly host had still been around to see it.
Alan said: “I loved Sir Bruce. I definitely think Brucie was the master of it all – his way with people, he’d get people to be willing to have the mick taken out of them.
“He got the tone just right.
“He died just after I made the show. I’d have liked him to have seen it, I hope I did him proud.”
The new Price is Right, on Channel 4 on December 30, features the games of old including Plinko and Cliffhanger. It’s a one-off but could be turned into a full series if it receives a positive audience response.
Channel 4 is keeping Alan busy over the holiday period as he’s also hosting Christmas Chatty Man on December 25 and his New Year Specstacular on December 31. His guests include NOEL GALLAGHER, CHRISTIAN SLATER and LORRAINE KELLY, who will all take a dip into Alan’s legendary globe-shaped drinks cabinet.
He said: “I get a bit of survivor’s guilt when I do it, because you’re basically stepping over drunk celebrities by the end.”
Don’t feel guilty Alan, it makes for brilliant telly.