Helen

Call the Midwife fan favourite Helen George has revealed why BBC viewers can resonate with the hit period drama as the latest series comes to an end

Helen George has made a heartfelt admission as the countdown to the final episode of Call the Midwife series 15 begins.

The last episode of the current season airs this Sunday (March 8) before the BBC drama is rested to make way for a Second World War spin-off prequel and a film.

Ahead of the farewell before the residents of Poplar take a well-deserved break, Helen, who stars as Trixie Aylward, revealed how the believes programme is so popular because it shows the “truthful” side to real-life which many viewers relate too.

She told Radio Times: “It’s ugly and it’s dirty and it’s painful and it’s hard – it’s f***ing hard -and all that is shown on Call the Midwife. Not grotesquely glamorised and not sensationalised. Just truthfully.”

Helen added the period drama, which follows a group of midwives working in the East End of London around the 1950s and 60s and now early 70s “won’t be the same” when the series returns.

The 41-year-old actress added: “It is just a pause, because we know it’s coming back but it won’t be the same, with different characters leaving and whatever.”

Writer Heidi Thomas previously told Yours last month: “I don’t think it’s the last series in the classic form but we are going to take a break from it for a couple of years.”

“We’re going to do a film that involves most the current cast, set in 1972, possibly 1973.

“We’re going to do that first, then we’ll return to the current style.

“Series 16 will have a slightly different setting because of changes in NHS. It’ll still be in the East End of London but possibly something like a small community hospital or a GP practice, but that’s something I’ll be working on later this year.”

The synopsis for the final episode of series 15 teases: ““Sister Veronica must decide her future now she is not currently a nun, but not fully part of the world either.

“The Maternity Home prepares to close its doors, but Dr Turner is determined to preserve equipment and resources for his patients until the last possible moment. The Mullucks fight for the rights of all Thalidomide victims, while Cyril and Rosalind prepare for their wedding.”

The BBC has also released a photo of Sister Monica Joan lying in bed, eyes closed, with her hands by her side.

Is this the end for the adored sister? Viewers will have to wait and see what lies ahead for Sister Monica Joan.

Call the Midwife continues Sunday, March 8 at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer

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The Countryfile presenter has opened up about her initial nerves during Strictly Come Dancing, which she joined following her split from rugby player Richie Myler

Former Blue Peter host Helen Skelton navigated a difficult period following her separation from rugby league player Richie Myler, ultimately reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing. However, the Countryfile star has admitted she felt “terrified” during the competition’s early weeks.

“I tried to leave,” she disclosed on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast. “I ran and hid on the fire escape, and they filmed Strictly next to The Crown, and there’s a massive wall. I kid you not, I was looking at the wall and thinking, ‘I could get over that’.”

Helen revealed that a member of the production team persuaded her to return to the studio, where her professional dancing partner Gorka Márquez delivered some crucial words of encouragement: “I remember he said to me: ‘It’s like jumping out of a plane, you’ve got to engage the parachute’.”

“He was so wonderful,” Helen continued, praising the Spanish dancer’s unwavering support, which helped build her confidence from those anxious beginnings through to her memorable Cabaret-themed Couple’s Choice routine in the final, which earned a flawless score of 40.

“By the final, I’ve gone from hiding on the fire escape, being terrified to look at the dance floor, to just freestyling. Even all the professionals were crying laughing. They were like, ‘Who are you?'” she said.

Helen’s Strictly experience wasn’t without its challenges, including an unfortunate costume mishap during the semi-finals when part of her outfit tore and hung around her leg for the remainder of the routine. Nevertheless, Helen persevered and secured an impressive 37 points — with Shirley Ballas awarding her and Gorka the lowest mark of 8, while Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke both gave them a 10.

Speaking to Kate, Helen revealed that despite the personal anguish of her eight-year marriage ending, she remained resolute that the circumstances wouldn’t impact her performance — or influence how the Strictly judges scored her.

She remembered: “A few people said if you’d have just cried and gone on about what was going on, you might have won it.”

Helen added that numerous friends had urged her to take up the Strictly opportunity purely due to the massive public fascination with her marriage split: “My friends were just like, ‘Just do it. Just do it.

“It’s going to swallow you up. Just do it. Like, there’s so many people talking about you and looking at you. They may as well look at you in a sparkly dress, mate.'”

Following Helen’s decision to accept the invitation, some audience members claimed she might have had an advantage due to her childhood tap-dancing background. Speaking to ITV’s Lorraine at the time, she said: “I found it so funny when they said it was a fix — Helen’s a tap-dancing champion. When I was seven, yes, I did tap dancing.

“Like lots of little girls and boys, I did dancing and absolutely loved it. I hit an age where I didn’t want to be in a leotard in public and I gave it up. I wish I hadn’t!”