Call the Midwife season 13 has seen the arrival of dedicated pupil midwives Joyce Highland and Rosalind Clifford as they began their training with Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) and the team at Nonnatus House.
The young recruits, played by rising stars Renee Bailey and Natalie Quarry, have already made their presence felt, as Rosalind has attended a dramatic birth in the opening episode, during which she was held hostage by a gangster. Meanwhile, episode two sees Joyce face her own challenges as she helps a single mum-to-be whose toddler becomes unwell due to mould in their flat.
Here, Natalie Quarry and Renee Bailey give the lowdown on starring in Call the Midwife…
Call the Midwife is so popular. How have you found joining the cast?
Renee Bailey: “Knowing that it’s so well-established was nerve-wracking. It’s such a big drama that has been going on for so many years and everyone knows each other but they were so lovely, it’s like stepping into a family. We’ve been welcomed with open arms.”
Natalie Quarry: “It has been a rollercoaster. Walking up to Nonnatus House and seeing the nuns’ habits was special. And so was putting on the uniform and riding the bike. I’ve watched the series with my family since I was a teenager and I even remember emailing [the production] when I was about 19 saying, ‘Can I be in your show?’ So this is a weird full circle moment!”
Have you bonded after joining the series together?
Natalie Quarry: “We get along very well. I’ll go to Renee’s trailer and we chat about everything. It’s nice having that support. And Joyce and Rosalind share a bedroom, which is great. We love those scenes because you feel really close.”
Renee Bailey: “Yes, coming in with someone else took the pressure off a lot. If I was on my own, I'd be like, ‘Argh!’”
What is your take on your characters?
Natalie Quarry: “I love Rosalind, she's sensitive, strong-headed and practical. Rosalind cares about her studies and becomes close to all the mothers. She's going to be an amazing midwife.”
Renee Bailey: “Joyce is from a different country [Trinidad], so I had to think about how long she has been here and her whole story. I talked to friends and people from Trinidad, because there are so many different elements we will see to her character and her journey…”
How have you found filming the births?
Renee Bailey: “I love them! My first birth scene was with Laura [Main, who plays Shelagh]. You underestimate how long it takes to film them though. We were on our knees for about eight hours and it was on a sofa that was very low. The next day I had bruises!”
Natalie Quarry: “Rosalind wasn’t scared, but for my first birth scenes I was terrified! It was intense and only about my second week of filming. I’ll remember that fondly as a baptism of fire for me and Ros. But Helen [George, who plays Trixie] knows so much about doing births and she was supportive. But at first, I was afraid of doing something wrong or dropping the babies!”
And is it fun wearing the 1960s fashions?
Natalie Quarry: “I wear a lot of 60s clothes in my personal life and Ros has a nice, preppy way of dressing that suits her and is lovely to wear. Our costume designer is so good and everything she picks, I think, ‘That's so Ros.’”
Renee Bailey: “The costume department are wizards, they make outfits as well. You have one bit of fabric and the next thing you know, you’ve got a custom-made jacket. I’ve never done anything period, so it's nice dressing in a way that has nothing to do with me and having makeup and hair that I never would usually!”
Call the Midwife continues on Sunday at 8pm on BBC One in the UK and the new season will air from March 17 on PBS in the US.
