Backstage with the Call the Midwife stars taking on Strictly for Children in Need

For this year’s BBC Children in Need, four Call the Midwife stars are throwing their stethoscopes and habits aside to take part in a Strictly Come Dancing special. 



Stephen McGann, Jenny Agutter, Laura Main and Jack Ashton took us backstage as they prepare to go head-to-head to win the Pudsey glitterball trophy. Even Sir Bruce Forsyth is back for the occasion!

Stephen McGann (Dr Turner)

Dancing the waltz to Moon River with Joanne Clifton.

Dancing the waltz means you have to lead your partner. Do you find it harder or easier being in control of the dance?



Control's the word - whether I'm leading or following! I'm no dancer, so feeling in control and able to enjoy the flow and movement is the challenge, whatever the dance.

Which Strictly judge are you most apprehensive about dancing in front of and why?



All of them! The waltz has been great to experience - but its slow elegance exposes every tiny error of positioning and poise. I wouldn't call myself a naturally graceful soul, so this has been something of a boot camp. I just hope they'll be gentle with me!

What made you want to take part in BBC Children in Need this year?



I adore Children In Need. It's a uniquely British institution that brings the nation together in an act of outrageous generosity for a brilliant cause. I've been privileged to be involved with the big night a few times over the years, and it's always a special thing. It reminds us all that there are far more important things in life than ourselves - and if that isn't worth clomping around a dance floor to music, then I don't know what is!

Laura Main (Shelagh Turner)

Dancing the jive to Tutti Frutti with Brendan Cole.

You went to see Helen George (Call the Midwife's Trixie) dance on Strictly recently. Has she given you any tips for your performance?

I am a massive Strictly fan, so to get to be in the live studio audience was so thrilling and to be there to support Helen made it even more exciting. I'm so proud of her. Helen has been so supportive and encouraging and she can't wait for our turn! Her best bit of advice, which has really stayed with me, is to embrace what you are doing and just go for it. And when I remember why we are doing it, it's even easier to forget about yourself, let go and give it your all.

You performed in stage shows as a child, is dance something you wanted to come back to?

I've tried to keep my singing going over the years, as I do love musicals. But I've let my dancing go, so it's been a while! This week of training has felt like the old me coming back. And I have to admit, I am loving it. It is challenging though and I'm terrified I'll forget the moves and just be standing there. It's a big contrast to the last six months on the set of Call the Midwife, but it's fun to do different things.

Who do you see as your main dance rival and why?

It's got to be Jenny Agutter! She is so elegant and graceful. It's been the main topic of conversation at work and she's been very funny on the Call the Midwife set, dressed as a nun and wearing her dancing shoes to break them in out of shot! Even before we started rehearsals, her waltz steps had quite a long stride to them. Jack's dance has loads of wow factor though, with a huge leap frog and one move that appears to have a slight element of danger about it for his dance partner Oti, if it were to go wrong! And Stephen's dance is so adorable, it's infectious, and I smile every time I watch him. 

Jack Ashton (Tom Hereward)

Dancing the to Tutti Frutti with Oti Mabuse.

Your Call the Midwife character worried he wouldn’t impress Trixie on a date as he can’t dance. What do you think Trixie would make of you dancing on Strictly?

I think I'm slightly better at dancing than Tom but it's a close call. He has a fear of it, whereas I'm a bit stupid so I thought it'd be fun. It turns out it was a lot harder than I expected but I'm proud of what I've achieved in the end, the jive is tough. 

You are going to be performing the same dance as Laura. Have you helped each other prepare for it during training?

Laura certainly didn't need any of my help she was clearly superior to me from day one. Of course we watched each other but I can honestly say watching Laura dance filled me with pride: she deserves any praise she gets for her performance because she will be excellent. 

The jive was a popular form of dance in Call the Midwife's era, the 1950s. Have you taken any other influences from the 50s?

Well you can't help but be reminded of famous scenes in films set in that period. There's a particular scene in Malcolm X that springs to mind with Denzel Washington and Spike Lee walking down the street in New York looking cool as cucumbers. That's my inspiration for the beginning of our dance, although I might not look as cool.. 

Jenny Agutter (Sister Julienne)

Dancing the waltz to Moon River with Ian Waite.

As you trained at a classical ballet school, do you feel under particular pressure to impress judge Darcy Bussell? 

I've not done ballet for a number of years but love to watch it and was a huge fan of Darcy's. I am sure my brief waltz will not impress her and I am not sure that the ballet training I had years ago is at all useful. Ballet gives you fluidity of movement, but I discovered in the rehearsal period that ballroom dancing uses the body in quite a different way. I needed to relearn how to hold my body and felt quite awkward. But Ian was a great partner and I knew, if need be, he would carry me round and make the waltz work.

Would you consider taking part in next year’s Strictly Come Dancing?

I think that Strictly is a wonderful show and enjoy seeing everyone immersed in ballroom dancing whether they have any dance training or not. I've particularly loved doing our Call the Midwife Strictly Come Dancing competition, however I don't see myself taking part next year.

Dancing was a huge part of life in the 1950s, do you think we'll see more of it in the next series of Call the Midwife?

We've moved into the sixties in Call the Midwife and certainly physical fitness and exercise is on the young midwives' agenda. I am not sure when Strictly started on TV but I am sure Sister Julienne would have loved to tune in!

Children in Need is broadcast on Friday, 13 November from 7.30pm on BBC One, switching to BBC Two from 10pm to 10.40pm and back to BBC One from 10.40pm. The shows will be available on BBC iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast on TV.

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.