BBC Call the Midwife stars look unrecognisable away from show

Call the Midwife fans have spent years watching their favourite characters, but their real-life transformations have left some taken aback. While the actors spend their time on screen in their 1950s and 60s costumes, away from the small screen, the show's actors are almost unrecognisable

Since it came to our TV screens in 2012, Call the Midwife has shot actors such as Laura Main, Helen George, and Jessica Raine into the spotlight. Some fans may also recall that Miranda Hart was once part of the cast, before she left the series in 2015.

Recently, one of the cast members has decided to exit the drama after a six-year stint. Miriam Margolyes left her role of Mother Mildred, a role she has been absent from since 2021, and now she has confirmed her departure is permanent, reports Devon Live. While Miriam may be tied up with other commitments, fans may be left wondering what the rest of the cast are up to when they're not working on screen.

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Helen George - Nurse Trixie Aylward

Famed for her signature blonde curls and distinctive style, Nurse Trixie has experienced a rollercoaster of events on the series including the recent turmoil over her marriage to Matthew, who left Poplar for New York.

In reality, actress Helen George looks entirely different. She's a brunette, boasting long elegant waves that cascade past her shoulders.

She's embraced a glamorous fashion style, and recent Instagram posts show her enjoying life in Italy and Paris, donning dazzling dresses that barely graze her thighs.

Helen was wedded to Oliver Boot from 2011 until 2015, but sadly the couple drifted apart. Subsequently, Helen was in a relationship with her former co-star Jack Ashton, father of her daughters Wren Ivy and Lark, but they separated in 2023.

Laura Main - Shelagh Turner

Famed for her straightforward personality, Shelagh maintains a modest appearance on Call the Midwife often bundling up in coats and gloves, and wearing her signature glasses.

However, this is far removed from actress Laura Main's off-screen fashion sense, as she enjoys dressing up in sparkling gowns. She doesn't usually wear glasses in real life either, and sports short brunette locks, often accentuating her natural beauty with a dark smokey eye and pink lip gloss.

Jenny Agutter - Sister Julienne

When she's not embodying Sister Julienne in Call the Midwife, Jenny Agutter swaps her wimple for a chic cropped bob with a full fringe. The versatile actress, known for roles in classics like An American Werewolf in London and The Railway Children, favours a more relaxed style off-screen.

Jenny has been happily married to Johan Tham since 1990, and they have a son named Jonathan together. However, life hasn't been without its sorrows; Jenny is an active campaigner for cystic fibrosis awareness, a cause close to her heart due to the impact of the disease on her family.

Stephen McGann - Dr Patrick Turner

Off-screen, Stephen McGann, who plays the suave Dr Patrick Turner, maintains his dapper appearance. While he may ditch the waistcoat and loosen his tie compared to his on-screen persona, he still cuts a smart figure in public with his preference for tailored trousers and blazers.

Stephen's personal life is intertwined with the show as well; he's been with Heidi Thomas, the creator of Call the Midwife, since the '80s after meeting at a script reading in Liverpool, where he recalls falling "madly in love" with her at first sight.

He reminisced to The Sunday Times: "I thought the writer [of the play] was probably about 48 and prematurely grey, but I walked into the audition and there was this young girl talking five hundred to the dozen. We started chatting about the character and by the time I left the room I was madly in love."

Megan Cusack - Nancy Corrigan

Nancy Corrigan is often pictured in her distinctive nursing uniform and burgundy cap, but the actress behind the character, Megan Cusack, is barely recognisable in real life.

Famed for her bold fashion choices, she frequently appears at award shows wearing sparkling sequined dresses. With a passion for vintage 1970s attire, Megan isn't shy of donning a bikini for sizzling beach photoshoots either.

Her family background is steeping with theatrical pedigree away from the screen; Dublin-born in 1996 makes her 28 now, the daughter of theatre producer Padraig Cusack, and the granddaughter of actors Cyril and Maureen Cusack. Her lineage of talent doesn't stop there, with aunts Sinead, Sorcha, Niamh, and Catherine all immersed in acting careers Sinead Cusack notably in 'V for Vendetta'.