Call The Midwife stars with famous relatives – from EastEnders legend to Hollywood actor

The beloved BBC period drama, Call the Midwife, is once again enthralling viewers with its 14th series, as the compassionate nuns and nurses of Nonnatus House grace our screens every Sunday evening.

Transporting us back to 1970, the show has been a fixture since its 2012 debut, drawing from Jennifer Worth’s memoirs of her midwifery days in the 1950s and 1960s, alongside the Sisters of St. John the Divine.

This season, audiences have watched Dr. Turner, played by Stephen McGann, and his team of midwives confront daunting medical issues such as Hong Kong Flu and spina bifida. As the current instalment unfolds, we delve into the intriguing family connections behind the cast members.

Daniel Laurie, who has won hearts as Reggie Jackson since he first appeared in Poplar seven years ago, has an interesting lineage. He is the son of the late Leslie Grantham, best known for his iconic role as Den Watts in .

Grantham was a pivotal figure in the soap, debuting in 1985, exiting in 1989, and then returning for a dramatic stint from 2003 to 2005.

In a touching 2006 interview with the Daily Mail, Daniel’s mother, Jane, praised Leslie for being an exceptional and “fantastic” father to Daniel, who has Down Syndrome. She fondly remembered Leslie’s early embrace of fatherhood: “When he was just a few days old, Leslie looked down at the baby and said ‘you know, there are some hard things in life, but this isn’t one of them”, as reported by MyLondon, reports the Mirror.

In a tragic turn of events, the actor passed away in 2018, leaving behind an enduring legacy, three sons, and his ex-wife. His co-star Cliff Parisi warmly recalled their time together on set and his subsequent experience working with Leslie’s real-life son Daniel on Call the Midwife.

Meanwhile, Judy Parfitt has captured the hearts of viewers as the beloved cake-enthusiast nun Sister Monica Joan in Call the Midwife since 2012. She has openly shared her personal heartache following the death of her husband Tony Steedman to Alzheimer’s in February 2001, after nearly four decades of marriage.

Parfitt courageously spoke about the profound loneliness of caring for someone with dementia in a moving article for MailOnline in 2014: “With dementia, there’s no conversation, there’s no togetherness, no sharing,” she lamented. “It leaves you feeling very alone in a marriage.”

Judy and Tony’s romance blossomed at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, leading to their marriage in 1963. Together, they created countless memories and raised their son David.

Tony, like Judy, enjoyed a distinguished career in television, appearing in a host of series such as Inspector Morse, Minder, Casualty, Animal Ark, Days of Our Lives, The Sweeney, , and Citizen Smith.

His film credits are just as notable, featuring performances in Bill and Ted, Scrooged, The Bunker, and many others.

Stephen McGann, beloved for his portrayal of Patrick Turner in the One period drama Call the Midwife since 2012, leads a fascinating life off-camera as well. He is married to the show’s creator and writer, Heidi Thomas, and together they have a son named Dominic.

As detailed in Stephen’s book: A History of My Family in Seven Maladies, he first met Heidi when he auditioned for her new play at Liverpool Playhouse. The couple wed two years later at the age of 27, honeymooned in Tuscany, and then settled into a quaint cottage in rural Essex.

However, Stephen isn’t the only one with a flair for acting in his family – he has three older brothers who are also accomplished actors. Joseph McGann launched his career as Lord Glozelle in the adaptation of Prince Caspian in 1989 and later starred as Charlie Burrow in ITV’s long-standing sitcom The Upper Hand.

Paul is most recognised for his leading role in Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor, Doctor Who: Shada, and The Night of the Doctor episode of Dr Who.

Mark, a man of many talents, not only acts but also writes, directs, and plays music, and runs a production company. He has also showcased his skills on stage in numerous productions.

Megan Cusack, another member of the Call the Midwife cast, comes from a renowned family that includes an Oscar-winning uncle who featured in Disney’s The Lion King. She has been playing Nancy Corrigan on Call the Midwife since 2021, joining Nonnatus House as a trainee nurse in season 10.

Megan’s grandfather, Cyril Cusack, embarked on his acting journey at the young age of seven. His daughter and Megan’s aunt, Niamh Cusack, has graced the stages of the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Companies.

She became a familiar face in British households as Dr. Kate Rowan in the 90s series Heartbeat and has starred in numerous other shows including The Tower, Death in Paradise, Silent Witness, and New Tricks.

Her sister Sorcha, another of Megan’s aunts, also pursued an acting career. She played the lead role in the 1973 Jane Eyre series, appeared as Helen Connor in , and was part of the inaugural series of Mrs. Brown’s Boys.

Sorcha also portrayed Kate Wilson in Casualty and Mrs. McCarthy in Father Brown.

Catherine Cusack, yet another aunt of Megan’s, had a stint on as the infamous ‘nanny from hell’, Nanny Carmel Finnan, from 1992 to 1993. And then there is Sinéad Cusack, Megan’s fourth acting aunt.

Sinéad Cusack is no stranger to drama aficionados, having featured in a plethora of popular TV shows such as Poirot, Jekyll and Hyde, Midsomer Murders, Camelot, and Marcella, along with several films. She guest-starred in Call the Midwife in 2016, playing Dr. Myra Fitzsimmonds for one episode.

In 1978, Sinéad married actor Jeremy Irons, making him Megan’s uncle. He is renowned for voicing Scar in Disney’s The Lion King in 1994 and has an impressive array of awards to his name, including an Oscar, multiple Golden Globes, and Primetime Emmy Awards.

His acting portfolio also boasts roles in high-profile films such as House of Gucci, Die Hard, and Justice League.

Veteran actress Vanessa Redgrave, now 88, has been a beloved figure on our screens for over six decades. She made her debut in 1958 as Pamela Benson-Gray in Behind the Mask.

Today, she is widely recognised for her role in the popular drama Call The Midwife, where she lends her voice to the narration.

Off-screen, Vanessa’s romantic life has seen her linked with a leading man from the iconic James Bond film series. From 1971 to 1986, she was involved with Timothy Dalton, who starred in two Bond films – The Living Daylights (1987) and Licence to Kill (1989). The pair first crossed paths while working on the historical drama Mary, Queen of Scots.

Vanessa was also once married to the late Tony Richardson, an esteemed English theatre and film director and producer. His crowning achievement was the 1963 film Tom Jones, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Director.

The couple were wed in 1962 and separated in 1967, sharing two daughters, Natasha and Joely Richardson. Tony passed away in November 1991 at the age of 63.

In a tragic twist of fate, their eldest daughter, actress Natasha Richardson, also met a premature end. She tragically died in a skiing accident in 2009 at the tender age of 45.

Natasha was married to actor Liam Neeson, and they had two sons, Micheál and Daniel.

Call The Midwife airs on iPlayer