Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland in Call the Midwife (Image: BBC)
Joyce Highland is set to be the focus of Sunday’s (23 February) episode of Call the Midwife. The midwife, played by Renee Bailey, finds herself in a difficult situation following an official complaint from a patient.
In preview images, Joyce is seen at her disciplinary hearing alongside Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter), looking visibly concerned. This follows an incident where Joyce tried to assist a racist expectant mother, who blamed her for developing thrombosis.
However, that’s not all for Joyce, as another spoiler reveals a tense exchange with Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) after she cautioned Rosalind (Natalie Quarry) against pursuing a relationship with him.
While viewers have become familiar with Joyce and her story over recent months, let’s delve into actress Renee’s life off-screen….
Renee joined Call the Midwife in 2024 (Image: Getty)
Renee, a London-based actress, joined Call the Midwife in 2024, but before this, she had roles in another show and a popular series, reports .
Renee portrayed Laila in eight episodes of the successful series Rebel Cheer Squad, which was released in 2022. In 2014, she appeared in the Channel 4 mini-series How to be a Person.
The actress also played Paris in the Three series Mood, which debuted in March 2022. The series delves into the world of influencers and marked Renee’s first significant TV role.
She expressed her gratitude for the role in an endearing social media post, sharing at the time: “And that’s a wrap on Paris #Mood. So grateful to have played this part in what is a mammoth of a show. Trial by fire. First TV job. Getting to act, rap and dance. Teen Ren would be gassed. Grateful for @thelecky vision, story and trust in me for this one My CHARGIE And of course the legend @shaheenbaigcasting.”
Renee regularly shares behind the scenes snaps on Instagram (Image: Instagram )
Renee’s is peppered with behind-the-scenes glimpses from the Call the Midwife set and snapshots from star-studded events like the National Television Awards.
Her social media presence also includes images of lively evenings out with friends and various jaunts, even leading her to create a separate handle (@weexploren) dedicated to her travel adventures.
Renee, who describes herself as a travel content creator, flaunts her numerous escapades on this account, having jetted off to destinations such as Paris, Budapest, and Estonia. Her latest adventure was a trip to Ghana to ring in her 30th birthday surrounded by family and friends.
Renee documents her travels on Instagram (Image: Instagram)
Renee made her debut on Call the Midwife in its 13th series, where her character’s backstory became a focal point of the drama.
Speaking to Radio Times, Renee gave insight into her character: “Joyce is a force. She is driven and knows what she wants. She’s come to England from Trinidad and was training in Birmingham before London.
“I’ve tried to bring in a little more softness as well as qualities that I love in Black women generally. I don’t want her to just be this stereotypical idea of what a strong Black woman looks like. She has a lot of tenderness.”
Call the Midwife will air on Sunday, 23 February at 8pm on One.