Charlotte Ritchie has teased the ‘Call the Midwife’ Christmas special will have viewers "crying and laughing in equal measures."
The 26-year-old actress – who plays loveable nurse Barbara Gilbert in the BBC One drama – has warned fans to get the tissues ready come Christmas day as the on-off festive episode will force them to become a blubbering mess one minute before falling into uncontrollable giggles the next.
She explained: "It’s such a jolly show in so many ways. It’ll be just gorgeous and happy and then suddenly you’re hit with something ridiculously serious. You’re like, ‘I thought this was going to be a tea cosy and actually it’s a hot kettle.’ We’ll be crying and laughing in equal measure."
And, although she’s looking forward to settling down on the sofa with her family and watching the popular period programme, Charlotte – who joined the drama late last year – is terrified about watching herself in the leading role.
She told the Radio Times magazine: "I wasn’t in the last Christmas episode. They were phasing me in because I was new, so I got to enjoy the Christmas episode. It was nice to watch it without seeing myself in it!
"It feels like a huge deal. Christmas Day is the day for telly. We are a big telly family. We always watch telly all day on Christmas Day. It’s going to be weird… [and] very daunting."
The ‘Call the Midwife’ special will hit television screens across the nation on December 25 at 7:30pm on BBC One.
Charlotte Ritchie teases tearful Call the Midwife special
