Annette Crosbie is to star in the ‘Call the Midwife’ Christmas special.
The ‘One Foot in the Grave’ star has confirmed she will appear in the festive episode of the popular medical drama – which will see Miriam Margolyes take on the role of Sister Mildred – but joked she will not be expecting a baby on the programme.
When asked on ‘Loose Women’ if she will be appearing on ‘Call the Midwife’ soon, Annette, 84, said: "Yes, I am. Not as an expectant woman.
"A friend said to me, ‘You’re not pregnant are you?’ "
Show anchor Ruth Langsford said: "You’re going to be in the ‘Call the Midwife’ Christmas special."
Annette replied: "Oh is it?"
Ruth replied: "Apparently, so my sources tell me."
Annette is best known for starring opposite Richard Wilson in 90s BBC sitcom ‘One Foot in the Grave’, which saw the pair play a bickering couple until the final episode in November 2000 when his alter-ego, Victor Meldrew, was killed off.
And while Richard, 82, wanted his complaining character to meet his maker, Annette would’ve liked the show – which spanned six series – to have carried on for more episodes.
Richard said: "[Series creator] David Renwick came to see a play I was in and he said, ‘I’m thinking of killing Victor.’ I said, ‘Yeah, kill him.’ "
Annette, who played Victor’s long-suffering wife Margaret Meldrew, said: "I didn’t want it ever to end but I could understand why it had to.
"David Renwick wrote all of those, and the strain must have been … well, I know it was, tremendous."
But Annette is keen to reprise her role as Margaret if the show was ever resurrected on stage.
When asked if the programme could be brought back as a musical or stage play, Richard said: "It’s too much for us to be on a stage. Victor’s dead…"
Annette added: "I wouldn’t mind it all being a bad dream and he’s not dead."
Richard said: "If you’d like to organise it, we’d do it. If you get the right fee."
Retired security guard Victor was known for often shouting "I don’t believe" when something went wrong in his life, but Annette insists she is in fact moodier than Richard in real life.
She said: "As people, I am much grumpier. I could leave him standing. I’m fierce."
Despite their strong relationship on-screen, the pair haven’t met up too often since the show came to an end.
Richard said: "We don’t remember when we last met."
Annette added: "Basically, we didn’t keep in touch … because he lived in North London and I lived in south. As far as he was concerned, I lived in the back of beyond."
Richard joked: "Wimbledon. I mean, where’s Wimbledon?"
Annette Crosbie joins Call the Midwife cast
