Call the Midwife season 13 reaches a dramatic climax as Miss Higgins is put to the test like never before.
The final episode, airing on BBC One this Sunday (March 3), sees the prim doctor’s receptionist, played by Georgie Glen, receive a shocking blast from her past after a surprise visitor at her door delivers news that leaves her reeling.
As Miss Higgins tries to adjust to the information she’s given, emotions run high, but Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett) proves a tower of strength.
Here, in an exclusive interview, Georgie Glen tells What To Watch about the moving developments for Miss Higgins in Call the Midwife…
Call the Midwife always has powerful season finales. What did you think when you read the script for this episode?
“Heidi Thomas, the show’s creator and writer, said, ‘I hope you like this storyline.’ But she didn’t say more! So when the script landed, I opened it with trepidation and it was left field and unexpected.
“I felt concerned because I’d been handed a baton that I had to see through, but that’s also what happens to Miss Higgins; she has to step up. I hope I’ve done it justice.”
How does Miss Higgins feel when she receives a knock at the door out of the blue?
“Rocked and at sea. She has always been guarded and protective; her manner and sense of etiquette are like armour. Suddenly, that is pierced, light is shone on a moment in her past. And there is no hiding place from that…”
Will this storyline change her?
“She will shrink back to the surgery reception and her filing! But there will always be a chink in that armour now, it’s not something she can put away. It will also change other people’s attitudes towards her – it’s a major shift.”
Nurse Crane is hugely supportive of Miss Higgins, isn’t she?
“Yes, Phyllis helps her. She’s a friend in need and takes the initiative. It’s a privilege to share this storyline with Linda, who’s one of the best actors of all time. Linda couldn’t have been more supportive. She’s the most wonderful, quiet, professional presence and she guided me through, like Phyllis does for Miss Higgins.”
What do you enjoy about their friendship?
“I love it because it has evolved. It was a slow burn, they didn’t take to each other to begin with, and they have different backgrounds. It’s like a Venn diagram where a large part of them will never meet but the overlapping middle bit is strong.
“There’s an understanding between them and to have a friendship between ladies in the autumn of their years on TV is wonderful.”
You and Linda go back a long way, don’t you?
“Our paths crossed briefly in the past but then Calendar Girls [the hit 2003 film in which they both starred] was the first time we spent a lot of time together, while filming in Yorkshire. That was special. And when I joined Call the Midwife, the readthrough was nerve wracking, but Linda came over straight away. It was lovely having her welcome me into the fold, and it has been a joy having a friendship develop in the show.”
We often see Miss Higgins behind her desk, do you get proprietorial about it?
“Yes! I’m happy there and woe betide anyone who plays with my stapler – it’s not on! Megan Cusack, who plays nurse Nancy Corrigan, does it on purpose. She’ll bang things or fiddle with the paperclips and then look at me, challenging me to respond – which I do!”
What do Miss Higgins and the show mean to you?
“It has made me a better person, playing Miss Higgins. It’s a gift to play a long-running character. She is slightly acerbic and judgmental, and she takes herself seriously. But I admire her discipline. I’m a very chaotic person. Clutter grows around me!
“And the show has integrity. Sometimes people are dismissive and think it’s sentimental, it really isn’t. In its way, it’s hard-hitting. It doesn’t shy away from unpleasantness but it has heart and honesty. That’s why people hold it close. It leaves you with hope.”
Call the Midwife concludes its 13th season on Sunday, March 3 at 8pm on BBC One in the UK and the season will begin on Sunday, March 17 on PBS Masterpiece in the US.
