‘The hardest scenes I’ve ever filmed’ Heaven sent: Pam (Sister Evangelina) with Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) in Call the Midwife
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Call The Midwife’s Pam Ferris tells how she has used her own health scares to tackle the latest traumatic storyline
❙ star chat ❙
By Alison James t’s something of a shock to see Pam Ferris in civvies rather than habit and wimple but when she’s not playing a nun of Nonnatus House, she’s really rather glam. Her hair curls attractively around her face, she’s wearing scarlet lippy, dangly earrings, tailored trousers and boots with heels – plus she smiles a lot. However she takes on Sister Evangelina’s serious side when talking about her character’s current predicament. Evangelina is to undergo a hysterectomy but it’s a far from straightforward procedure and there are complications. “It has been rather traumatic to play,” Pam explains. “I’m 66 and most people of my age have had serious scares health-wise – I certainly have, although mercifully nothing has ever materialised. I tapped into the feelings of fear I’ve experienced – the moments when I was worried about what was going to happen, as people my age naturally do. “It’s terrifying and a massive preoccupation. You walk around with it at the front of your head all the time. It took me a long time to learn it but what doesn’t kill you does make you stronger. “There’s a joke on our set where, if something has upset or worried you, you wink and say, ‘Just use it’. That’s what we do – use whatever has stirred us. Sister Evangelina is very frightened and the scenes in episode seven of this series of Call The Midwife (broadcast on March 1) are some of the hardest I’ve ever done. “Yes, she is a nun but it’s extremely worrying for everyone, regardless of whether they have a faith.
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Evangelina’s faith is a comfort to her but she can’t see why, when she feels she’s been called by God to do good works, she’s become so ill.” This is not a quandry that would affect Pam. “I’m an atheist,” she says. “I’m against organised religion of any sort. However I can say there’s something very rich about people who’ve made such a strong commitment to helping others – I find it very moving. Not having a faith does mean I can still play Evangelina, though – I don’t have to be a murderer to play one, do I? As a person without faith I am very interested in Evangelina’s beliefs and believe I can observe them in a more objective way. I feel this helps me play the part.” Pam is delighted that Call The Midwife, BBC1’s flagship series, has already been commissioned for a fifth series – which she will most definitely be part of. In addition to enjoying the drama, characters and elements of nostalgia, she also hopes its eight-and-a-half million viewers realise just how far the NHS has come since the Sixties. “There are levels of care in the NHS today that were unimaginable back then,” she says. “I’m always amazed at how much things have changed in living memory, and it’s good to remember how far we’ve come as a society and not to take things for granted. “I had the honour of opening some rooms of a maternity ward in Margate a while back and they were huge and beautiful with sofas, music and soft lighting. It’s so very different from how it was in the early Sixties and I’m sure Sister Evangelina would have been most envious of them.
Things have improved so much and we have to protect the NHS very carefully.” While Pam is clearly not resistant to change, in some respects she does lament the way the acting business has altered. “When, like me, you’ve been in this business for over 40 years, you’re not going to like the way it is now,” she says. “When I auditioned to play Miss Trunchball in the film Matilda, I was one of the first people to video my audition and send it to off to Danny de Vito in Los Angeles on a £3.99 video tape from Woolies. But now people do this instantly on their phones. It’s so easy and in a way, this is what has made the business more of a cattle market. People are whooshed straight into soaps and become ‘celebrities’ overnight. And then when they go to work in the theatre, they find it too difficult because they haven’t had the time nor the experience.” In a long career that’s seen Pam enjoy success in film, television and the theatre, we can’t help wondering which part she’s recognised most for. “It varies,” she smiles. The Darling Buds of May is what I get from lots of taxi drivers – although I don’t like it when they tell me they used to watch it when they were kids! “Miss Trunchball from Matilda is a popular one and I also get recognised a fair bit from Rosemary and Thyme. What surprises me, though, is the amount of overseas fan mail I get for Call The Midwife, asking for my autograph. It’s lovely that Evangelina is so well-liked but I can never work out why on earth people should want a signature!” ✢ Call The Midwife is on BBC1 on Sunday evenings at 8pm YOURS
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PICS: REX FEATURES; ALAMY; SUKI DHANDER/THE OBSERVER; STUART ROBINSON/LFI
Pam and David Jason in Darling Buds of May; with Felicity Kendal in Rosemary & Thyme, and as the infamous Miss Trunchball in Matilda
Style notes
3 steps to
age-proof your hair Meet our expert Charles Worthington is one of Britain’s leading hairdressers. Visit www.charlesworthington. com for an online consultation
Finding the right style and colour for your hair could knock at least a decade off your looks. If you’ve been sticking to the same cut and colour for years it could be time for a change, especially as our hair tends to get thinner and flatter as we age. Lack of oestrogen postmenopause is to blame for this loss of volume and condition, which is why your tried-andtrusted hair style might not work for you anymore. And then there’s grey hair, which is drier, coarser and harder to manage. But happily there are ways to tackle all of these problems so that you can have a hair style that helps you defy your age. 40
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The years can melt away with a great cut and colour! Give your hair an anti-ageing boost with our advice By Charlotte Haigh MacNeil
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Get yourself an anti-ageing cut
It could be time to think about chopping off a few inches – as long hair can drag your features down. Going shorter can act like a facelift, effectively pulling your features up and drawing attention to your eyes. “Look for cuts with softer shapes with layers – sharp, geometric styles can be too severe on older women,” says hairdresser Charles Worthington. “Go to the best hairdresser you can afford and look at older celebrities for inspiration. Helen Mirren’s gently layered bob is perfect for giving volume to fine, ageing hair,
Judi Dench’s tousled crop is a youthful option that can help lift features and make your neck look longer. Felicity Kendall’s flicked-out, chin-length style adds youth-boosting movement and will work well for hair with a bit of a wave; it’s also great for adding fullness if your face is thinner than it used to be. “If you love your long hair, getting the right style could really help. “Long, straight hair can look severe and unforgiving
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Pick an agedefying colour
around an older face,” says Charles. “Have some face-framing choppy layers cut in, creating softer tendrils of hair around your face. This can help create body and volume as well as flattering your features.” Think Joanna Lumley, with long layers cut around her face. And whether your hair is long or short, consider a fringe. “It gives your face a youthful look,” says Charles. “And it’s cheaper than Botox!” The softness rule applies here too. Avoid blunt, heavy fringes, which are unflattering on older women. Instead, opt for a wispy, sweeping fringe, which will disguise a lined forehead and instead draw attention to your eyes.
Root Concealer, £6.66/75ml, Boots. If you opt to stay grey it’s important your hair is in great condition – grey can be ageing on coarse locks. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis, with her stylish crop, is a good example of how to go grey gracefully. “To avoid yellowing and keep grey hair looking bright and fresh, use a good purple shampoo,” says Charles. This helps to counter brassiness with a beautiful silver sheen. Try Pro:Voke Touch of Silver Twice A Week Brightening Shampoo, £3.09/150ml, Boots.
“Grey hair can be coarser and less manageable so it’s worth spending time caring for it,” says Charles. It all starts with your scalp: “The collagen in your scalp hardens as you age, which strangles the hair follicles, so it’s important to keep it soft and get the blood flowing to it,” he says. Charles recommends giving your hair a thorough massage when you wash it – just run your fingers firmly over your scalp and massage every inch. A supplement for hair health could help ensure you get all the nutrients your hair needs – we like Vitabiotics Perfectil Plus Hair, £17.95/60 tablets. Rethink your shampoo and conditioner, even if you’ve loved the same ones for years. Older hair tends to be thinner, as well as drier, so you need products designed especially for it, to soften and add bounce and volume. We like Philip Kingsley Body-Building Shampoo (£16/250ml) and Conditioner (£19/250ml). They’re expensive but a little goes a long way. Using an intensive hair masque once a week can make a big difference to condition – try Tresemme Smooth Deep Treatment Masque, £5.50/300ml, Asda.
3 questions for your hairdresser ✢ How much styling will this haircut need? It’s important to take your lifestyle into account, says Charles, so don’t opt for a highmaintenance style if you don’t have the time for it.
✢ Can you show me how to blow dry it? Simple techniques such as using a round brush can make all the difference, so get your hairdresser to explain how they’ve achieved your look.
STOCKISTS: Asda 0800 952 3003 www.asda.com; Boots 0345 070 8090 www.boots.com; Phillip Kingsley 0207 237 7100 www.philipkingsley.co.uk; Vitabiotics 0208 955 2662 www.vitabiotics.com Details correct at time of going to press
✢ What products will I need? Older hair can benefit from a few extras, such as serum to smooth frizz and hairspray to hold volume.
✢ NEXT ISSUE Natural and organic anti-ageing beauty must-haves YOURS
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Choosing a hair colour can be daunting. Your complexion tends to fade with age, so the shade you had in your 30s – even if it was your natural colour – won’t necessarily suit you as well now. Generally, it’s better to avoid blocks of dark colour, which can show grey root regrowth more quickly. Instead, go two or three shades lighter than your natural colour. If you were blonde, go for sandy shades. Brunettes should think butterscotch, and for redheads, strawberry blonde can be very flattering. Ask your hairdresser to keep the look soft by adding lighter highlights, particularly around your face, to lift and brighten your complexon. To manage regrowth in between colour appointments, use a root concealer such as Charles Worthington Instant
Get perfect condition
HEALTH &
vitality Meet our expert Sam Challis is information manager at mental health charity Mind (mind.org.uk)
If your mood tends to decline in the winter, the chances are you’re feeling at your lowest right now. “Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) usually begins in the autumn, but as time goes on and the miserable weather and short, dark days continue you might start feeling worse,” says Sam Challis of mental health charity Mind. This time of year is peak SAD season – but you don’t have to let the blues overwhelm you – there are lots of things you can do to lift your spirits.
Have I got SAD? Although we all tend to have less energy and want to sleep more during the winter months, SAD is something more than this. It has the same symptoms as other forms of depression – including loss of pleasure in things you usually enjoy, a change in appetite and/or sleep patterns, decreased libido and low mood, typically starting in the autumn and continuing into March or April. Some people have a milder version known as ‘winter blues’ and are only affected in the middle of the winter. If you have persistent low mood and other symptoms throughout the winter, but not at other times of year, chances are it’s SAD rather than another form of depression.
It’s thought one in ten people experience symptoms of SAD 48
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Natural ways to
boost your mood A lack of sunlight can make us feel low in the winter months. Stop the dark, cold days getting to you with our simple solutions By Charlotte Haigh MacNeil
The causes “We don’t know for sure what causes SAD,” says Sam, “but lack of light is thought to be a factor.” Your body clock – which tells you when to sleep and wake – takes its cues from light and dark. The shorter, darker days of winter cue your body clock to prime you for sleep, resulting in lower energy and mood. If you spend a lot of time indoors you may find your symptoms are worse because your body clock misses out on the daylight signals that wake you up. SAD may affect women over 50 particularly severely. “Although SAD generally eases with age, it can interact with other
issues likely to affect you at this time in your life,” says Sam. “For example, winter depression can worsen difficult feelings around divorce, bereavement, anxiety about finances or sadness about your children leaving home. “And if you tend to socialise less at this time of year, you might find feelings of isolation and loneliness become worse.” But you don’t have to put up with feeling gloomy until the days get longer and lighter – try these simple ways to feel better.
❙ health advice ❙
Let there be light Some people with SAD find light boxes – which simulate bright summer light – can make a big difference. Sitting by one for just a couple of hours a day may be enough to help. “The message is definitely try before you buy, as they don’t help everyone,” says Sam. But if light therapy does work for you, it could be life changing. Most manufacturers will let you have a free trial. The SAD Association (sada.org.uk) has lots of useful information about light boxes, or you could ask your GP.
Steps to feeling brighter Talk about it “Opening up really can help,” says Sam. It can be a relief to share your feelings, and that alone can help you feel better. And if other people in your life know you’re finding things difficult, they might suggest solutions, such as meeting up for a walk every weekend to cheer you up.
Act as if it’s summer No, we don’t mean you should put on a swimsuit and head to the beach, “but it is a good idea to try to do at least some of the things you normally do when
the weather’s better,” says Sam. Getting as much light as possible can go some way to boosting your mood, while socialising as usual can also be a mood-lifter. Compare your winter routine to what you do in the summer – are you driving rather than walking to see friends and family or go to the shops, or staying in every evening rather than getting out? Try to reintroduce some of your more social, outdoorbased summer habits, even if that just means walking into town or meeting your friends for a coffee.
“It may sound obvious, but taking care of yourself is really important,” says Sam. Get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy, balanced diet, with lots of fresh fruit and veg, no matter how much you feel like loading up on stodgy cakes and puddings. If you need a piece of cake, have an apple first and a smaller piece of cake. Also, don’t drink too much alcohol. “You may feel it will boost your mood but alcohol is a depressant and can make you feel worse,” says Sam. Stick to no more than 1-2 units a day – one unit equals a small Turn glass of wine the page or a single to win a light measure of box worth spirits. £99.95 YOURS
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PICS: JUMP FOTO; SHUTTERSTOCK
Look after yourself
EX Y CL ou U rs SI VE
Good to KNOW...
Best buy
Pamper your pet with a monthly box of treats and goodies. Subscribe to Pawsomebox.co.uk (for pooches) or Purrfect-box.co.uk (for kitties), and get five to six premium petcare products delivered to your door. Subscriptions start from £15.90 on a monthly, half-yearly, or yearly basis. Yours readers can receive 20 per cent off a subscription using code ‘yourskoyb4’ until April 30, 2015.
Freebies top the list of factors that brighten our day, beating good weather, a compliment and a hug from a puppy! Check the best freebies every Friday on Yours.co.uk
Cash saver If you use oil as your main heating fuel, keep costs down by joining a local oil-buying club. Community oil clubs help the environment by cutting down the number of tanker
journeys on roads and offer support for those struggling with fuel bills. Check for an oil club on the Citizens Advice website (www.citizensadvice. org.uk) or even start your own.
WATCHING
THE
✢ We have ten pet boxes to give EXTRA away. Send a postcard to Yours/ FOR YOU Pawsomebox, PO Box 57, Coates PE7 2FF by Feb 20, stating ‘Cat’ or ‘Dog’. If you don’t wish to be contacted in future by Yours, state ‘No further contact’ on your postcard.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
PENNIES HOW TO...
IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT RATING
SMART SHOPPING Do you make the most of your local shops? Research by American Express shows we are more sociable if we live near small shops, enjoying 56 YOURS
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conversations a year (versus 28). Plus, 60p in every £1 spent at small retailers boosts the local economy. All the more reason to stick to your high street!
Been given a poor rate for a loan or credit card? uSwitch offers these top tips for getting a better deal: 1 Sign up to see your credit report and check your details are accurate and up-to-date. Get a free 30-day trial at www.creditexpert.co.uk 2 Show you can repay credit by paying bills in your name. 3 Ensure you’re on the electoral roll. 4 Make sure ex-partners aren’t pulling down your score by separating joint accounts as soon as possible. Then notify the three credit agencies and request financial disassociation. For Callcredit you can submit a request via email and there is an online form for Experian and Equifax. 5 Close credit cards you’re not using. 6 Avoid poor credit practices such as withdrawing cash on your credit card.
Fre e bie s OF THE FORTNIGHT!
| IT’S A FACT | Almost one in
five over-50s say they regret not saving enough for retirement. The top regret was not seeing enough of the world and 18 per cent said they’d married the wrong person! Source: Silversurfers.com
Enjoy the first signs of spring with a National Trust snowdrop walk. Free to members, admission charges may apply for non-members. Try Attingham Park, Shropshire, £14.75 for a family ticket; Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire (further discounted if you don’t take the car with adult entry £6.25 and child £3.10); and family entry to The Argory in County Armagh, £11.81. ✢ Call 0344 800 1895, www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Fre e CHAI TEA Redbush has a brand new flavour of tea for you to try! Pop the kettle on and order your sample. Visit www.redbushtea. com and click on ‘Request a Sample’.
Fre e COLOUR CATCHER These handy sheets prevent colour runs in your washing. Claim your sample pack and try it yourself for free at www.colourcatcher.co.uk
Fre e MAKEOVER
Cash in the attic The French were responsible for the paperweight ‘golden age’ in the mid19th Century. High-quality weights were produced by French factories Baccarat, Clichy and St Louis until the early 1850s when they fell out of fashion. The USA and Scotland started making weights in the mid20th Century. Recently, artists such as Victor Trabucco have developed a style of weight based on tiny, three dimensional vignettes. This 1994 Rose Bouquet (right) is valued at £450-£550.
Want to save money and enjoy something for free? Every fortnight we’ll share our top freebies and money-saving offers.
Pop into The Body Shop and one of its store consultants will treat you to a completely free makeover and skin consultation. Call 0800 092 9090 to find your nearest store. VALUE D
£450AT - £550
| IT’S A FACT |
Love may be in the air with Valentine’s Day this month, but nearly one in five over-40s in relationships have secret savings and investments worth around £20,800 says Prudential. ✢ NEXT ISSUE Private medical insurance
Save on RAIL TICKETS Over-60s can enjoy reduced rail fares with a senior railcard. It’s £30 for a year and you’ll save a third on standard and first-class anytime, off-peak and advance fares. For more information call 0345 3000 250 visit www.senior-railcard.co.uk ✢ This round-up is supplied by our friends at MagicFreebies, the UK’s most popular freebie website. Visit www.magicfreebies.co.uk for all the latest free stuff, offers, competitions, money-saving articles and more. YOURS
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WORDS: SARAH JAGGER. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, IT’S ALWAYS WISE TO CONSULT AN AUTHORISED PROFESSIONAL ADVISER PICS: PLAIN PICTURE; REX FEATURES ; ALAMY; SHUTTERTSOCK
GREEN WATCH
MADE
with
DIFFICULTY RATING
★
LOVE
Spread the love on Valentines’ Day with this button-heart pillow Compiled by Claire Williams
a Siz e : To f it 3 0x 4 0c m pillo w. ( 11¾x 15 ¾ in ) Materials
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Te mplat e e - act ual siz 96
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✢ 2 pieces of linen 31x41.5cm (12¼x16¼in) ✢ 4 pieces striped fabric 3x55.5cm (13/8 x217/8in) (Both include a seam allowance of 0.75cm (3/8in) ✢ 1 zip, 35cm (13¾in) long ✢ Lots of different buttons in white, pink and grey, 3-20mm (1/8 -¾in) diameter ✢ A water-soluble marker pen
HOME
& craft
Chain of hearts Bring love into the home with this easy-to-make garland
With right sides facing, place a strip of striped fabric on each short end of the linen pieces, for the front and back. Sew along the seam allowance and neaten the seams in zigzag stitch.
1 w.
Materials
✢ 15cm (6in) of beige fabric ✢ 90cm (35½in) of pale pink ribbon ✢ 75cm (29½in) of thin white cord ✢ 6 white beads, 1cm (½in) diameter ✢ 5 white buttons, 5mm (¼in) diameter ✢ Synthetic stuffing ✢ Embroidery needle
Begin by drawing out a tall and thin heart shape roughly 6x10cm Transfer the heart template to the (2½x4in). Use this template to cut middle of the front piece of linen out 10 heart shapes from the beige using the water-soluble marker pen. fabric. You will need to leave a seam Sew on the buttons to fill the heart. allowance of about 1cm (½in). Sew the zip in between the front Place two cut and back. Sew the front out heart shapes and back pieces together together with right sides with the right sides facing, facing. Sew together all leaving the zip slightly open, round, remembering to and neaten the outer edges. leave a seam allowance. Leave a small section Turn the cushion right open for turning out. Snip side out and shape the into the seam allowance corners. Stitch along the Vintage-Style Gifts for the on the curves several seam between the linen Home, by Christa Rolf, times to just before and striped fabric strips published by Search Press, the seams. Turn the £7.99 to finish.
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M ak e s : 5 he art s
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heart out, then stuff and sew up the opening by hand. Repeat this process to make four more hearts. Divide the satin ribbon into five pieces of 18cm (7in) length each. Tie into little bows, and sew each one onto the hearts with a button. Using an embroidery needle, thread the hearts and beads onto the cord, alternating between the two. Make a loop at each end of the cord and secure.
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✢ NEXT ISSUE Sew this pretty bag with reversible fabric YOURS
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mfrom y lessons life… Neil Dudgeon, 53, who plays DCI John Barnaby in Midsomer Murders, chats about what really counts
✢ Determination is crucial
✢ The countryside is the star
You do need to be determined if you want to succeed. I always try to do my best with a good script. A successful career is also down to being a desirable commodity once you have got the job. Other than that, it is down to pure sexual charisma! Only joking!
✢ I never planned to be an actor I fell into acting by accident. I didn’t really have any ideas about what I wanted to do, but I got an agent, a job and one thing led to another. I’ve never had a plan. I just keep plugging away and here I still am! It’s nice to be able to do a variety of things.
PICS: ITV/PLANET PHOTOS; ALAMY
✢ Cherish your children
When I am not filming Midsomer Murders, I love nothing better than taking our kids to school, doing the shopping, washing up, cooking and spending time with the children when they get home. I don’t see the point of having kids and then not spending time with them. They will get to a point in their mid-teens when they will be saying ‘Dad, don’t follow me down the road’.
✢ My wife is an inspiration
I am very grateful for how supportive my wife Mary is. She is running the ship and is the captain 138
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Above, Neil with wife Mary on All Star Mr and Mrs; left, as DC Barnaby with his Midsomer Murders’ family
of our leaky boat! I am very fortunate. I do count my blessings and long may it continue.
✢ Friends mean the world to me I film Midsomer for six months every year. The hours are so demanding that I don’t tend to see anyone. I am cut off and it is not ideal. I stay in touch via text. And so when I am not working, I love catching up with friends. It’s a great chance to meet for lunch. Going to art galleries and watching the football is also a great way to switch off for me.
The unsung hero of Midsomer Murders is the gorgeous countryside. Beautiful little houses, a magnificent church, baby ducks on the pond – it is all so idyllic. And then you have these bizarre murders, eccentric characters and betrayals. Whenever fans stop me overseas, people always say ‘Look at all these British people killing each other in the beautiful countryside!’.
✢ Favourite role
Playing DCI John Barnaby is one of my favourite-ever roles. Everyone on the crew has been with the show for years. It feels like it is a gossipy village working on the drama because we all chat about our lives. You feel like you really know about everyone’s children and what is going on. I love it and it’s a great role to have. ✢ Midsomer Murders is on ITV1 on Wednesday evenings. ✢ Neil was talking to Christine Smith.
WHAT MADE YOU WHO YOU ARE TODAY? It was my parents. They instilled into me that you should never settle for something you don’t want and that it is important to always aspire to achieve what you really want to do. It’s the same with athletes I suppose, if you work harder, then the better your chances are of being able to do something you enjoy.