Midwives answer the call

Festive mercy mission to Hong Kong

- 

In the plot, half of the Nonnatus House medics make a mercy dash to Hong Kong after the mission building collapses, causing fatalities and leaving the orphans and expectant mothers with nowhere to go.

Jenny Agutter, who has played head nun Sister Julienne since the series launched in 2012, said that filming in Hong Kong was hampered by a typhoon so severe they were told to stay in their hotel rooms.

"The winds became really bad on the Saturday night when we weren't working, but we were told to be careful because it was going to get bad.

"In the early hours of the morning, it really was stronger. On Sunday, they said not to open the curtains of the hotel in case anything hit the window.

"But we were facing the water so there was little chance. Of course, I had a jolly good look outside because it was rather amazing seeing all the water whipped up," she said.

Jenny, 72, said the Christmas special felt "quite epic" for being set in two locations thousands of miles apart.