Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh is set to welcome Call the Midwife star Judy Parfitt on Sunday's programme. Joining Alan, 77, for the final episode before the summer hiatus are Brian Conley, Freddie Fox, Julian Ovenden and Honeysuckle Weeks. The programme will also showcase a performance from the cast of High Society ahead of their West End premiere.
Legendary actress Judy, 90, has enjoyed an extensive and illustrious acting career and had featured in Call the Midwife since 2012. However, in the series 15 finale, which broadcast earlier this year, Judy's cherished character Sister Monica Joan died in poignant scenes. With Judy featuring on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, audiences will be keen to discover more about the remarkable actress' life.
Judy Parfitt's Career Highlights
Best known for playing Sister Monica Joan in the BBC's popular series Call the Midwife, Judy has sustained an impressive career spanning several decades. The actress possesses a vast body of work encompassing theatre, film, and television productions. Her professional journey began in 1953 after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, later joining the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she appeared alongside legendary performers such as Laurence Olivier.
Over the course of her career, she has received numerous BAFTA nominations for her exceptional performances in renowned dramas including The Jewel in the Crown and Pride and Prejudice. While she missed out on the accolade for her supporting role in 2003's Girl with a Pearl Earring, Judy has continually captivated audiences through her appearances in beloved series including Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders, Jonathan Creek, and Vera.
Life with Late Husband Tony Steedman
Judy has reflected warmly on her life with her late husband, Tony Steedman, whom she married in 1963, and with whom she shared a son, David, born the year after. The actress, recalling her early days with Tony, renowned for his parts in Coronation Street, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Citizen Smith, told the Express: "Tony had the leading role and he was always trying to make me laugh as I was a terrible giggler. The first time I saw him he was wearing this absolutely hideous bright red jumper, so he definitely made an impression."
Judy continued, recalling Tony's comedic nature, saying: "He had people in stitches wherever we went and he was always playing the fool. Whereas I tended to worry, Tony didn't and he never took himself or anything too seriously." Tony sadly died in 2001, and Judy has not remarried since. She previously told MailOnline that, despite their hectic careers, their home life was remarkably conventional. She remarked: "While both of us were very busy, at home it was a very traditional marriage. I enjoyed cooking and ironing his shirts for him. He loved to be my sous chef, chopping the vegetables while I made dinner. He enjoyed accompanying me to the supermarket, pushing my trolley - but it wasn't to help me so much as he loved the opportunity to chat and joke with the other shoppers."
Heartbreaking Loss and Dementia Battle
Judy has discussed her late husband's dementia battle candidly, having previously told the Loose Women panel why such conversations are important. Looking back on navigating her husband's condition, she revealed: "I always said with my husband, I lost my husband that I loved, but I gained a child that I love because they become your children, and they're there physically, but they're not with you." Though she has endured profound personal loss, Judy continues to enchant viewers with her performance as Sister Monica Joan in Call the Midwife.
Wartime Childhood and Resilience
Born in Sheffield in 1935, Judy shared memories with Saga magazine of her wartime childhood and the strength it taught her, saying: "Growing up in the war, I learned how people just got on with [things] despite food rationing, bombs dropping, not knowing if they'd be alive the next day." She recounted a striking wartime episode from the age of nine, explaining how her father protected her: "[He held] me in his arms as Sheffield lit up around us because it was being blitzed - yet people still went to work the next day!"
Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh airs on Sunday at 9:30am on ITV and ITV X.
