Judy Parfitt, best known for playing Sister Monica Joan in the BBC’s Call the Midwife, will appear on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh this Sunday. The 90-year-old actress has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning theatre, film and television, beginning after her graduation from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1953.
Parfitt joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and performed alongside Laurence Olivier. She has received multiple BAFTA nominations for her roles in The Jewel in the Crown and Pride and Prejudice, and has appeared in popular series such as Heartbeat, Midsomer Murders, Jonathan Creek and Vera.
In the series 15 finale of Call the Midwife, Parfitt’s character Sister Monica Joan died in emotional scenes. Parfitt has been part of the show since 2012.
Parfitt married actor Tony Steedman in 1963, and they had a son, David, in 1964. Steedman, known for roles in Coronation Street, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Citizen Smith, died in 2001. Parfitt has spoken fondly of their marriage, describing Steedman as a humorous and easygoing man who loved to make people laugh.
Reflecting on her husband’s dementia, Parfitt told Loose Women: “I lost my husband that I loved, but I gained a child that I love because they become your children.” She has remained unmarried since his death.
Born in Sheffield in 1935, Parfitt credits her wartime upbringing with teaching her resilience. She continues to captivate audiences in Call the Midwife.
