Former Call the Midwife star Jack Ashton has admitted that his focus on theatre work stems from the need to balance his career with childcare for his two young daughters, Wren Ivy, 8, and Lark, 4, whom he shares with his former partner and co-star Helen George.
Actor Chooses Theatre for Family Flexibility
The 39-year-old actor, who played Reverend Tom Hereward on the BBC drama from 2014 to 2018, spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk during a break from rehearsals for Our Man in Havana. He explained that theatre offers a more predictable schedule compared to television filming, allowing him to manage school runs and pickups.
“The thing is with filming, when you're in, you're in all day, every day. Doing school runs and pickups is impossible. With theatre, it can be a bit easier because you know where you've got to be and what time,” he said.
Challenges of TV Filming for Parents
Ashton contrasted the demands of TV work with theatre, noting that filming often runs unpredictably late. “With filming it's like, 'Oh you should be done by 2pm,' and then you're still there at 7pm, so you're desperately trying to get people to pick up your kids and give your kids dinner and all that kind of stuff,” he added.
He revealed that he filmed his final scene for Call the Midwife the day after his eldest daughter was born. Since then, he has opted for short TV roles that last only two or three weeks, allowing him to return to his children quickly.
Children Come First
“My children just come first because they're only young for such a short time. It's when they're a little bit older that they will understand. So it's just about getting through this period, and then I can be a bit braver, and hopefully get something a bit more long-term. But at the moment, this sort of suits me around the schedule,” he admitted.
Ashton also confessed that his daughters are not very familiar with his on-screen work. “There's not that much I've done that they can actually see,” he said. However, he beamed with pride recalling a moment from last year when his eldest daughter watched him perform in a touring production of Little Women.
“This time last year I was touring Little Women and I really really enjoyed the fact that my oldest could sit and watch it because it was appropriate for her age. Not only appropriate, it was a brilliant story of a young woman taking control of her life fighting against the patriarchy and all that sort of stuff. So it's perfect. I don't think she can come see this one. It's just a little bit… just a little bit,” he said, referring to his current role.
Current Role in Our Man in Havana
Ashton is currently starring in Our Man in Havana at the Theatre Royal Windsor, running from July 1 to 11. He plays James Wormold, a British vacuum cleaner salesman in pre-revolutionary Havana, Cuba, who is recruited by MI6 agent Hawthorne to be a spy. The production co-stars Holby City legend Bob Barrett.
The comedy is based on the 1958 novel by Graham Greene, which was adapted into a 1959 film starring Alec Guinness. Ashton admitted he has not watched the film to avoid influencing his performance: “I've not watched the film because I thought it might affect my performance.”
Ashton and Helen George, who plays Nurse Trixie Aylward on Call the Midwife, announced their split in 2023 after seven years together but continue to co-parent their children.
