Call the Midwife's Helen George's life from famous ex husband to real-life health battle
It is impossible to imagine BBC's Call the Midwife without Helen George. Known for her 50's fringe and blue uniform nurse Franklin is well used to emergencies, yet the actress has a quieter life off-camera.
Away from the show, 40 year old Helen - who will be starring in the show's two-part Christmas special this month - lives with her two young daughters, seven year old Wren and Lark, three, who she shares with ex-boyfriend and former co-star, Jack Ashton.
The pair met while filming BBC drama Call the Midwife and got together after Jack left the series. In 2020, Helen and Jack set up home together. They occasionally shared snaps of their house on social media. Helen loves animal prints, bold colours, and vintage furniture. However, the couple sadly announced they had split in July 2023 after seven years together.
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In a statement released to the Mirror, Helen said: “Some months ago, we separated. Our two beautiful girls remain the focus and I respectfully ask for privacy for this next chapter.” She was later linked to her co-star Olly Rix - who separated from his girlfriend Natasha Fagri around a similar time to Helen's split.
In November last year, Helen was seen leaving Olly's house which fuelled rumours of a romance, but the pair were later reported to have called things off. Helen, Wren, and Lark love spending time as a family, usually baking, going for picnics, and walking in the countryside with their little dog, Charlie.
The actress been open about her real-life experiences with pregnancy, suffering from a severe liver condition during both pregnancies called intrahepatic cholestasis (ICP). This led to intense itching and premature births for her two children.
When pregnant with her second baby, Lark, Laura had to have an emergency caesarean due to worry over her condition. The issue was covered on the eleventh season of Call the Midwife.
Helen said on Instagram about her battle with this disease: "In 2017 when I gave birth to our daughter Wren, I was diagnosed with this condition." After that, she admitted: "I knew there was a high chance that I would suffer again with my second pregnancy, but I was under the most incredible specialists/doctors/midwives/health worker at Guys and St Thomas's."
And yet, despite being in safe hands, Helen encountered more problems: "I started getting the itch a lot earlier with this pregnancy and it was infuriating. I tried everything, creams, baths all of it and nothing would work. I would scratch all day and all night, normally on my hands, shoulders, feet but that quickly increased to just bloody everywhere. I was put onto medication (Urso) at around 30 wks."
She wrapped up saying: "I have to say this pregnancy was so uncomfortable and painful. I thought the second would be easier but it really wasn't."
"Spreading the word about this sometimes fatal condition is really important to me. I was over the moon that Call the Midwife tackled the subject last night."
Besides Call the Midwife, you can catch her on Hollyoaks, where she started her career and even strutted her stuff on Strictly Come Dancing.
She came sixth in the dance contest but found it tough dealing with the fame the show brought, especially as it coincided with her split from her ex-husband, actor and Holby City star Oliver Boot.
Helen loves to sing and even performed (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover at Buckingham Palace for a BBC broadcast marking 75 years since VE Day.
Call the Midwife returns for a Christmas special on Christmas Day at 8pm and Boxing Day at 7.30pm on BBC 1
