Our baby, the TV star
This Christmas, when you turn on the telly and get transported to 1960's Poplar, maybe you will remember bits of the 2013 Call the Midwife Christmas special. I know I have seen that a few times, and remember one scene perfectly clearly... The scene where our baby made her very first TV-appearance.
When the video hits 0:29, that is our baby. 11 days old. On BBC. And what a performance! She was the most perfect newborn actress, waking up and nodding off at the precise moment.
It was quite random how we ended up getting into Call the Midwife. When I was at a check-up at our local hospital a few weeks before giving birth I saw a flyer looking for newborns for TV-series. So I signed her up in advance of her birth, thinking it would be something fun and special to do.
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| Daddy teaching her the script |
When we got to the Call the Midwife filming location we were met straightaway by a midwife. She was quite funny and introduced herself as a midwife, "a proper NHS one, not an actor" assuring us that she delivered her last baby only a weekend ago and that we and our baby would be in capable hands during filming.
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| Mummy getting the little TV star ready for her close-up |
We got to watch the filming from the screens in the room next door, assured that the "proper NHS" midwife was always at an arm's length away from our baby, ready to take her and soothe her if anything would happen. To be honest, she dozed through most of the filming, but she did wake up for that final take, opening her eyes at the perfect moment and looked at her actress-mom before yawning a little and falling asleep again. The producer sitting with us had a massive smile on her face and made the "perfect sign" with both her hands. It was such a great take.
Coincidentally, her TV birth was the same type of a birth we had in real life (forceps) which I found quite amusing. Talk about a coincidence!
She did another scene as well, doubling up as another baby for stock footage I think. We got to chat with Jenny Agutter afterwards as well, who was lovely and came to say hi to us after filming. It was just as I was breastfeeding my little one, so didn't talk for too long and can't actually remember what we even talked about. My husband was chuffed to bits about meeting her, and found it funny she introduced herself because apparently "of course we know she was Jenny Agutter".
Our little one was also featured in the ITV drama series Breathless, starring Jack Davenport, in another newborn role. She was more of a drama queen during that shoot, crying her eyes out during the filming and then promptly pooping on my Ugg boots, jeans and everywhere... Funny afterwards, not at the time, but maybe that is a story for another time. Sadly she didn't get as much screen time on that drama, but we do have it in our private records.
Wow what an amazing experience and how lovely that your little one was on TV for the Call the Midwife Christmas special. I hope you've got it recorded to show her when she is older. My youngest made a brief TV appearance too at 6 weeks old - being cuddled by Sophie Ellis-Bextor on Strictly Come Dancing - was a very proud mummy that day and I bet you were even more proud of your little one when you saw her on the TV. Magical moment and what a fab little actress she is already managing to be :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was so brilliant to be part of it - I never watched it before, but her Nan is a big fan of the series so was super excited about her grand daughter featuring in it. We did record it, but sadly our digibox had to be changed and we lost the episode. I did record the scene she was in with my camera from the TV, but it is a bit wonky. Maybe we should try to find the episode on DVD... Although it feels a bit silly for her 30second screen time appearance :)
DeleteThat must have been pretty special, seeing you little baby on SCD! How fun :) So I guess you took your daughter to the audience, that must have been a nice experience :)
This is amazing!! How cool when she's older to tell her own kids! Awesome x #brilliantblogposts
ReplyDeleteI know, it's not exactly like everyone has been on the telly, in front of 9-odd million viewers on Christmas day :D A very special moment.
DeleteWow, that's amazing! What a thing to treasure for your little one. I've never seen it - but I want to watch the whole series now! Love that they are both such stars. x
ReplyDeleteCurrently, the only episode of CTM I have ever seen was the one where my little one was. But I recently got the whole series 1-3, with the both Xmas episodes, so next year a CTM marathon will commence :)
DeleteThat's an amazing story - she can live off that one for a bit when she's older!
ReplyDeleteThis will definitely be one of those good answers to the ice-breaker / office party questions where you have to say something surprising or unique about yourself :)
DeleteWhat a fun experience. I love that show. I always wondered how and where they find baby actors, now I know! Have a lovely Christmas #brillblogposts
ReplyDeleteIt was a proper newborn agency that booked us on CTM. I had no idea either how they get baby actors, lucky stroke that I saw the flyer, as it is a bit of a hit and miss if you get on these things. And you too have a wonderful Christmas :)
DeleteWhat a cool thing to do! She's beautiful!Maria x #brilliantblogposts
ReplyDeleteThank you :) This, in terms of what you can do as a newborn, was pretty special :)
DeleteWhat an amazing experience and fab to look back on. Good for you though, 9 days after Baby's birth, I was in no fit state to meet TV people :) x #BrillBlogPosts x
ReplyDeleteHa, I actually miscalculated, she was 11 days old (I'll change it on the post). Nonetheless, I was quite sore and hobbled around, but it did help that we had the film production car come pick us up and drive us back home. It was nice though to do something a bit different, jolted us out of the sleep-deprived state and got us out of the house.
DeleteWhat a fabulous experience! And a great thing to show your little one when she's old enough to appreciate it. Plus you can tell her she's already had her 15 minutes of fame! :) #BrillBlogPosts
ReplyDeleteHehe, more like 30seconds of fame -still pretty good though, in front of 9m people that saw the episode on Christmas day :) We got the DVD now so will be able to show her the whole thing :)
DeleteThats the coolest experience ever! This could be a start of something big! COngratulations =) #brillblogposts
ReplyDeleteHa ha we have been painting her as the next Kiera Knightley... Now just need to book her for some acting classes and we're all set :)
DeleteHow awesome! And I want that Midwife's job, how cushty is that?!! I will definitely be watching out for your little one's starring role x
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't sound half bad does it! Fun too I imagine :) This actually came out last year, 2013, but they might show re-runs I suppose.
DeleteWhat a fantastic thing to show her when she's older and oh what a little cutie!
ReplyDeleteThat's what I thought as well - OK, it was a bit of a trek and a hassle, but as far as an experience, pretty unique and a fun memory to tell her.
Deletehow cool, I love that programme, It was the nearest I got to antenatal classes. I wonder what her next big role will be? Merry Christmas
ReplyDeleteHa ha, my antenatal equivalent classes were One Born Every Minute, I watched it religiously :) We are working on securing a next top-class role for her... (OK, not really, but it would be fun to sign her up for something else as a toddler).
DeleteOMG! I watched this! She has a promising future! Be great to show her when she's older. Thanks for linking up to the #BinkyLinky
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! It was such a good part she had, they filmed her for ages, and she was on the BBC CTM and Children in Need ads as well. We shall hope this stardom will help her succeed in Hollywood in the future :D Thanks for hosting, as ever.
DeleteWow, that's a very interesting experience!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was, and a fun story to tell when she is older!
DeleteLoved reading this, I used to be a director so brought memories back! What a star turn and an incredible experience. How funny it was the same birth, talk about method acting ;) Thanks for linking up to #brilliantblogposts. Happy holidays x
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays to you too! It was really an incredible experience, once in a lifetime really. I am glad I went for it, even though at the time I was thinking if it was worth it. Thanks for hosting :)
DeleteWow that is amazing!!! I love call the midwife...what a wonderful story to tell your daughter when she is older! x
ReplyDelete#brilliantblogposts
Thank you - I had heard of CTM but never watched it before. I did really enjoy the episode, and really looking forward to catching up with previous seasons after this Christmas holiday. Looking forward to telling this story to my daughter in the future :)
DeleteWow, what an amazing experience before she even could walk or talk. It's great that you have it available to play to her when she's older and show her she was in these programmes. It's great that she behaved just as she was supposed to. Popping over from Magic Moments.
ReplyDeleteIt was a great experience - and we used to joke that we are making her earn her living from a young age :) I was quite impressed that we were so lucky she got a really good shot, as they can only film newborns 15 minutes, before needing to stop. So that's about 3-4 takes max.
DeleteHow exciting! That's definitely a story to tell when she's older...her 18th maybe?
ReplyDeleteHah ha, I am going to tell her this story as soon as she understands what a TV is and what actors do :)
DeleteWhat a good story! Mine did a little acting when they were younger including eastenders great memories . Merry Christmas
ReplyDeleteOh that must have been exciting! Was yours a newborn as well, or a bit older? It would be nice for her to do some more acting later (if she wants and likes it) but it seems to be tricky to get into.
DeleteWhat an absolutely lovely story and such a great keepsake for years to come, a little star in the making. Thank you for linking up with #magicmoments.
ReplyDeleteI will really cherish the DVD - can't wait to get it soon and watch it again :) Thanks for hosting!
DeleteThis just popped up on my Facebook feed. What an incredible story and an awesome memory to look back on when she's old enough to appreciate it. You're brave taking a newborn on set amidst the haze of feeding and sleepless nights. You looked great in the pics as well as the little star! I really enjoyed this post :-)
ReplyDeleteFunny that you saw it on Facebook! This was such an amazing experience, we really enjoyed it, and it was fun too to do something out of the ordinary in those early days. Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the kind words:)
DeleteJust saw a tweet for this and had to come and read.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing experience and wonderful to look back on.
Have you had any other offers since as she has got older?
Ha ha sadly no even if I have tried signing her up with some agencies :D It was a really unique experience and I thought it would have been fun to do again but no takers I am afraid :D
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