She may have been the star of a Christmas Day success for the BBC, but Call The Midwife's, Jenny Agutter isn't really fan of the festive time of year.

"I find it quite disturbing how the sales start in November and go right the way through and everyone's so worried about what they're going to buy and how to wrap it," she explained to The Mirror. "For me, Thanksgiving in America is a fantastic holiday because there are no gifts, there are no cards, it's really a family get-together and it's all about sharing that particular moment in time." Jenny, who plays Sister Julienne in BBC1's smash-hit drama, also opened up about the Christmas special. "The prayers in the Christmas episode are woven into a really gritty story," she explains. "You do have the spiritual element of Christmas - something that is sadly lacking today because it seems so material.

This season sees several heart-tugging storylines for her character, and Agutter is trying her best not to take it all to heart. "There are two episodes where birth and death come close to one another and she is very much present in these situations," she says.  "I found them difficult because they are such private, personal moments," she added. "We have an extraordinary prosthetic baby. The first time I saw it, when they put it away it really upset me. I kept thinking, 'Don't put the baby in the box'. The skin is almost transparent, it is so unbelievably lifelike."