Call The Midwife writer Heidi Thomas nearly died from the same illness which killed Nurse Barbara
Actor Stephen McGann, who stars in the drama and is married to its writer and creator Heidi Thomas, has revealed she nearly suffered the same fate 20 years ago
CALL The Midwife star Stephen McGann has revealed the real-life trauma behind the shocking death of Nurse Barbara from sepsis on Sunday's show.
The actor is married to the show's creator and writer Heidi Thomas who also suffered sepsis, weeks after giving birth to their son Dominic.
On Sunday's show, millions of viewers were left heartbroken at the death of Nurse Barbara whose illness was brought on by meningitis.
The actor - who plays Dr Turner in the hit BBC1 show - tweeted he had been "in bits" at the episode, 20 years after Heidi fought for her life with the same illness.
Heidi, now 55, was rushed to hospital after being initially misdiagnosed with food poisoning.
Like Barbara's husband Tom, played by Jack Ashton on the BBC1 drama, Stephen sat by Heidi's bedside as she fought for her life.
He tweeted: "That episode has had me in bits. I've sat where Tom has. I was lucky then. So many aren't."
Stephen added that Heidi told him that in an eerie coincidence, the episode aired 20 years to the day that she was taken into intensive care.
He wrote: "My OH tells me that tonight is 20 years to the actual day that she was wheeled through the doors of intensive care, the blotches of sepsis on her skin.... *shivers*"
The actor also posted an excerpt from his autobiography: Flesh And Blood, a History Of My Family, where he describes his love for his wife.
He wrote: "I couldn't live without her. It was no longer a romantic notion but a material fact. I didn't want to.
"And each hour that this wasn't the case was an hour stolen from a future I couldn't imagine."
Luckily Heidi recovered, and went on to adapt Jennifer Worth's Call The Midwife trilogy of books for the hit BBC drama.
And on Sunday, fans were devastated by the death of Barbara who was played by actress Charlotte Ritchie.
The scenes left fans sobbing with many of them taking to social media to share their heartbreak about the emotional scenes.
One wrote: "Nooooo Barbara! I'm not emotionally stable enough for this #callthemidwife"
Another added: "Witnessing Tom and Barbara’s relationship blossom and unfold Jas been glorious but it’s her unbreakable bond with Phyllis that’s absolutely breaking my heart what a beautiful, painful episode #callthemidwife"
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Actress Charlotte Ritchie quit the role after four years because she felt she would become "too complacent" if she didn't.
She told the : “Barbara’s had such a good journey, this feels like a good time to go before I become too complacent.
“That was my biggest fear – of getting so comfortable that I was taking the job for granted.
"I love the show, I love everyone I work with – there’s no negative reason behind why I’m going.”
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