Call The Midwife star Victoria Yeates has told of the “traumatic” experience of her mother having a stroke while she was on set filming the drama series.
Yeates, who plays Sister Winifred in the BBC series, said that her mother is doing better now since the stroke a few years ago, and that she will be able to attend her wedding abroad this summer.
The actress, 35, told ITV’s Lorraine: “She’s got used to her new life more and her disability. It’s just finding workarounds. She’s got an electric wheelchair now.
“She’s started to come to London to visit me on the train – that’s a massive deal.”
Had the most fab chat with @lorraine about #stroke #makemaypurple thankyou so much for giving us this time to raise awareness. pic.twitter.com/Zzc9TMNvQR
— Victoria Yeates (@VictoriaYeates) May 14, 2018
She said that she had put her own life on hold for “the first six months”, and added: “It was so traumatic and such a big life change. I’d be leaving her thinking, if the carer doesn’t turn up, what would happen?”
Of the day she learned of the stroke, Yeates said: “(It was) totally out of the blue. I was on set when it happened.
“I saw this Bournemouth number and I said to my producer, ‘You’re going to have to take that, because something’s happened’.
“They drove me down to the hospital and said, ‘Look the car will wait for you however long’. They would drive me back off set on a Friday night, pick me up, they were amazing.”
Yeates said that it was difficult for her mother to get her movement back because she “was on the floor for two and a half days”.
“She was very independent, sports car, very glamorous,” she added.
“She used to volunteer at the hospital. So she was always out. I just thought she was away doing her thing. It’s just kind of a bit of a shock.”
Yeates, who is getting married in June in France to fiance Paul Housden, said that her mother will be there on the big day.
“I thought it was going to be a really good impetus. Just because now you’re suddenly disabled it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go on holiday. There’s a lot more stuff in place,” she said.
Yeates, who is supporting Stroke Awareness Month, will next appear in the sequel to Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.