Call The Midwife star Laura Main on landing her dream role

And the Scots actress, who plays doctor’s wife Shelagh in Call The Midwife, says she still can’t quite believe it.

“Even now I have to pinch myself,” Laura told The Sunday Post.

“I absolutely love being part of this show. This is the fifth series and I’m really pleased that we’re going to get to make a sixth series this year.

“It takes six months and we all have such a great time together. We stay in touch after filming, have catch-up dates in the diary and it really is a special environment.”

Jessica Raine, who played central character Jenny Lee, moved on a couple of series back but the show hasn’t missed a beat, still pulling in massive audiences on BBC1.

“I don’t think Jessica leaving could have happened sooner than it did,” reflects Aberdeen-born Laura.

“I think by that stage people had got to know the other characters that bit better and it just expanded a bit more.

“It’s very much shared and we all get turn of having the big storylines.”

As well as being a British phenomenon – ITV even moved the time of the last ever Downton Abbey on Christmas Day so there was no Midwife clash – the series is a worldwide bestseller.

Laura says thinking of the monster-sized audience is something to be done at a suitable time.

“You certainly try and not think about it just before a take!” she laughs.

“Otherwise you’d just get too nervous and clam up.

“I remember someone mentioning it once and you’re really best not to go there. But it’s nice to know it’s doing so well.

“I think we went back to filming this series with a sense of confidence, feeling that it’s even growing in some respects.”

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Although it’s very much family-friendly Sunday night fare, the series, now set in 1961, has never shied away from hard-hitting storylines.

This series kicked off with the emotional tale of a baby born without limbs as a result of the thalidomide drug that caused awful deformities in children at the time.

And Laura says the scenes only reinforced her immense sense of pride at being a part of the show.

“Birthing scenes are always the longest to film and they’re exhausting for the actresses playing the mum.

“They are always so moving.

“Shelagh was involved in that particular scene, where we used a prosthetic baby.

“There were times where I had to be out of way to let the camera in and I stood watching by the door.

“I was able to stand back from it and appreciate what everyone was doing and the atmosphere. It was a really memorable day.”

Having gone from nun to doc’s wife, Laura had a makeover from habit to now-Swinging ’60s garb.

And she had another, even more dramatic, style change a couple of months ago when, paired with Brendan Cole, she won a special Call The Midwife version of Strictly for Children in Need.

“We only had about three days of training,” she confides.

“And I did the jive, which is really fast.

“I felt it could go horribly wrong and I didn’t want to make a fool of myself.

“But Strictly’s my favourite show and I had a word and told myself I had to enjoy it. My sisters were in the audience and could see me in the wings frantically going over all my moves.”

As a massive fan, Laura admits following in the dance steps of co-star Helen George, who took part in last year’s series, holds an appeal.

“I don’t think they’d ask but if they did I’d say: ‘Yes please!’ But at least I do feel I have experienced it.”

Regardless of her hectic schedule, Laura always makes sure she and actor boyfriend Stephen get back to Aberdeen.

“I always look at my schedule and as soon as there are gaps I head up to see all my family.”

Call The Midwife, BBC1, Sunday 8pm