Because 'Call The Midwife' is a gentle drama, not a documentary, it's not appropriate to portray Sister Monica Joan's condition in all its brutal reality.
Judy Parfitt
The thing about growing old is you have to accept it - if you don't, you'll be as miserable as sin. You've got to try and find the few good things about it.
That's the thing with dementia. If you're with somebody who has a serious illness, you can usually talk to them, have a laugh every now and then - the person is still with you. With dementia, there's no conversation; there's no togetherness, no sharing.
Look at Nicola Walker in 'Last Tango in Halifax.' She has the most wonderful face. You just want to look at her. And if she'd gone off and had Botox and facelifts, I wouldn't want to look at that face because it wouldn't express anything.
Can I remember exactly when I 'lost' my husband? Was it the moment when I had to start tying his shoelaces for him? Or when we stopped being able to laugh with each other? Looking back, that turning point is impossible to pinpoint. But then, that's the nature of dementia.
This is why Alzheimer's is such a terrible disease: the body of the person you love is there, but they've gone - your husband is gone - and they become your child, and you have to look after them as you would a child.
Judi Dench should be ashamed of herself for being so talented and working so much.
You see, the thing is, if you don't do anything to your face, and you get old, and you can stand up, and you can remember your lines, the work is there.
I don't know if a penny's dropped somewhere, but you've had 'Lark Rise to Candleford,' you've had 'Cranford,' you've had 'Last Tango in Halifax,' you've had 'Call the Midwife'... I think the largest portion of the viewing public are over 55, and they like to see people they can identify with.
Having plastic surgery is pathetic. You don't look any younger; you look well for a bit until it starts going again, but it takes all the character out.
I'm just growing old, darling. I don't know about gracefully.
I'm not a fan of the wimple; you can't hear much when you've got it on.
The truth is I've always taken very good care of my skin and always, always worn make-up.
Faith is something that's been created to help people get through life.
Nowadays, people send rockets into space, and I think it does make you question if there's a God. They can make babies in a dish now! Everything we're seeing goes against what people always believed in.
I'm against organised religion of any kind.
