Linda Bassett on Nurse Crane's Call the Midwife Christmas adventure: "You've never witnessed her like this before"

Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, Bassett opened up about the festive episode, in which the travelling circus arrives in Poplar.

"The circus has come to town, so it's lovely. We had the Big Top up here and... I haven't been to the circus in years, like most of us haven't, but I went when I was a kid," she said.

"Inside the Big Top it's really dramatic and beautiful, the lights and the smell of sawdust, the lights are flashing. It's quite exciting. Peter Davison is the ringmaster. It's a great story."

She added that Nurse Crane does get to visit the spectacular circus, but wouldn't reveal too much detail about the character's exciting adventure, which the BBC has teased ahead of the episode.

"I can't tell you. All I can say is that you've never witnesses her like this before," she said. "I'm allowed to say that!"

The Lark Rise to Candleford star has appeared in Call the Midwife since series four, and said she "constantly enjoys" learning more about Nurse Crane as the show progresses.

"[Creator Heidi Thomas is] always springing surprises on me about something that's been happening to Nurse Crane for years that I didn't know about," she said. "So I get new surprises every series and it's quite fun to think, 'Oh, I didn't realise she'd always wanted that. But she did!' It's good."

The Call the Midwife Christmas special airs Christmas Day at 7:40pm on BBC One. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our handy TV Guide.