Call the Midwife star shares regrets about jail time after escaping bank robbery for ONE YEAR

ONE of Call the Midwife stars has shared her regrets following her time in prison.

Cliff Parisi, 64, is loved by fans of the hit BBC series for his role as Fred Loop.

Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle in Call The MidwifeCredit: BBC

But before her various television roles, the star had a difficult childhoodCredit: BBC

The actor first rose to prominence when he made his debut in EastEnders as Minty Peterson in March 2022.

In Call The Midwife, Cliff plays a shopkeeper who is also the main caretaker of Nonnatus House.

In a new interview, the actor opened up about the period of his life when he found himself on the wrong side of the law.

Speaking to Saga Magazine, Cliff revealed in the latest issue that he grew up in a “pretty tough” area.

READ MORE ABOUT CALLING THE MIDWIFE

He explained that he still could not read or write after leaving school and had no promising “prospects”.

Asked about his biggest regret in life, the actor revealed: “I took a chance as a bank robber and ended up in prison at 19.

“Where I grew up it was quite difficult. I left school at 14 without knowing how to read or write and if you had no prospects, which I didn’t, you could easily get into trouble. And that’s what I did.”

Cliff continued: “When the robbery went bad, I escaped from the bank on a bus. I got away with it for a year.

“Eventually one of the other guys was arrested and the following thing I knew, the police there was a knock on the front door. »

Adding: “I was about to go on stage for a big production of South Pacific, but I was taken to Brixton Prison.

“I got bail and was able to do the show before I got sentenced.”

EastEnders and Call The Midwife star Cliff Parisi issues stern warning to fans as he takes break from BBC filming

After his 18-month sentence for escaping from the bank robbery, Cliff admitted he used the time to try to improve his reading skills in prison.

He previously spoke about his difficult childhood, revealing that his family’s previous landlady once tried to buy him and his brother from her teenage parents, George and Irene Manley.

When her mother refused, the owner threw them out of the house and into the street.

The family was then forced to sleep in Victoria Park in Hackney, before social services were informed and took the children into care.

Call the midwife: a breakdown

Call The Midwife first hit the airwaves in 2012 and has been seen by millions of people. But what is it about?

First series: Set in early 1957, it explored the “baby boom generation”, which included themes of poverty and post-war immigration.

Second series: set in 1958, it showed gas and air being introduced to relieve pain for the first time. This ended with the Nonnatus House building being condemned.

Third series: Set in 1959, it depicted horrific conditions such as cystic fibrosis, polio and showed midwives in the context of prisons.

Series Four: Set in 1960, under the threat of nuclear war and emergency response directives issued by the local civil defense society. Other themes included LGBT rights and syphilis.

Fifth series: Set in 1961, it shows the care given to patients with illnesses such as typhoid and stroke. We have also seen the effects of thalidomide, the introduction of the contraceptive pill.

Sixth series: Set in 1962, domestic violence was the focus of the season. Other themes included FGM (female genital mutilation), mental health issues and interracial marriage. It was also notable for the introduction of Reggie, a recurring character with Down syndrome.

Seventh Series: Set in 1963 and we see Nurse Lucille Anderson for the first time. We also see the show deal with illnesses such as dementia, Huntington’s disease, leprosy and meningitis.

Series Eight: Set in 1964, it bravely covered the issue of abortion, which was not legal for another three years in 1967. Sickle cell anemia, cleft lip, cleft palate and intersex people were also featured.

Ninth series: Diphtheria was at the center of the ninth installment in 1965, and it was distinguished by the portrayal of a future blind mother. But Nonnatus House’s role within the community has also been called into question.

Series ten: Set in 1966, Nonnatus House has a rival in the form of Lady Emily’s private clinic in Mayfair. PKU, diabetes and the abortion controversy were central themes.

Eleventh series: set in 1967, amid the housing crisis and a scabies epidemic. The show was rocked by a train crash right next to Nonnatus House.

The actor confirmed: “Mom and Dad jumped on a bus with us but it was chased by a police car and stopped.

“My sister and I were ripped from their arms and they were both left sobbing by the side of the road.”

Cliff had already shed light on the criminal incident before entering the I’m A Celebrity jungle in 2019.

He told the Sunday Mirror: “It hangs over me like a dark cloud. It’s a huge mistake I made and I deeply regret it.”

The star is loved by fans for her role in the hit BBC drama series.Credit: BBC

He admitted his biggest regret in life was going to prison when he was youngerCredit: BBC

After escaping a botched bank robbery, he eluded authorities for a yearCredit: BBC