Cliff Parisi has achieved a significant career milestone thanks to the upcoming Call the Midwife Christmas special, revealing that filming in Hong Kong marked his first journey to the Far East.
The actor, who portrays Fred in the beloved BBC drama, admitted he had long harboured ambitions to visit the region but had been held back by his dislike of long-haul flights.
“I’ve never been that far east before. I’ve always wanted to go, but I don’t like flying long-haul, but of course, I went because it was work,” Mr Parisi explained.
The experience proved worthwhile, with the actor describing Hong Kong as “extraordinary, a real eye opener” and praising both the local cuisine and the warmth of the people he encountered during production.
This year’s festive offering from the long-running series comprises two hour-long episodes set to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The storyline follows Fred and his wife Violet, played by Annabelle Apsion, as they prepare to jet off to Hong Kong to spend Christmas with her son.
Upon their arrival carrying packages intended for the sisters, the couple make their way to the Hong Kong Branch House but are immediately confronted with tragedy.
A devastating landslide has caused a substantial building to collapse, with casualties feared among the rubble.
When Sister Hilda, portrayed by Fenella Woolgar, receives confirmation of the disaster back in Poplar, the Nonnatus House team swiftly organises an emergency response and begins making urgent arrangements to travel to Hong Kong.
The production team faced numerous logistical hurdles while shooting on location, particularly during sequences aboard a ferry.
“It was a big old boat, and we had to keep moving it backwards and forwards, because obviously we needed to keep the same background,” Mr Parisi recalled, noting that inevitable technical issues meant constantly reversing the vessel’s position.
The rickshaw scenes presented their own unique challenge, as the traditional vehicles had to be custom-built since Hong Kong abolished them years ago.
“Poor fella pulling it – he lost the point of balance at one stage, and we went backwards!” the actor laughed.
Transforming modern Hong Kong into its 1971 counterpart proved easier in certain districts, with Mr Parisi highlighting one café dating back to the 1930s that remained completely unchanged, complete with Formica furnishings and noodle boxes stacked in corners.
Mr Parisi also reprised his role as Santa Claus during the Hong Kong shoot, though the experience came with some memorable mishaps.
“There were lots of excited children, apart from one little girl who just kept crying.
“She had the sweetest little face, but they had to take her out, so she didn’t get a present in the end,” he recounted.
The remaining youngsters fared little better when they discovered the props department had neglected to fill their gift boxes.
“Santa is a bit of a swear word out there right now!” Mr Parisi joked.
Despite the comedic setbacks, the actor spoke glowingly of his time in the territory, particularly praising the local crew and residents who supported the production throughout filming.
