Helen George's life from BBC romance, painful condition and 'deep-rooted' fear

Since her debut on Call the Midwife in 2012, Helen George has become popular with fans of the show for her portrayal of Trixie Aylward (formally Franklin).

Audiences have followed her character's intense journeys, from conquering alcoholism to embarking on a new chapter when she married Matthew Aylward (Olly Rix) and embraced stepmotherhood.

In a switch from her traditional BBC role, fans are now getting to see a different side to Helen as she dives into the reality TV world with ITV's Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters.

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With the BBC actress stepping out of her nurse's uniform, curiosity about her personal life has piqued. We're exploring Helen's life behind the cameras.

BBC romance

Helen met fellow actor Jack Ashton, known as Reverend Tom Hereward on Call the Midwife, in 2015.

Their paths may have been tumultuous on television, yet off-set, a real-life love story was blossoming between the two.

Love struck for the pair in 2016 during the shooting of the series' Christmas Special in the picturesque landscape of South Africa, reports the Express.

The couple soon welcomed their baby girl, Wren, into the world in 2017, followed by the birth of their second daughter, Lark, four years later in 2021.

Regrettably, after seven years, the duo parted ways in 2023. They shared in a poignant statement at the time: "Some months ago, we separated. Our two beautiful girls remain the focus, and I respectfully ask for privacy for this next chapter."

Deep-rooted fear

Fans of Call the Midwife are in for a treat as they get to see Helen George in a fresh light, as she joins the star-studded line-up of ITV's Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters.

However, participating in the series was far from a walk in the park for the 41-year-old actress, who had to confront one of her deepest fears.

Helen suffers with aquaphobia, an extreme and irrational fear of water, which she developed following a harrowing incident at a swimming party when she was a child.

In her own words, she said: "I was terrified of putting my head underwater. I have a real deep-rooted fear. I used to love the water when I was really young, but I went to a swimming party when I was six.

She continued: "They put those weird Nineties foam mats down. They're massive yoga mats, really. "I just remember this moment of being stuck underneath one and not being able to get out. There was that fear of being trapped."

Painful condition

Interestingly, Helen's personal health journey has also mirrored some storylines in Call the Midwife. During both her pregnancies, she suffered from intrahepatic cholestasis (ICP), a condition characterised by intense itching and leading to the premature birth of her two children.

Sharing her experience on social media, Helen expressed gratitude towards the medical team at Guys and St Thomas who assisted her during childbirth.

Reflecting on her challenging pregnancy experience, she shared her ordeal on Instagram, saying: "I started getting the itch a lot earlier with this pregnancy, and it was infuriating. I tried everything, creams, baths all of it and nothing would work."

She continued to describe the relentless discomfort: "I would scratch all day and all night, normally on my hands, shoulders, feet but that quickly increased to just bl**dy everywhere. I was put onto medication (Urso) at around 30 wks.

"I have to say this pregnancy was so uncomfortable and painful. I thought the second would be easier but it really wasn't. Spreading the word about this sometimes fatal condition is really important to me. I was over the moon that Call the Midwife tackled the subject last night."