Stephen McGann’s secret life revealed: co-star wife, hidden past and forgotten Emmerdale role
Stephen McGann has played beloved Dr Turner in Call the Midwife since 2012, but before that he starred as a villainous character in Emmerdale.
Stephen McGann, best known for his role in Call the Midwife, once portrayed a notorious rogue in Emmerdale. The 62-year-old has been playing the endearing Dr. Turner on the popular BBC period drama since its inception in 2012.
Call the Midwife made its return on Christmas Day, featuring Dr. Turner and the nuns and nurses from Nonnatus House rushing to Hong Kong to aid in a catastrophe.
Set in 1971, the episode follows Fred (Cliff Parisi) and Violet Buckle (Annabelle Apsion) as they leave Poplar, East London, to spend Christmas with her son, Derek (Nicholas Atkinson), in Hong Kong.
Their holiday takes a sorrowful turn when they learn that the Hong Kong Branch House has collapsed, causing numerous fatalities. A rescue mission is swiftly put together, with a team from Nonnatus House formulating emergency plans to travel abroad and provide help.
However, the medical mission doesn’t go as smoothly as anticipated, hinting at potential trouble for Dr.Turner, reports the Mirror.
Dr.Turner during the Call the Midwife Christmas special 2025 (Image: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Olly Courtney)
Who was Stephen McGann in Emmerdale?
Before stepping into the shoes of Dr. Turner in Call the Midwife, Stephen was already a seasoned soap actor, having played the part of philanderer Sean Reynolds in Emmerdale.
The Reynolds family left a lasting impression when they first moved to the Dales in 1999. Sean arrived alongside his wife Angie (Freya Copeland), their son Marc (Anthony Lewis), and daughter Ollie (Vicky Binns).
Sean was later joined by his father, Len (Peter Martin), following the off-screen passing of his mother, Eileen.
After clashing with Chris Tate (Peter Amory) and Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley), Sean quickly found himself at odds with several village residents, leading to a whirlwind of drama.
In one gripping scene, Sean flies into a rage upon seeing Cain casually enjoying a pint outside The Woolpack, resulting in a violent punch to Cain’s face.
Stephen McGann as Sean in Emmerdale (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell) attempts to restrain Sean as Sam Dingle (James Hooton) reveals that his brother, Cain, has been having an affair with Angie Reynolds.
In another tense moment, Sean confronts Richie Carter (Glenn Lamont), accusing him of also having an affair with his wife after catching them in a romantic embrace.
Unsurprisingly, the haulage firm owner eventually parted ways with his wife, Angie, with Sean’s own affair with Lady Tara Thornfield (Anna Brecon) playing a significant role in the split.
Despite their best efforts to resist for the sake of their children, Marc and Ollie, Sean and Tara succumbed to their mutual attraction and chose to leave the Dales together to start anew in Chester.
Stephen’s final scenes as Sean Reynolds aired in January 2002.
Stephen as Sean Reynolds in Emmerdale (Image: Yorkshire TV)
Who is Stephen McGann married to in real life?
Call the Midwife draws inspiration from the best-selling memoirs of the late Jennifer Worth, offering a poignant portrayal of the heartbreaking and joyous experiences of midwives and families in London’s East End.
The BBC period drama was created and written by Heidi Thomas. Behind the scenes, however, Stephen and Heidi are husband and wife in real life.
The couple has been happily married since 1990 and shares a son named Dominic.
Speaking to Good Housekeeping in November 2020, Heidi revealed that Call the Midwife dominates conversations in their household, though she deliberately keeps her husband in the dark about upcoming storylines.
Stephen has been married to Call The Midwife creator Heidi Thomas for 30 years (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
She explained: “I live with Stephen McGann who plays Dr. Turner because we’ve been married for 30 years and so he’s the character I know best off-screen.
“I never show him scripts or storylines before the other actors see them because I don’t think it’s fair on him to have to keep secrets.”
Heidi continued: “He is completely in the dark until he gets that script.”
According to Stephen’s book, A History of My Family in Seven Maladies, the pair first met when he auditioned for her new play at Liverpool Playhouse.
They married two years later, both 27 at the time, and honeymooned in Tuscany before beginning their new life together in a rural Essex cottage.
Call the Midwife continues on Boxing Day on BBC One, and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
