Miriam Margolyes has said that she is "not a fan" of the Christmas period because of the social pressure it brings.

The 80-year-old actress has appeared as part of the festive TV schedules over the last few years thanks to her role as Mother Mildred on Call The Midwife but she has admitted that she is not keen on this time of year in general.

"I'm not a fan of Christmas, not at all," she told Woman magazine. "Firstly, I'm a Jew. Secondly, I'm an atheist. And thirdly, I don't like enforced jollity.

"I think there's a responsibility for everybody to say, 'Oh, I'm having such a lovely time, it's marvellous', and I don't think people always feel like that.

"It's a time when people spend money they don't have, buying presents for people they don't like."

This year's Call The Midwife Christmas special was the third most-watched programme on the big day itself, behind only The Queen's Speech and Strictly Come Dancing.