Call the Midwife Celebrates Christmas with a Special Two-Part Treat

(Image: BBC/Neal Street Productions/Olly Courtney)

Images: BBC Press

By Jon Donnis

Fans of Call the Midwife are in for a festive treat this year as the beloved series will feature a two-part Christmas special for the first time. Traditionally known for its heartwarming, single-episode Christmas special, the show is doubling the cheer with two separate 60-minute episodes, each filled with festive spirit and signature drama. The special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer over Christmas, co-produced with PBS for North American audiences.

(Image: BBC/Neal Street Productions/Olly Courtney)

Since its debut, Call the Midwife has delivered holiday episodes that gather huge audiences, often proving to be one of the season's most-watched dramas. Last year's Christmas special, for example, reached nearly nine million viewers. This year, the magic of Christmas comes to Poplar in 1969, with all of the series' fan-favourites returning.

The show will bring us back to Nonnatus House, where the midwives are as busy as ever, delivering babies and caring for the residents of Poplar. The festive season brings a frosty landscape, lit up by a local funfair, adding colour and excitement to the borough. But it's not all festive cheer – illness looms, with influenza, including the Hong Kong flu, spreading through the neighbourhood. Poplar is also buzzing with concern over an escaped prisoner thought to be in the area after several break-ins.

As always, the midwives are up to their elbows in work, but the community pulls together. The Turners' children get into the holiday spirit, joining in on Blue Peter's Christmas appeal by collecting dinky cars and scrap metal, while Trixie makes a quick stop at Nonnatus House. This Christmas, Miss Higgins will also be hosting her grandson, and the Buckles prepare for Reggie's homecoming, though their plans don't all go smoothly.

(Image: BBC/Neal Street Productions/Olly Courtney)

The series' creator, Heidi Thomas, shared her excitement about the two-part special, saying she couldn't resist the opportunity to write a longer Christmas story this year. Pippa Harris, executive producer, promises viewers will "luxuriate" in this extra slice of festive storytelling. Lindsay Salt, the BBC's Director of Drama, emphasises how Call the Midwife has become a UK Christmas TV staple and calls this two-part special an "absolute treat."

The cast this year will be full of familiar faces, from Sister Monica Joan (played by Judy Parfitt) and Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) to Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett), Fred Buckle (Cliff Parisi), and Dr Turner (Stephen McGann), among many others. Trixie Aylward, Shelagh Turner, Cyril Robinson, and Violet Buckle will also make their returns, with the team ready to bring the characters we all love back to life for the festive season.

In addition to this special, the new year will kick off with the next series of Call the Midwife, launching in early 2025 with eight fresh episodes following the two-part Christmas event. The series, which has already been confirmed for a fifteenth season, promises more heartwarming stories set in the beloved Poplar community.

(Image: BBC/Neal Street Productions/Olly Courtney)

Produced by All3Media's Neal Street Productions, Call the Midwife is brought to us by creator and writer Heidi Thomas, with Pippa Harris as executive producer. The series has been a hit both in the UK and abroad, with global distribution by BBC Studios reaching more than 260 territories, further cementing the series as a global success.

So this Christmas, tune in to see what magic, drama, and heartfelt moments unfold as Call the Midwife doubles down on its Christmas cheer. It's set to be a festive season to remember in Poplar!