Call the Midwife prequel air date speculation and plot as three legends return
Call the Midwife fans have been left wondering when the show will return
Call the Midwife viewers may not have long to wait for new episodes of the BBC drama.
The much-loved show has been warming viewers’ hearts since its launch in 2012 with gripping tales of births, social issues, poverty, medical advancements, and deadly health conditions.
Based on the memoirs of legendary nurse and midwife Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife was originally set in 1957, when the National Health Service was a fairly new concept.
The plot follows a group of nurse-midwives and Anglican nuns in the East End of London, who are dedicated to providing care to women and families in the impoverished community.
The fifteenth season of Call the Midwife recently concluded, following advances in medical science and practice as changes to the NHS put Nonnatus House in danger of closure.
Set in 1971, the latest episode also confirmed the death of much-loved nun, Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt), leaving fans in tears.
What is the Call the Midwife prequel about?
The BBC have previously confirmed there is a lot more drama to come from the show as the broadcaster shared in a statement: “The BBC would like to reassure fans that Call The Midwife will remain at the heart of the BBC for years to come.
“As previously announced, there are two Christmas specials, a new series, a film and a prequel series, before a sixteenth series in due course. Call the Midwife isn’t going anywhere.”
Call the Midwife will hit the big screen with a movie set overseas in 1972 and featuring characters from the television show, though release dates for the film and series have not yet been confirmed.
However, the show’s creator and writer, Heidi Thomas, has also confirmed a prequel series set in Poplar during the London Blitz.
The series will feature younger versions of Sister Julienne and Sister Evangelina (Image: BBC)She disclosed that it will include younger incarnations of Sisters Julienne, Monica Joan and Evangelina, portrayed by Jenny Agutter, Judy Parfitt and Pam Ferris in the main programme. The returning Sisters will be joined by three new young midwives who are new to the East End.
Speaking to Radio Times, Heidi explained the new series is about “strong women above all else”, as they’re compelled to navigate a world where they’re not in control, whilst the men are dispatched to war or abroad.
“Everything changes and nothing changes,” she observed, recognising its connections to the most recent series.
The World War II-era series will mark the second time audiences have seen Sister Evangelina since she passed away in series five, following complications after a stroke. She recently appeared in the death scene of Sister Monica Joan.
Heidi also hinted at Sister Monica Joan’s age in the prequel, noting: “[She] actually isn’t that young when we did the maths, but she’s very much in her prime.”
She also said that while she has “never run out of stories for our midwives”, the prequel comes after she found herself “yearning to delve into the deeper past” than the years 1957 to 1971, which have been covered by the show, reports the BBC.
“The Blitz years in the East End were extraordinary – filled with loss, togetherness, courage and joy,” she added.
The prequel will be made for the BBC in 2026, with executive producer Pippa Harris saying the three-part mini-series would make its debut during the festive period – although the BBC has yet to confirm an exact air date.
