Call the Midwife fans "sobbing" as they share verdict on emotional season finale

But more chatter on the night was seemingly directed towards a moving storyline involving Miss Higgins (Georgie Glen), which saw the receptionist bid a tragic farewell to her long-lost son.

We learned that she had conceived a child at the age of 21 while residing in India, but the baby had to be kept secret and given away due to racist laws of the time that enforced a policy of segregation.

Decades later, the fully grown Victor (Rez Kempton) made a brief return to her life – now with a wife and son of his own – but it soon became clear he was dying from kidney disease.

One fan said that their "heart bleeds" for the character, who had to keep such a traumatic memory buried for "so long".

Another cited a memorable line from the episode immediately following Victor's passing, in which Miss Higgins lamented their fleeting time together: "In the end, I was there for his first breath, and his last."

Cue sobbing.

Another fan described the storyline as "beautifully done" and declared it an "emotional episode" on the whole, which also had the not-so-small matter of Trixie and Matthew's strained marriage to settle.

Olly Rix's suave businessman had lost his crown in the latest run of episodes, which saw his family's company take a nosedive and his salary stripped away by the board.

He saw a chance at redemption in the offer of starting afresh in New York City, with Trixie ultimately choosing to accompany him in a move that may be temporary or permanent.

RadioTimes.com understands that George will return for the next season of Call the Midwife, although it remains unclear at this stage whether that will serve only as a farewell storyline – or if circumstances will keep her in Poplar after all.

Fans were split on the topic, with one describing Trixie as an essential pillar of the Nonnatus House operation. They asked sternly: "What will happen if Trixie leaves?"

Another said that they were "so happy" to see Trixie take the bold risk of moving to New York City with Matthew in the hope that their marriage may yet become the joyous union it was hoped to be.

Call the Midwife fans now have the annual drought of episodes, which is due to come to an end this Christmas with the traditional festive special that dominates the schedules each and every year.

Call the Midwife is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.