Call the Midwife boss teases prequel cast – including new and original favourites
"You'll see a lot of women coming into their own..."
Change is in the air in Call the Midwife, with creator Heidi Thomas teasing the end of an era when the door closes on season 15.
"I think we've all cried our eyes out at different times because things never will be the same again," she said at the Radio Times Covers Party 2026. "But the whole thing with Call the Midwife, like life itself... it's a process of constant evolution for our characters and also for the stories."
That is also evident in the expansion of the world of Call the Midwife, which is set to include a movie and prequel series.
The former will be set in an overseas location – Australia is looking likely – and will feature members of the current cast.
The prequel, set to debut this Christmas, unfolds during World War II and will follow younger versions of Sister Julienne, Sister Evangelina and Sister Monica Joan, "who actually isn't that young when we did the maths, but she's very much in her prime," explained Thomas.
Fans will also be introduced to "three young midwives, all completely new, relatively new to the East End, and they really do get thrown in at the deep end".
"I think the interesting thing for me is it's a world where women are not in charge when war breaks out, but very rapidly, they are in charge of everything because the men are called away, either to Home Front-based war work or they go overseas," she expanded.
"So you'll see a lot of women coming into their own... it's a programme that is going to be about strong women above all else."
"Everything changes and nothing changes," said Thomas when acknowledging that shared trait with the current series.
Season 15 of Call the Midwife has seen the midwives and nuns grapple with an array of challenges, from harrowing cases involving rabies and slavery to adjusting to major social change, including the growing influence of the Women's Liberation Movement.
There's been no shortage of upheaval in their personal lives either, with Rosalind keeping her distance from her parents to safeguard her relationship with Cyril, while Sister Veronica has admitted she longs to have a child of her own – raising questions about her future in the convent.
And this Sunday's episode is just as eventful. A woman picks up food from Violet for a family celebration, but later that night, everyone in attendance is suddenly struck down with a mysterious illness. Meanwhile, Fred finds himself supervising plumbers as they battle with crumbling lead pipes in Cyril’s flat.
Elsewhere, an expectant mother requests a home birth in an effort to honour both her own traditions and those of her husband, while Timothy celebrates passing his medical exams – but remains torn between training as a GP or pursuing a future in surgery.
Read more:
- Call the Midwife's Nonnatus House jeopardy storyline has lost its edge – and here's why
- Call the Midwife star talks Rosalind's exciting new chapter with Cyril after huge development
Call the Midwife season 15 continues on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday at 8pm.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
