Call the Midwife's Heidi Thomas reveals season 15 "brings era to an end" – and why it was "hard" to write

The creator of Call the Midwife has said the most recent chapter of the BBC period drama "very much brings an era to an end".

Season 15 has seen Nonnatus House under immense pressure after Sister Julienne was told to ditch the habit or lose their funding, among other widespread changes being spearheaded by the NHS, and the public's changing attitude towards healthcare.

Reflecting on how central change is to the drama, Heidi Thomas told us at the Radio Times Covers Party 2026 : "I've had a lot of these stories in mind for a long time, and change has generated so many of our stories over the past few years.

"I'm not quite sure what I would do if things weren't changing. The whole point is, it's about change and challenge – and the series itself looks to the future, so it very much brings an era to an end."

But while Thomas noted that the challenge does feel "organic", she admitted it's also been deeply "emotional".

"I think we've all cried our eyes out at different times because things never will be the same again," she added. "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."

Read more:

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Thomas also spoke specifically about the season 15 finale, which was "both hard to write and beautiful to write".

"Many of the things that I depict in that episode I have experienced in life, so it felt strangely personal," she explained. "But I think that the driving thing was to do a really good job. We're only getting the chance to wrap up this iteration once, and it has to be done to the highest possible standard.

"So it's hard and it's very emotional, not because it's sad, but because it's beautiful."

Season 15 of Call the Midwife has seen the midwives and nuns confront a wide range of challenges, from cases involving rabies and slavery to embracing major societal shifts such as the Women's Liberation Movement.

Their personal lives have also seen plenty of turbulence, from Rosalind distancing herself from her parents to protect her relationship with Cyril, to Sister Veronica voicing her desire to have a child of her own – throwing her future as a nun into question.

And the challenges continue in Sunday night's episode, as Sister Catherine discovers that a baby has gone missing from the nursery, while Sister Julienne delivers news to the Turners and Sister Veronica about Christopher's gangster father in Hong Kong, known as The Cormorant.

Elsewhere, Cyril tells Rosalind that his divorce will be officially finalised by the end of the month, inviting her away for a weekend to celebrate.

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Call the Midwife season 15 continues on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday at 8pm.

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