Call the Midwife season 15 first-look images preview women's liberation march and bra-burning scenes
The residents of Poplar take to the streets as the BBC drama reaches 1971.
Call the Midwife returns to screens next month for its 15th season – and we've now got a first look at some big scenes in the opening instalment.
The beloved BBC drama, which aired two Christmas specials over the festive period, will tackle a range of issues in its latest episodes, including the women's liberation movement.
The new season opens in 1971 with several of the show’s characters – including Helen George's Trixie Franklin and Renee Bailey's Joyce Highland – leading a WLM march and burning their bras in protest outside Nonnatus House.
You can see preview images of the scenes, which also feature Laura Main's Shelagh Turner and Natalie Quarry's Rosalind Clifford, below.
The official synopsis for Call the Midwife season 15 episode 1 reads: "The Nonnatus team grow increasingly concerned for the welfare of four young children. Sister Catherine faces her first solo delivery, and the midwives attend a women's lib meeting."
Other issues that the latest run will spotlight include premature birth, placenta previa, kidney cancer, tuberculosis and slavery.
Fan favourites such as Judy Parfitt's Sister Monica Joan, Jenny Agutter's Sister Julienne and Linda Bassett's Nurse Crane will all be back – as will Stephen McGann's Dr Turner and Daniel Laurie's Reggie Jackson, who can both be spotted in the background of the picture below.
The future for Call the Midwife beyond season 15 looks very bright, with a prequel series set in Poplar during World War II in the works, plus a Call the Midwife film set in 1972 and featuring characters from the original show.
While we know that the film will take place overseas, the exact location has yet to be confirmed – with creator Heidi Thomas recently teasing which country is leading the way so far.
"We're narrowing down our locations as I speak, and Australia is likely, I can say that," she said.
"But there are a number of places in Australia where that could be, all of which will be very different. So we're not making any official announcements until we know exactly where, and there are a couple of other options on the table as well."
Read more:
- Call the Midwife creator reveals why there won’t be the "traditional" Christmas special in 2026
- Call the Midwife's Turner family grows again after tragic development
Call the Midwife season 15 arrives on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 11th January 2026 at 8pm.
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Christian Tobin is the Production Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all online content and editing digital articles across TV, Film, Gaming and more. He previously worked as Chief Sub-Editor at Digital Spy and has a BA in English Language and Literature from University College London.
