Call the Midwife season 16: Release date speculation, potential cast and what could happen?
With a prequel series and a movie in the pipeline, season 16 won't arrive for quite some time.
Call the Midwife creator Heidi Thomas certainly wasn't exaggerating when she said season 15 brings an era to an end.
From the death of Sister Monica Joan to the closure of Nonnatus Houses's maternity ward – a devastating development that prompted some of the characters to move on to pastures new – it very much felt like one door closing.
"I shed more tears during the making of that episode [the finale] than any other," Thomas told Radio Times magazine. "I thought, 'Am I crying because of the story or am I crying because it's our last episode for a while?' In the end, I think it’s a mixture of everything."
There's still plenty to come, however, with a prequel series and a movie in the pipeline, plus season 16 beyond that.
But when might we expect more of the original series? And which cast members could return given the shifting sands?
Read on for everything we know so far about Call the Midwife season 16.
Call the Midwife season 16 release date speculation: When could it air?
Unlike previous instalments of the drama, this one is tricky to predict.
Typically, there is a Christmas special to kick off the new season before episode 2 arrives in January, but that won't be the case in 2027.
"There won't be a Christmas special next Christmas, not in the traditional mould," Heidi Thomas said previously.
Read more:
- Call the Midwife star reacts to season 15 finale: "We’ve never had to be upset at the end before"
- Call the Midwife's Heidi Thomas on saying goodbye to Sister Monica Joan – and those secret ghost cameos
But executive producer Pippa Harris did say that the prequel, a three-part mini-series set during the Blitz, would make its debut during the festive period – although the BBC has yet to confirm that.
The narrative will follow younger versions of Sister Julienne, Sister Evangelina and Sister Monica Joan alongside "three young midwives, all completely new, relatively new to the East End, and they really do get thrown in at the deep end".
The movie, which will be set overseas in 1972, and will feature members of the current cast, is set to arrive after the prequel – which means season 16 is unlikely to arrive for quite some time, possibly Christmas 2028.
But Thomas told Radio Times magazine that "it takes 14 months to make every series" – so we might be waiting even longer.
Watch this space for updates.
Call the Midwife season 16 potential cast: Who could return?
For the first time in the show's history, Judy Parfitt will not reprise her role as Sister Monica Joan after the character died of chronic kidney disease in the season 15 finale.
There are also question marks over Trixie (Helen George), who has joined The Lady Emily Clinic in Mayfair, and Joyce (Renee Bailey), who will be working at St Cuthbert's.
Of course, they could still feature – but their involvement wouldn't be half as seamless.
Dr Turner (Stephen McGann), however, will continue to run his GP practice, with Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett) staying on as his district nurse and Miss Higgins (Georgie Glen) as his medical secretary.
We'd also expect to see the following:
- Laura Main as Shelagh
- Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne
- Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica
- Molly Vevers as Sister Catherine
- Natalie Quarry as Rosalind
- Zephryn Taitte as Cyril
- Annabelle Apsion as Violet
- Cliff Parisi as Fred
- Daniel Laurie as Reggie
- Christopher Harper as Geoffrey
- Max Macmillan as Timothy
- April Rae Hoang as May
- Alice Brown as Angela
- Edward Shaw as Teddy
- Linda Hargreaves as Mrs Wallace
- Dame Vanessa Redgrave as the voice of Jennifer Worth
Call the Midwife season 16 potential plot: What could happen?
In the season 15 finale, Sister Julienne announced that Nonnatus House was to become "a house of prayer and charity" following the closure of the maternity unit, while they figured out their next steps.
Despite the changing times, that is something that can still be of use and comfort to the people of Poplar. But it remains to be seen how long that will continue – especially given that it changes the premise of the show.
In the meantime, however, there are "three potential new medical missions", all involving "at least a year abroad" – which will form the plot of the movie: the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in the Pacific Ocean, British Columbia, and a remote part of Australia.
"We ask for your prayers and your patience, and that as many of you as are able stay with us on this journey," she added.
"All will be well, I promise you."
While a number of characters remain committed to continuing their work at Nonnatus House (even if their day-to-day is going to look a little different from what they're used to) and the local community, others are already exploring opportunities elsewhere – and others will surely follow their lead in time.
“Apart from that first year, we’ve always known at the end of filming that we’d see each other again," Laura Main told Radio Times magazine, "Even that first year, we found out after the second episode that the show would be coming back. We've had rare and lovely stability for 15 years. We've never had to be upset at the end before."
But Helen George did reiterate that "it is just a pause because we know it's coming back," although she noted: "But it won't be the same, with different characters leaving."
Call the Midwife seasons 1-15 are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
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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.
