Viewers concerned for Call the Midwife character after she is rushed to hospital with septicaemia

As if Call the Midwife didn’t do enough to worry viewers with Trixie leaving last week, the most recent episode ended with a cliffhanger as nurse Barbara was rushed to hospital.

Initially, it was thought that the midwife – played by Charlotte Ritchie – had become ill after the stress of delivering a set of twins and a horrific home fire. However, at the episode’s end, Doctor Turner revealed that Barbara may have developed septicaemia.

• What is septicaemia – and is it life-threatening?
• 63 behind the scenes facts you didn’t know about Call the Midwife

Viewers are worried about what the future holds for their favourite nurse...

In fact, many have pleaded directly to the show not to kill off the character...

It was an especially tough twist given that a similar storyline on The Archers ended with Nic Grundy die from the same disease…

In other words, we've been through enough. Please, Call The Midwife, go easy on us next week.