Call the Midwife gets major filming update amid fears BBC period drama could be rested after 13 years
CALL the Midwife’s next series is in sight with filming officially confirmed amid fears for its future.
The beloved BBC period show – which is the broadcaster’s most-watched drama – will return later this year for a new Christmas special followed by a full series.
Fan-favourites including Linda Bassett, Cliff Parisi, Georgie Glen and Stephen McGann will reprise their roles.
The Sun can reveal production on series 15 of Call the Midwife has officially kicked off and bosses are crewing up.
An insider said: “Pre-production is already in full swing and scripts are being finalised.
“The cast will all reunite from next month to shoot their scenes for the new series as well as Christmas special.
“Bosses are focusing on getting the festive special wrapped first before they turn their attention to the regular series.
“The biggest challenge, like always, is the crew transforming the set to make it look like the depths of winter, just as the weather gets milder, with the cast layering up too.”
The fresh update comes after its creator Heidi Thomas hinted she might rest the show in favour of a spin-off series.
She said: “Those of us who are most invested with the show, cast and producers alike, who have been there since the beginning, it is our lives.
“I don’t believe Call the Midwife will ever end. But I do think we might take a break at some point.”
Heidi continued to Radio Times: “I’m not in a position to talk about things really.
“There is a sort of a rolling, ongoing conversation that we always have at this point every year, which is: is there an end point?
“What are we working towards?
“Increasingly, we do see opportunities to expand our storytelling world.
“So if we do take a break, it will be with a view to looking at other aspects of Call the Midwife.”
Call The Midwife: A breakdown
Call The Midwife first came onto the airwaves in 2012 and has been seen by millions. But what is it about?
Series one: Set in early 1957 and it explored the ‘Baby Boom generation, which included themes of poverty and post-war immigration.
Series two: Set in 1958 and it showed gas and air being introduced for pain relief for the first time. It ended with the Nonnatus House building being condemned.
Series three: Set in 1959 and it depicted gruesome conditions such as cystic fibrosis, polio and it showed the midwives in the context on prisons.
Series four: Set in 1960 under the threat of nuclear warfare and the emergency response guidelines issued by the local Civil Defence Corp. Other themes included LGBT rights, and syphilis.
Series five: Set in 1961 and it shows the care of patients with conditions such as Typhoid and strokes. We also saw the effects of thalidomide, the introduction of the contraceptive pill.
Series six: Set in 1962 and domestic violence was at the centre of the season. Other themes included FGM (female genital mutilation), mental health issues and interracial marriage. It was also notable for the introduction of Reggie, a recurring character with Down Syndrome.
Series seven: Set in 1963 and we see Nurse Lucille Anderson for the first time. We also see the show address conditions such as dementia, huntington’s disease, leprosy and meningitis
Series eight: Set in 1964 and it bravely covered the issue of abortion, which was not legal for another three years in 1967. Sickle cell disease, cleft lip, cleft palate and intersex people also featured.
Series nine: Diptheria was at the centre of the ninth instalment in 1965, and it was notable for featuring a blind expectant mother. But the role of Nonnatus House within the community also came into question.
Series ten: Set in 1966, Nonnatus House has a rival in the form of the private Lady Emily Clinic in Mayfair. PKU, diabetes and the controversy surrounding abortion were central themes.
Series eleven: Set in 1967 amid the housing crisis and a scabies epidemic. The show was rocked by a train crash right next to Nonnatus House.