The BBC has announced plans to expand the Call the Midwife universe with a prequel series set during World War II and a standalone feature film for cinema release. The beloved drama, which has been a staple on BBC One since 2012, will take a break after the next series to accommodate these new projects.
The prequel will be set during the Blitz years and feature younger versions of fan-favourite characters, including Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter), Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt), Dr Turner (Stephen McGann), and Fred Buckle (Cliff Parisi). It may also include Sister Evangelina, played by Pam Ferris until her character's death in series five. The action will take place at least 15 years before the original series, which began in 1957.
In contrast, the feature film will star the current cast and is expected to include returning favourites such as Miranda Hart as Chummy and Miriam Margolyes as Mother Mildred. The movie, set in 1972, will take the nuns and midwives abroad as hospital births rise in the UK, allowing them to use their skills overseas. Possible locations include Hong Kong, featured in this year's Christmas special, or South Africa, last visited in 2016.
Executive producer Dame Pippa Harris said: 'It now feels like the right time to expand our world and take our nuns and midwives onto the big screen with our movie, and back in time with the prequel.' Writer Heidi Thomas added: 'The Blitz years in the East End were extraordinary - filled with loss, togetherness, courage and joy.'
The 15th series, set in 1971, will air in January and see characters embracing the women's liberation movement while handling cases including premature birth, placenta previa, and tuberculosis. Insiders have stressed that the new projects do not signal the end of the main series, which will resume after the spin-offs are completed.
