The BBC has reassured fans that 'all is not lost' for Call The Midwife following the series 15 finale, which saw the death of beloved character Sister Monica Joan. A voiceover during the credits announced that the period drama would return with a new prequel series later in the year, offering hope to viewers left devastated by the episode.
The hit show, which debuted in 2012, will take a hiatus for a few years as creator Heidi Thomas works on both a film and the prequel series. Instead of the usual festive special, a Christmas Day episode set in the 1940s will air. Cast members have expressed mixed emotions about the pause, with Helen George, who plays Nurse Trixie Aylward, noting that the absence of the usual filming schedule in April will be felt keenly.
The finale saw Sister Monica Joan, played by Judy Parfitt, die from chronic kidney disease. In a poignant scene, she was visited by the spirit of Sister Evangelina, played by Pam Ferris, who died in series five. Sister Evangelina urged her to join her in the afterlife, saying, 'It's everything we were promised…and all that you have worked for.' The episode ended with a sign on Nonnatus House reading 'Temporarily Closed.'
