A birth, a death, a wedding and a passionate reunion: Call The Midwife's finale had it all

Wedding Call the Midwife
(Image credit: Sophie Mutevelian)

Yesterday's series finale of BBC1's Call The Midwife packed in the drama with an emotional wedding, a tricky birth and a passionate kiss as lesbians Delia and Patsy finally locked lips....

A birth, a wedding, a death and a passionate  reunion were all packed into Call The Midwife as the sixth series drew to a close.

The finale of the BBC drama saw the last-minute wedding of Nurse Barbara Gilbert, played by Charlotte Ritchie, and Reverend Tom Hereward, played by Jack Ashton, which was arranged in just three weeks so the bride’s vicar father could conduct the ceremony before a missionary posting.

(Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

(Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

Delighted bride Barbara wore a white fur-trimmed cloak which her friends had clubbed together to pay for, over her wedding dress and carried a bouquet of red roses as the couple tied the knot. There was more joy to come when her new husband surprised her by arranging a carousel for the wedding party after she'd told him about a special memory she had of riding on one with her father as a little girl.

(Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

(Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

carousel

(Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

As the celebrations got underway  emotions soared and pulses raced as Nurse Patsy Mount, played by Emerald Fennell, appeared in the distance to surprise her dejected partner Nurse Delia Busby (Kate Lamb).

Patsy and Delia (Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

(Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

Patsy left the show earlier in the series when the character’s father fell ill and as the pair were emotionally reunited she told Delia: “I got on the boat the day after his funeral,” adding: “Wherever I go next, you’re coming with me” before they passionately kissed beneath an archway.

But there was also tragedy.  In the run up to the wedding,  the nuns opened a new family planning clinic which led to the fatal death of a chirpy young  mother-of-three who died of a blood clot after being prescribed the contraceptive pill.

Wilma Goddens taking the pill (BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian)

(BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian)

Nurse Trixie Franklin, played by Helen George, could not hold back her tears as she watched the mother’s young children say goodbye as their mother lay lifeless on a hospital bed.

Trixie  later took comfort when she was finally introduced to the daughter of her boyfriend Christopher Dockerill (Jack Hawkins) and the pair quickly bonded at a special tea that Christopher had arranged and later paired up to enjoy a spin on the carousel.

Trixie and Alexandra (Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

(Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

There was also joy for Nonnatus House as Shelagh Turner, played by Laura Main, gave birth to a baby boy, delivered by Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter), as Shelagh's proud doctor husband, Patrick, looked on.

(BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian)

(BBC/Neal Street Productions/Sophie Mutevelian)

Viewers were delighted with the emotional finale for the show which has been a huge ratings success for the BBC, regularly pulling in an audience of more than 8.5 million.

The broadcaster has already confirmed that  three new series of Call the Midwife have been commissioned.

 

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