'Call the Midwife' fans thrilled to spot this missing character in the season 11 finale

Call the Midwife season 11 - final episode
The final episode of 'Call the Midwife' season 11 aired last night. (Image credit: BBC)

*Spoilers for Call the Midwife season 11 below!*

Call the Midwife season 11 fans were in for a treat last night (Sunday, Feb. 20) as the series came to an end for another year with a cracker of an episode. 

After last week's penultimate episode saw a huge train crash unfold, leaving the lives of Dr Turner and Sister Julienne hanging in the balance, fans were eager to see who might die in the train crash.

However, while it was touch and go for a bit, fans were thrilled to see both the main characters make it through the ordeal and feeling fit and well again by the end of the episode. 

Call the Midwife season 11 - final episode

It was touch and go for Dr Turner and Sister Julienne for a while...  (Image credit: BBC)

Despite either being on the edge of our seats or in tears for the majority of the season finale, fans couldn't get enough of the drama and by the end of the episode, there was a heart-warming moment where the entire gang at Nonnatus House had a group photo, with even Nurse Crane back from her extended holidays to get everyone in order and pull them through the crisis.

But fans will know there was one very popular face missing from the final episode, with Helen George, who plays Trixie Franklin in the show, having bowed out of the series a few episodes ago to on maternity leave.

In the storyline, Trixie has left Poplar to care for her dying aunt in Italy, leaving her budding romance with Matthew Aylward on ice until she gets back. But fans were thrilled to see the character make a special appearance in the group photo when Nancy held up a picture of Trixie for the final shot.

Call the Midwife season 11 - final episode

Trixie might not have been there in person, but she still made it into the group photo!  (Image credit: BBC)

Viewers couldn't get enough of the touching moment and took to Twitter to share their happiness at seeing the whole team together again for the last episode in the season...

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While thankfully there weren't any main characters killed off in last night's episode, there were still some heart-wrenching moments that Call the Midwife does so well. 

Not only did we see 15-year-old Carole Reece (Ellie-May Sheridan) lose her second child after giving birth prematurely, but we also saw lovely Dorothy Carnie (Stephanie Jacob) the tea lady on the train who had been a long-time patient of Dr Turner and Sister Julienne, pass away after sustaining injuries in the train crash. 

As always, there was a bitter-sweet ending to the storyline as Sister Frances organized for Carole's baby to be buried with Dorothy after it was revealed that babies born early weren't given their own funeral or burial. After Carole met with Dorothy's daughter, she finally got the family she had been looking for after years in care. 

Call the Midwife season 11 - final episode

Lionel Corbett sadly passed away before meeting his newborn son.  (Image credit: BBC)

Meanwhile, Lionel Corbett (played by EastEnders star Marc Elliott) also died after suffering from a seizure whilst driving the train. 

It was revealed that Lionel had an undiagnosed brain tumor and was not a reckless driver as many thought, which was some confront to his wife, Edina (Maya Saroya), who had just given birth to their baby son.

Call the Midwife returns to BBC1 later this year for a Christmas Special, while season 12 is set to air in 2023. You can catch up on all seasons of Call the Midwife on BBC iPlayer now. 

Call the Midwife season 11 will air in the US on PBS at a later date.

Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 


After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off


She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 


As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.