Call the Midwife favourite Trixie set for dramatic exit in season finale

Call the Midwife cast sitting in their uniforms: L-R Trixie Franklin, Phyllis Crane and Nancy Corrigan
Call the Midwife is reportedly saying goodbye to a familiar face. (Image credit: BBC)

It has been reported that fans could be saying goodbye to a beloved character at the end of Call the Midwife season 13.

It has been claimed that Helen George could be leaving her role as Trixie Aylward on the show, following dramatic scenes involving Trixie and her husband, Matthew (Olly Rix)

After marrying at the end of Call the Midwife season 12, the couple's marriage has been strained after losing all their money, plunging them into financial difficulty.  

This all came to a head when Matthew discovered that Aylward Estates, the business he inherited from his late father, was in serious debt. On top of this, he lost his income from the company as well as his place on the board.

Matthew's financial difficulties have taken a toll on Trixie too, who was especially hurt to learn that he had been lying to her about how bad things had become, continuing to try and buy nice things for her. 

Things seemed to improve when Matthew remembered he'd bought two warehouses from a friend in New York, and that these could potentially be sold. But he decided that he wanted to go into partnership with his friend Chester, which would see him moving to New York, with a return on his investment likely happening within five years.

Because of this, it is understood that Trixie could be accompanying Matthew overseas to New York, saying goodbye to London for now. This is bittersweet news for fans, as Trixie and Matthew might be able to have a fresh start, but it does mean saying goodbye to everything they've built in the UK. 

One show insider reportedly told The Mirror: "This series ends with the firm impression that Trixie is off to America to start a new life with her husband and young step-son. But the good news is her trip will be fleeting, and Helen will be back to carry on next year."

Olly Rix and Helen George as Matthew and Trixie in wedding clothes stand outside a church in Call the Midwife

Matthew and Trixie married at the end of season 12. (Image credit: BBC/Neal Street Productions)

It isn't clear how Trixie's rumoured return to Poplar will happen if she does return for Call the Midwife season 14, but one possible scenario is that Matthew and Trixie call it quits, while he stays in the US. Or could it be that Trixie decides to return while Matthew stays overseas for a while? Either way, we can't wait to see what happens!

The Call the Midwife season 13 finale airs on BBC One on Sunday, March 3 at 8 pm. All episodes are also available on iPlayer

Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.

She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress