Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023: where to watch, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know

The Call the Midwife cast posing for the Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023
The Call the Midwife will be a festive TV highlight. (Image credit: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Nicky Johnston)

A Call the Midwife Christmas special has become a festive tradition along with turkey and all the trimmings, and this year we were in for another yuletide treat as Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023 arriveed as part of the Christmas TV schedule.

As in previous years, the Christmas special marks the start of Call the Midwife season 13, which will see us catch up with all our favorite characters from Nonnatus House. And after Trixie and Matthew's action-packed wedding in the final episode of Call the Midwife season 12, we know we have plenty of drama to look forward to. 

Here is everything you need to know about the Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023...

Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023 release date

The Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023 aired on Christmas Day at 8.15 pm on BBC One. The special episode will be longer than the regular series' episodes at one and a half hours long. You can now catch up on BBC iPlayer. 

In the US the Call the Midwife Christmas special aired on Christmas Day at 8 pm ET. 

Trixie Franklin (HELEN GEORGE), Jonty Aylward (ARCHIE O'CALLAGHAN) and Matthew Aylward (OLLY RIX) in the Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023

Call the Midwife was back this Christmas with a festive special.  (Image credit: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Laurence Cendrowicz)

Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023 plot

This year's special saw Christmas 1968 getting underway (picking up shortly after where Call the Midwife season 12 left off) but while newlyweds Matthew (Olly Rix) and Trixie Franklin (Helen George) were looking forward to their first Christmas together as a married couple, they were soon sprung with an unexpected visitor - Trixie's brother Geoffrey (Christopher Harper)! 

Nancy Corrigan (MEGAN CUSAK) and Colette Corrigan (FRANCESCA FULLILOVE) in Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023

Nancy and Colette will be spending Christmas as Nonnatus House.  (Image credit: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Laurence Cendrowicz)

Elsewhere, Nancy Corrigan (Megan Cusack) is staying at Nonnatus House after Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) offers her and her daughter Colette (Francesca Fullilove) a room for the foreseeable future, and there was drama for Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) when he discovers a lost soul living alone in a dilapidated basement flat, while Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett), away on her refresher course, battled to make it home in time for the Christmas festivities despite treacherously heavy snowfall. 

Filming for the festive episode took place in May this year. At the time, the official Call the Midwife Instagram page shared a special clip of some of the cast having a snowball fight! You can see it below... 

It was also revealed on social media that the Turner family would be taking center stage in this year's Christmas special. 

A picture of Stephen McGann as Doctor Turner and Max Macmillan as Timothy Turner was shared with fans, along with the caption: "Behind the scenes on the new Call the Midwife Christmas Special: The Turners take to the road! Yesterday it was off to the Royal Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, to film some driving sequences for our new Christmas Special

"This involved a lot of technical fiddling and special effects, but luckily the rain held off! Max Macmillan and Stephen McGann, who play Timothy and Patrick Turner, were confined to the small driver's cabin in their many layers of winter clothing, which - combined with members of the crew squeezed into the back passenger seats - became rather steamy and airless!"

Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023 cast 

The festive special saw Helen George and Olly Rix returning as newlyweds Matthew Aylward and Trixie Franklin, while Jenny Agutter returned as Sister Julienne along with Linda Bassett as Nurse Phyllis Crane, Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica, Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins and Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan.

Trixie Franklin (HELEN GEORGE) and Jonty Aylward (ARCHIE O'CALLAGHAN) in Call the Midwife standing in front of a Christmas tree

Helen George was back as Trixie.  (Image credit: BBC / Neal Street Productions / Laurence Cendrowicz)

Megan Cusack also returned as Nurse Nancy Corrigan, along with Stephen McGann as Doctor Turner, Laura Main as Shelagh Turner and Max Macmillan as their son Timothy Turner. Alice Brown returned as Angela Turner, April Rae Hoang as May Tang and Edward Shaw as Teddy Turner. 

Cliff Parisi was also back as Fred Buckle, along with Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle, Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson and Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson.

The Call the Midwife cast sitting round a dinner table for the 2023 Christmas special

The Call the Midwife cast are all back for a festive special.  (Image credit: BBC / Neal Street Productions)

Is there a trailer for the Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023? 

Yes, we have been treated to a festive trailer from the US after PBS released one for the Christmas episode. In the trailer, you can see all of our Nonnatus House favorites getting ready to put a very special Christmas surprise together... 

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.