Call the Midwife prequel: everything we know about the World War Two spin-off

The Call the Midwife world is expanding as the much-loved series takes us further into the past with an exciting spin-off show, set in London during World War Two.

The prequel to the beloved franchise was announced in May 2025 alongside the exciting news that we would also be getting a Call the Midwife movie as well as two Christmas specials in December 2025.

Not only that, we will also be seeing Call the Midwife season 15 arrive early next year as a new series traditionally follows the festive specials in January in the UK and March in the US.

The official statement from the BBC reads: "In an exciting new development, the world of Nonnatus House will also be expanding. A prequel TV series set in Poplar during World War Two will be made for the BBC in 2026. In addition, Neal Street, in development with BBC Film, are producing a Call the Midwife film. This will be set overseas in 1972 and feature iconic characters from the existing TV show."

Here is everything we know about the Call the Midwife prequel...

Call the Midwife prequel release date

It is too early to know when the Call the Midwife prequel might arrive, but we do know it is some time away, as filming has not yet started.

With Call the Midwife season 15 pencilled in for January 2026, the prequel is likely to air at some point later that year.

One thing we do know is that it is likely to air on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer in the UK and over on PBS in the US.

As soon as we get any more information, we will update this guide.

Call the Midwife prequel plot

While it is also a little too early to know exact plot details for the spin-off, we do know that it will be set in Poplar during the Blitz.

The new series will add more backstory to the already rich history of the nuns and midwives at Nonnatus House, giving us a chance to see what happened in Poplar before we met the characters in season 1.

Series creator Heidi Thomas said: "The Blitz years in the East End were extraordinary - filled with loss, togetherness, courage and joy. The bombs fell, the babies kept on coming, and the Sisters kept on going."

In a press statement, the director of BBC Drama, Lindsay Salt, added: "Call the Midwife has been a jewel in the BBC's crown for well over a decade, and this feels like the perfect time to further expand on the glorious, perfectly realised world that Heidi, Pippa, Annie and the team have created for the show's millions of passionate and dedicated viewers.

"Whether you've been watching from the very start or joined us for one of the more recent series, this is an incredibly exciting time to be a Call the Midwife fan."

Call the Midwife prequel cast

While the cast for the new series is being kept tightly under wraps for now, Heidi Thomas said: "There will be so much in the prequel for our wonderful, loyal fans, including the appearance of some familiar (if much younger!) faces."

It is unlikely that we will see fan favourites such as Trixie Aylward (Helen George) in the series due to when the series will be set, but other beloved characters could have pivotal roles in the spin-off, like Sister Monica Joan and Sister Julienne. Could we be seeing these much-loved characters as young nuns, doing their midwifery training during the war?

There is also hope that young versions of fan favourites Phyllis Crane and Millicent Higgins could appear in the new series, with Blitz stories of their own.

As soon as more information is released about the cast, we will update this guide.

Is there a trailer for the Call the Midwife prequel?

Not yet, it is far too early for a trailer, sadly. But, as soon as one is released we will add it to this guide.

Behind the scenes and more on the Call the Midwife prequel

Call the Midwife season 14 averaged 7.8million viewers, making it one of the UK’s biggest drama series across all channels and streamers. The first episode of the Call the Midwife Christmas specials 2024 was the 2024 festive period’s most-watched drama episode, with 8.9 million viewers.

Commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, Call the Midwife is made by All3Media’s Neal Street for the BBC in co-production with PBS.

The series is created, written and executive produced by Heidi Thomas, executive produced by Pippa Harris, for Neal Street, and Ann Tricklebank who also serves as producer. Gaynor Holmes is the executive producer for the BBC.

The first series of Call the Midwife was originally inspired by Jennifer Worth’s books of the same name. BBC Studios distributes Call the Midwife globally and has sold the series to over 260 territories worldwide and counting.