After a hugely successful Call the Midwife season 12 and Call the Midwife Christmas special 2023 fans have now enjoyed Call the Midwife season 13. But while the show has finished in the UK, fans in the US have a lot to look forward to as we are reunited with our favorite Poplar midwives.
Call the Midwife has become a firm favorite with fans around the world, and thankfully the show's future has been confirmed with two more seasons on the way, meaning we will have the drama on our screen until at least 2026.
Ahead of season 13, Heidi Thomas OBE, creator and writer of Call the Midwife said: “After so many years, our much loved regular characters are like family to me - and our wonderful fans so often tell me that they feel the same. After Trixie’s spectacular wedding, the Nonnatus House community feels more tightly knit than ever, but life in Poplar has never been a fairy tale. As 1969 unfolds we will see change and challenge rock the world of our beloved nuns, nurses, medics, and midwives. Newcomers Joyce and Rosalind arrive with much to learn, and much to give."
Here is everything you need to know about season 13, including how to watch in the US...
Call the Midwife season 13 release date and more
Call the Midwife season 13 started in the UK on Sunday, January 7, 2024 at 8pm on BBC One. The final episode, which was episode 8 aired on Sunday, March 3 on BBC One.
You can now catch up on the entire season on iPlayer, where you will also find all previous series of the drama.
In the US, season 13 will start on Sunday, March 17 on PBS where episodes will air in the same slot weekly.
Call the Midwife season 13 plot
When it comes to upcoming plots there is no shortage of drama unfolding at Nonnatus House. Show writer and creator Heidi Thomas once teased: "The stories we tell are like babies — they never stop coming, we love them all, and we vow to do our best by every single one."
An official statement reads: "Series 13 continues to explore complex medical and personal situations on the midwifery and district nursing rounds. It is now 1969 and more babies are being born in hospitals than ever before. Pressure on maternity beds remains extremely high across the country but Poplar is coping better than most due to the work of Nonnatus House and the popularity of home births under the auspices of the Sisters.
"This series will see stories from within the Sylheti and Nigerian communities and from around the docks. Poor housing continues to blight areas of Poplar presenting complex social and health challenges to the Nonnatus team. It will also explore issues surrounding Cerebral Palsy, Congenital Hip Dysplasia, Tetanus, Porphyria and TB."
Call the Midwife season 13 — episode breakdown
*WARNING — episode spoilers below for season 13*
Episode one
The first episode of the season sees two new pupil midwives join the team at Nonnatus House, and soon Joyce Highland and Rosalind Clifford are making themselves at home.
Doreen Challis (played by comedy star Rosie Jones) surprises everyone by announcing she is pregnant, but she is determined not to let her cerebral palsy stop her from being a mother. Meanwhile, Sister Julienne has a horrible blast from the past when she realises she was the one who delivered Doreen in a traumatic birth many years ago.
Also, new midwife Rosalind has a baptism of fire in her first week when she helps Trixie at a home birth. Iris Melia has gone into labour but her life and the life of her newborn baby are in danger when her gangster husband barricades them in the house as the police arrive to arrest him.
Episode 2
The second episode sees Shelagh and Sister Veronica fighting to help a single mother, Edna Bristow, having her second child while living in substandard housing — and when pupil midwife Joyce lends a hand, she proves she's got exactly what it takes to be an excellent midwife.
Meanwhile, Nancy supports a woman from the Sylheti community who has puzzling symptoms that leave even Dr Turner puzzled. Also, Trixie learning to drive offers some light relief - especially when it turns out Matthew is an impatient instructor! Soon Fred offers his services, but will he manage to get Trixie's driving up to scratch?
Episode 3
The third episode sees Violet running for mayor, but her battle against another candidate soon takes a dramatic turn when Fred falls gravely ill with tenaus after cutting his hand while working on a community garden with Reggie. As Fred battles for his life, everyone in Poplar is left worried and praying for him to make a recovery.
Over at the maternity ward a pregnant model, Gillian Baxter, is excited for her baby to follow in her modelling footsteps. But Gillian is faced with devastating news when Dr Turner realises her baby daughter, Stephanie, has bilateral hip dysplasia and must wear a brace if she is to walk when she is older. Luckily Phyllis and Rosalind are on hand to help Gillian in her time of need.
While Fred is put on a ventilator, Reggie makes Violet see that she must continue her campaign to be mayor and eceryone is thrilled when she wins the majority vote... but that's not the only good news, becasue by the end of the epsiode, everyone is relieved when Fred wakes up and although he isn't out of the woods just yet, he is on the road to recovery at last.
Episode 4
The fourth episode sees Trixie and Matthew hit a rough patch in their marriage after Trixie makes a mistake at work that leaves a new mother gravely unwell and Trixie torn between her vocation as a midwife and being a good wife to Matthew and step-mother to Jonty. But when Matthew asks her to give up her role at Nonnatus House and she refuses, is this the beginning of the end for the couple?
Elsewhere, Sister Monica Joan is thrilled to witness history in the making as the Apollo 11 mission sees man take the first steps on the moon and Doctor Turner faces a heart-breaking case when a family is stuck down with tuberculosis. Also, we discover more about Nancy's past when she fights to find answers about her childhood when a patient at work with tuberculosis reminds her of her late mother.
Episode 5
In episode 5 we have reached the summer of 1969, and excitement fills the air as Violet prepares for a trip to the beach – her first key event since becoming Mayor. As our Nonnatus House favorites head to the beach, back in Poplar Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) is eager to begin his new career as a Child Welfare Office.
Elsewhere, Trixie finally passes her driving test and is keen to show off her skills by driving Matthew and Jonty to the beach herself. She puts pressure on Matthew to purchase a car but he is feeling growing financial pressure.
At the beach, the weather proves to be typical of the British summertime – wet and windy! The event is full of fun until things take a turn for the worst when young mother Lindi Webster goes into labour requiring Nurse Crane and Miss Higgins to drive her back to the maternity home. However, while the labour goes well, there is devastating news for the young family when they learn both their girls have a genetic form of eye cancer.
Elsewhere, May and Angela sneak off unsupervised to play with their new lilo which ends up with May being rushed to hospital with partial drowning and Shelagh and Patrick facing a three-month formal review. Will they lose their daughter?
Episode 6
Episode 6 sees the summer of 1969 drawing to a close as the pupil midwives prepare for their final exams.
Sister Veronica (Rebecca Gethings) and Shelagh (Laura Main) head off together to rehearse with some local children for a Summer Singing School concert. At the church, they are stunned to find two little brothers abandoned at the altar. Tied together with red ribbon and with a note from their mother. Soon the police are called, along with Cyril, who's new job means he is responsible for finding the boys a temporary foster home.
Trixie (Helen George) announces she’s off to collect her new car after work, but she is confused when she gets there and there is no record of her order. Meanwhile, Matthew’s (Olly Rix) mother has asked him to attend an urgent board meeting at Aylward Estates and things don't go well when they announce the company is in huge debt and he is struck from the board as well as the payroll, meaning Matthew has to go home and tell a stunned Trixie that he no longer has a job.
On the steps of Nonnatus House, Joyce (Renee Bailey) and Rosalind (Natalie Quarry) wait nervously for the postman to deliver their exam results and they're thrilled to not only find they have both passed with flying colours, but that they have also been offered permanent roles at Nonnatus House.
Episode 7
In episode 7 Rosalind and Joyce are thrilled to receive their red cardigans after passing their exams, while Sister Julienne presents Joyce with the Violet Albany Prize, which is given to the East London midwife who qualifies with the highest marks in her exams. However, when Shelagh arranges for everyone to have their photograph taken for the Gazette outside Nonnatus House an apprehensive Trixie and Matthew pull up – the weight of the world on their shoulders.
Matthew is stunned to learn a bailiff is taking back his car and the couple are publicly humiliated. And, to make matters worse, Trixie hasn’t been sleeping well and confides in Dr Turner who prescribes sleeping pills.
Rosalind meets Alison Casey, a young mum-to-be who has been hiding her pregnancy from her mum. However, soon Cyril is involved when it turns out that Alison has been abused by her stepfather, Stanley, for years and the baby is his.
Elsewhere, Joyce's past catches up with her when a mysterious stranger arrives at Nonnatus House to see her. It turns out Joyce's real name is Claudine Warren and Sylvester is her husband, who she fled from after he became violent and abusive. He soon blackmails her into handing over money otherwise he will tell everyone she qualified under a false name.
Meanwhile, things get worse for Trixie when Matthew announces he is going to New York to secure his investment and that he is taking Jonty with him. He asks Trixie to go as well, but it is all too much so he leaves without her, leaving their marriage having by a thread.
Episode 8 - season 13 finale
It's firework night in Poplar and as a bonfire burns and fireworks are set off Sister Veronica welcomes Sylvester to the party, leaving Joyce forced to hide her discomfort. However, when Mrs Wallace invites Sylvester to attend a church service, Rosalind soon discovers his sinister side when she sees Sylvester with Joyce's pay packet from Nonnatus House. Soon Joyce is forced to come clean about her troubled past and exactly who Sylvester is, however, her Nonnatus House friends and colleagues surprise her by being very supportive.
Meanwhile, an utterly exhausted Trixie hurries away avoiding the celebrations but bumps into Geoffrey and he unsuccessfully tries to persuade her to join them. After taking lots of caffeine tablets, Trixie has an accident at work which leads to Geffory giving his sister some tough love. In the end Trixie calls Matthew and he is thrilled when she agrees to come to New York to be with him and Jonty.
Also, Shelagh is surprised to hear the social worker has pulled their meeting forward since there has been a change in circumstances — May’s mother wants to speak to May herself and they're convinced they're about to lose their little girl. However, it is quite the opposite, and May's mother asks Patrick and Shelagh to adopt May.
Elsewhere, Miss Higgins and Nurse Crane are sorting through second-hand cub uniforms when there is a knock at the door. The person on the other side reveals she is the wife of someone called Victor, who is Miss Higgins' secret son! The mother and son are thrilled to be reunited but their happiness is shortlived when it is revealed that Victor is gravely ill, and soon their reunion comes to a tragic end when Victor dies, leaving Miss Higgins heartbroken.
Call the Midwife season 13 cast — who returned and who joined the show?
Most of the usual Call the Midwife cast were back for the latest season — however, a few of our favorites were sadly missing...
Matthew Aylward (Olly Rix) and Trixie Franklin (Helen George) returned as newlyweds Mr and Mrs Aylward.
Jenny Agutter returned as Sister Julienne with Linda Bassett as Nurse Phyllis Crane, Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica, Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins and Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan.
Megan Cusack also came back as Nurse Nancy Corrigan even though her future was in doubt after the character was offered a new position at Netherditch Hospital. Francesca Fullilove also returned as Nancy's daughter, Colette Corrigan,
Doctor Turner (Stephen McGann) and his family were also back including his wife Shelagh Turner (Laura Main) and son Timothy Turner (Max Macmillan). Alice Brown also 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 and Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson.
Cyril Robinson (Zephryn Taitte) returned, but sadly his wife Lucille Robinson, played by Leonie Elliott, didn't return after it was confirmed at the end of season 12 that the character would be staying in Jamaica with her sister and mother. Lucille left Poplar in episode two of season 12 after she struggled with her mental health.
Sadly two other favorites who didn't return for season 13 were Sister Hilda, played by Fenella Woolgar and Sister Frances, played by Ella Bruccoleri. Both characters were written out in the Call the Midwife 2022 Christmas Special and are not returning.
Some new faces also joined the cast for season 13. The first episode saw Nonnatus House kick off a new pupil midwife-training scheme which welcomed pupil midwives Joyce Highland and Rosalind Clifford.
A Call the Midwife insider revealed all about the new characters: "Joyce Highland hails from Trinidad and aims to become Matron of a British hospital. Hardworking, fiercely bright, and deeply kind, she has a traumatic past that she cannot conceal forever.
"Meanwhile, Rosalind Clifford is young, warm, passionate and funny. She may seem naive at times, but has an inner steeliness that will lead her to make some life-changing decisions.
Renee Bailey (Rebel Cheer Squad - A Get Even Series and Mood) plays Joyce and Natalie Quarry (Doctors) plays Rosalind.
What happened at the end of Call the Midwife season 12?
Call the Midwife is known for its big finale episodes. We had the famous train crash at the end of Call the Midwife season 11 and season 12's ending was no less dramatic.
There was a mixture of highs and lows for viewers as we watched Trixie and Matthew finally tie the knot in an elaborate wedding. But while Trixie and Matthew got their happily ever after, their big day was thrown into jeopardy when the venue for the reception burnt down and they were forced to have their wedding breakfast in the middle of the streets in Poplar.
But as always there was a tinge of sadness for some Call the Midwife favorites when a car crash left Dr Turner facing the biggest test of his career as he fought to save a precious life when an expectant mother was caught up in an accident on her way to the labor ward.
Call the Midwife series 12 ratings show that the series continues to be hugely popular with the Christmas special reaching 8.9 million and episode 1 hitting 8.1million.
Is there a trailer for Call the Midwife season 13?
Yes! We had to wait a while before one was released by the BBC and at just 21 seconds long, it didn't give much away, however, we did get to see the new midwives as they joined the team.
You can watch below...
We were also been treated to this clip of new pupil midwife, Rosalind, arriving in Poplar for her first day. The clip was posted on Instagram and you can watch below...
Call the Midwife season 13 — filming information
Before Call the Midwife season 13 arrived, the show kept fans up to date with the latest goings on behind the camera on its social media pages...
An Instagram post in 2023 said: "Pssst! Heard the news? It's the last week of filming on Call the Midwife Series 13! We snatched this gorgeous pic of the Turner children in their late-sixties finery to mark the very last week of this year's filming!
"We love seeing Alice (Angela) sharing a secret joke with April (May) while a curious Ned (Teddy) looks on! The Turner children are actually SUCH good friends on set, and always look out for each other, much to the pride of their fake parents Stephen McGann and Laura Main! It was their last day on set, so there was much fun, and many hugs. They were taking part in a rather lovely sequence for episode 8... but of course, you'll have to wait to find out what that is. Next stop..... end of filming!"
It was also revealed that Call the Midwife has been doing some filming on location.
The show's social media page shared a post with the caption: "What do we have here?? Have Nurse Crane and Miss Higgins abandoned Poplar for the delights of the English Riviera? And who is that young mother-to-be that they're attending to....?
"Last week our team took a special excursion away from the smoke-filled streets of the Sixties East End to film in the fresh coastal air of Sussex. The weather was... well, as you'd expect from England in September - sunny, rainy, stormy, bright, cold and warm all in one day!!!! But our intrepid crew made the best of it, and much fun was had by all!"
It was announced back in May 2023 that filming for season 13 had officially begun. The news was shared on social media with a caption that read: "BREAKING!! It's official - #CallTheMidwife has begun filming for season 13!!"
The pictures show Cyril Robinson (Zephryn Taitte) on set along with Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle, Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle and Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson.
BREAKING!! It's official - #CallTheMidwife has begun filming for season 13!! 🎬🎥🙌🤩👏https://t.co/DoqT3zSvHD pic.twitter.com/3fnwDy7VA7May 2, 2023
