Call the Midwife Christmas special - cast, plot, when to watch and new season latest

Call the Midwife will celebrate Christmas with a special airing on the BBC this week, bringing back beloved characters for a heartwarming holiday set in 1969. A festive tradition for many, this year’s special will make history by being split into two parts for the first time ever.

Set during Christmas 1969, the midwives are busy delivering babies amidst the challenges of influenza and the Hong Kong flu. As if that wasn’t enough drama, an escaped prisoner is also on the loose, with the community on edge as they prepare for a carol concert.

All the fan-favorite cast and characters are returning for the special, alongside some exciting new faces joining the story. Here's everything you need to know about the Call the Midwife Christmas special this week.

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What is the plot of the Call the Midwife Christmas special?

The plot for Call the Midwife's Christmas specials have not yet been revealed, but some details have been shared already. We also know that the specials will end on a cliffhanger, the BBC has confirmed.

Ahead of the show's much-anticipated release, the BBC said: "The funfair comes to Poplar, adding a burst of colour and excitement to the frosty landscape but there are other visitors to the borough - including influenza and the Hong Kong flu. As Poplar also prepares for a carol concert, the neighbourhood is gripped by the news of an escaped prisoner and fears grow that he may be in the local area after a spate of break-ins.

"The Turner children are caught up in the fever surrounding the Blue Peter Christmas appeal to collect dinky cars and scrap metal. Trixie makes a fleeting visit to Nonnatus House and is delighted to see her brother Geoffrey, and Miss Higgins has her grandson Harry stay for Christmas. Violet hosts a mince pie competition but the Buckles’ preparations for Reggie’s homecoming are thrown into turmoil."

When is the Call the Midwife Christmas special on TV?

This year's festive trip to Poplar will consist of two 60-minute episodes – for the first time ever. Part 1 has been confirmed for 8pm on Christmas Day, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Part 2 will follow on Boxing Day at 7:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

Who is in the cast of the Call the Midwife Christmas special?

Many fan-favourite characters will be returning for the Call the Midwife Christmas special. It was also announced that child actor Myla Park had joined the ensemble for the Christmas specials, though her character name has not yet been revealed.

Here is the returning cast in full:

• Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan
• Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne
• Laura Main as Shelagh Turner
• Helen George as Trixie Aylward
• Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle
• Stephen McGann as Dr Turner
• Linda Bassett as Nurse Crane
• Megan Cusack as Nancy Corrigan
• Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle
• Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins
• Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson
• Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica
• Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson
• Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland
• Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford
• Alice Brown as Angela Turner
• Francesca Fullilove as Colette Corrigan
• April Rae Hoang as May Tang
• Edward Shaw as Teddy Turner

When is the new season of Call the Midwife being released?

Production is already well underway on the next series of Call the Midwife, the BBC has confirmed. There will be eight new episodes launching early in 2025 on BBC One - although no date has yet been confirmed. A further series – Call the Midwife’s fifteenth - has already been commissioned, meaning the award-winning drama will be on air until at least 2026.