Call the Midwife spoilers follow.
It's official. Call the Midwife is going on a hiatus. After 14 years and 15 seasons of providing comfort and escape to another era, the British television staple is taking a break while all efforts are directed towards the upcoming prequel series and movie.
Inspired by the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, the BBC One drama's prequel will expand the world of Call the Midwife by reaching even further back than its late 1950s starting point all the way to the Blitz era to tell more stories of the group of midwives and nuns working in the East End of London.
However, while the film stays rooted in the show's present-day (meaning 1972/3) the story will take the nuns away from Poplar to a mission overseas while they figure life after the closure of Nonnatus House.
Call the Midwife is set to return with a season 16 in a couple of years time (more on that here) however there is one fan-favourite who will certainly not be on the call sheet when filming rolls around again.
Judy Parfitt's Sister Monica Joan has laid down her wimple in the magnificent season 15 finale, in which the legendary character passed away.
What to Read Next
It was truly a moving, landmark episode that has the fandom reflecting over all the nuns, midwives and friends who have been a part of this unassumingly radical, at times political, social story about life, love, equal rights and birth. As we reflect on the series during its break, here are some of the many characters to have walked (and cycled) the streets of Poplar, and why they decided to leave.
Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan
After much build up, Judy Parfitt delivered a beautifully complex exit performance that honoured the joyful spirit of Sister Monica Joan. Ushered into the afterlife by her fellow Sisters who had gone before her (including Pam Ferris' Sister Evangelina and creator Heidi Thomas who cameoed as a nun) Sister Monica Joan met her end, not with fear but with the same vitality she lived life with. While her departure is a loss it was hard to feel devastated by such a wonderfully peaceful goodbye.
While no official reason has been given for the 90 year-old's decision to leave the show, Sister Monica Joan was also into her 90s and so it is feasible that the creators thought that this was the right direction for the character ahead of the extended series break.
Parfitt had also spoken of the heavy toll of filming. Talking about the mid-season break, the actor told Radio Times: "This time of year, you thank God you're nearly finished because you're so tired."
Fans will be reunited with the younger version of Sister Monica Joan in the prequel, played, of course, by a different actress, as the series follows the lives of her and Sisters Julienne and Evangelina in their early years.
Olly Rix as Matthew Aylward
It's seeming more and more likely that Olly Rix will not return to Call the Midwife as the charming business man Matthew Aylward.
After torpedoing their finances, Matthew headed to New York with his wife Trixie in season 13 to start up a news business venture in hopes of restoring his flailing career.
While Trixie returned in season 14 still, to some degree, happily married, Rix has not been spotted on the streets of Poplar since.
His return was made even more unlikely when news broke of a rift, speaking to HELLO! Rix revealed: "It's hard for me to talk about that show… With that project in particular, I didn't like the way it ended and I didn't think they treated me with much integrity or respect, and I didn't like that. I think it's just best left in the past and not discussed much more."
A spokesperson for the series responded to Rix's comments saying: "We don't accept this. Call the Midwife is a drama that prides itself on providing a supportive, inclusive and nurturing filming environment, and we are known for the family atmosphere on our set."
We can only hope this 'family rift' is eventually mended as fans would love to see Matthew make a few spot appearances in the coming seasons.
Jennifer Kirby as Nurse Valerie Dyer
After four seasons on the show, Kirby announced she would be departing as Nurse Valerie Dyer in August 2020 to move on to new pastures.
Taking to Twitter to announce the news and assure fans that she'd still be tuning in whenever there were new episodes on TV, she wrote:
"After four joyful years spend with Call the Midwife, I have decided to say goodbye to Nonnatus, Val and the wonderful cast, crew and production team.
"The programme is truly a national treasure, and it will always be a huge honour for me to have been a part of something so wonderful. I can't wait to keep watching our beloved Nonnatus from the other side of the screen. Long live Call the Midwife. So long, chicks."
Jessica Raine as Nurse Jenny Lee
The period drama lost one of its most treasured characters in 2014 when Jenny Lee left the East End to begin working in a Marie Curie cancer hospital, and to start a new life with her husband Philip Worth (Stephen Ashfield).
Raine reportedly exited the show in order to pursue new acting projects after it propelled her name and career to new heights.
The actress went on to star in Doctor Who, Line of Duty, Robin Hood and The Woman in Black with Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe.
Emerald Fennell as Nurse Patience Mount
Emerald Fennell starred as Patience Mount, aka Patsy, in Call the Midwife from seasons two to six.
She left the show in 2018 to pursue other opportunities in writing and directing, which proved to be the right move as she went on to win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Promising Young Woman in 2021 and broke the internet with Saltburn.
She has also worked on the award-winning BBC drama Killing Eve, starred as Camilla Parker Bowles in Netflix's hit show The Crown and recently made Wuthering Heights.
When asked about Fennell's departure from Call the Midwife, producer Heidi Thomas admitted that she was one of the most successful people to come out of the show and praised her decision to leave.
"She was just a joyful, illuminating presence and a very clever actor," she said (via Express). "And we knew at the time that she was writing, but she was focused on her novels at the time. By the time she left the show, it was because she wanted to concentrate on her scriptwriting.
"And God, did she make the right choice!"
That she did.
Bryony Hannah as Sister Cynthia Miller
Bryony Hannah played the role of Sister Cynthia Miller from 2012-2017 and was one of three actresses, alongside Fennell and Kate Lamb, to leave the show at the time.
Hannah reportedly departed to concentrate on other work and her theatre career.
"We are always sad when actors want to move on to pastures new, as it's a wrench to let go of such beloved characters, but time and again over the years it has proved hugely exciting to bring new faces and personalities into the mix," a spokesperson told Radio Times at the time.
"As a large ensemble family, comings and goings are part of life in Call the Midwife and we wish Emerald, Kate and Bryony all the luck for their next projects.
"Our core team are still very much at the heart of series seven and viewers have already taken newer cast members like Nurse Crane and Valerie into their hearts."
Kate Lamb as Nurse Delia Busby
As mentioned above, Lamb left in 2017 with Fennell and Hannah.
In 2015, she was cast as Nurse Delia Busby, who was in a relationship with Fennell's character.
Lamb left the show to pursue other interests and take a break from acting. She is now a professional dog trainer.
Ella Bruccoleri as Sister Frances
After joining the show in the 2018 Christmas special, beloved Sister Frances shocked fans with her unexpected exit just four years later. During the 2022 festive episode Sister Frances took a spill on her bike whilst dashing to get help for a patient who was experiencing complications during delivery.
Her fall turned out to be much more serious, resulting in a fracture in both her humerus and clavicle. The nun was sent to Chichester to recuperate by Sister Julienne but never returned.
Bruccoleri finally spoke about her reason for leaving the show when she told Radio Times that she wanted to chase other opportunities. "It felt crazy quitting a great job," said Bruccoleri, "but I'd started getting different offers, and I realised I love the variety of different things."
Reflecting on her first big TV role as Sister Frances, the actor said: "When I look back at my early episodes, I'm thinking, 'Oh, that's not good,'" "I learnt screen acting on the job, and it was invaluable."
Bruccoleri has since gone on to star in Channel 4's 2023 drama Alice & Jack, season three of Bridgerton and has more recently been cast as the lead in the BBC period The Other Bennet Sister where she will take on the role of Mary Bennet.
Victoria Yeates as Sister Winifred
Few could forget the endearingly quirky Sister Winifred, who left the show in 2018 when she was compelled to stay at the Mother House after bonding with a disabled child at the Orders' orphanage. Wanting to help him thrive, Sister Winifred shared her desire to stay and was granted permission to leave Nonnatus and remain at the Mother House.
Behind the scenes, Radio Times reports that Yeates left in order to take on the role of Bunty in Fantastic Beasts.
"I have absolutely adored my time on Call the Midwife and leave having made some of my best friends on the show," said Yeates, according to Radio Times.
"I have been incredibly lucky to have worked with some of the best actresses and actors in the business.
"However, with the opportunity of Fantastic Beasts and all that it entails, it became clear that it was time to hang up Sister Winifred's wimple and move on to the next adventure."
Miranda Hart as Nurse Chummy
Actress and comedian Miranda Hart quickly became a fan favourite when she played the role of Matron Camilla Fortescue-Cholmondeley-Browne, informally known as Chummy, in the show from 2012 until her exit in 2015.
Hart announced she was leaving due to conflicting schedules, tweeting at the time: "Having shared Chummy's return to CTM, I've not been able to birth (pun) the schedule to make it work."
In a statement released following her departure, Thomas said: "The creative team at Call the Midwife remain extremely close to Miranda, and hugely value the contribution Chummy made to the first four series of the show.
"Sadly, the timing wasn't right for her to return in 2016, but the door is always open. We would welcome her with open arms should she ever be free and want to come back to Nonnatus House."
Ben Caplan as PC Peter Noakes
He may not be a midwife or a nun, but Ben Caplan's PC Peter was a valuable member of the cast.
The character featured as series regular since the first season and was married to Hart's character Chummy, who left the series previously.
Caplan bowed out in 2017 in search of edgier roles, but said that both he and Hart were open to returning in the future.
"It's been lovely to have been there since the beginning, an amazing roller coaster ride, and I'm honoured to have been part of the whole journey, but there comes a point six years down the line that, as an actor, it's good to keep my foot in with the theatre world and exploring other roles," he told The Sun at the time of his exit.
He added: "Much as I love playing Peter Noakes, it's great to go off and play some more edgy characters and show a little bit more diversity. The door is very much open for both myself and Miranda and I'm sure we'll make an appearance again."
Charlotte Ritchie as Nurse Barbara Hereward
Ritchie's Barbara Hereward was a nurse hired to replace Cynthia Miller (Hannah) in season four, but she left in season seven when her character was tragically diagnosed with septicaemia and died with her husband Tom (Jack Ashton) and best friend Phyllis Crane (Linda Bassett) by her side.
Explaining her decision to leave, Ritchie told Radio Times:
"It seemed like a good time to go… They ask you to commit quite early on in the year to the show. And I always wanted to do it, but I also felt that I'd done three different series for the last five years, and thought it might be good to slightly try and branch out and try something new.
"I just didn't want to get too comfy. I just think it keeps it fresh and keeps it alive if I keep going."
Recent projects include five seasons of Ghosts, and the fourth season of You.
Pam Ferris as Sister Evangelina
Ferris portrayed the tough and determined Sister Evangelina for five seasons of Call the Midwife.
After dealing with several health issues and eventually suffering a stroke, Sister Evangelina passed away in the season-five finale.
Ferris reportedly left the show due to a hectic production schedule and a lack of time for her personal life.
"Making the decision to leave Call the Midwife was a wrench," she told Radio Times.
"Because I then became involved with telling the story to the best of my ability, there was no time to feel regret. I'll miss my friends on set – in front of and behind the camera – and I'll miss my habit which is so well worn and comfortable. But I shan't miss my wimple!"
Ferris donned the habit for one last time in the truly emotional season-15 finale. The character returned in ghostly form to help her dear old friend, Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt), cross over into the afterlife.
Leonie Elliott as Lucille Anderson
Following the breakdown of her marriage to Cyril and mental-health struggles in the wake of rising racism in Britain, Lucille decided to return to Jamaica in season 12. It was later confirmed that she wouldn't be returning.
Elliott wrote on her Instagram page: "Thank you all for embracing Lucille and rocking with me on this journey, it is with a heart full of love and appreciation that I embark on pastures new.
"Having spent six years on a truly wonderful show, with a fantastic team, I have fallen deeper and deeper in love with Lucille. I feel honoured to have represented the pioneering Windrush generation and their incredible impact on British society."
Call the Midwife airs on BBC One.
![Call The Midwife - Series 11 [DVD] [2022]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1641397939-41mD8rv9maL._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Call The Midwife - Series 11 [DVD] [2022]")
![Call the Midwife series 10 [DVD]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1641398105-512O3ucHrS._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Call the Midwife series 10 [DVD]")
Rachel Lowe Games & Puzzles Call The Midwife: The Board Game
W&N Call the Midwife: A True Story of the East End in the 1950s by Jennifer Worth
![Call the Midwife - The Complete Series 1-9 [DVD]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1641398215-51bft2WMNGL._SL500_.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Call the Midwife - The Complete Series 1-9 [DVD]")
W&N Farewell to the East End by Jennifer Worth
Weidenfeld and Nicholson Letters to the Midwife: Correspondence with Jennifer Worth
W&N In the Midst of Life by Jennifer Worth
W&N Shadows of the Workhouse by Jennifer Worth
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
