BBC reveals future of ‘Call the Midwife’ with surprise news

There was some unexpected but very welcome news for Call the Midwife fans yesterday.

The hit period drama series about a group of nurse midwives in the East End of London returns to BBC One this weekend.

After significant production delays in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show’s tenth season completed filming in February and the team have already started preparing the next season.

The show’s future beyond that had been looking uncertain, however.

Traditionally, the BBC doesn’t renew drama series more than a year ahead.

The corporation’s bosses are clearly big fans of Call the Midwife though, as they’ve just announced that the show will continue until at least 2024.

Yes, that means we currently have another four seasons to look forward to!

Season 10 premieres in the UK at 8pm on Sunday 18th April on BBC One (it’ll arrive on US screens later in 2021 on PBS).

Season 11 will air in 2022, followed by Season 12 in 2023, and Season 13 in 2024.

This will take Nonnatus House up to 1969 – we’ll have to wait and see if the midwives’ story will continue into the 1970s.

Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, commented: “The enduring popularity of Call the Midwife is a testament to the extraordinary love and creativity from its creator Heidi Thomas and its producers Pippa Harris and Ann Tricklebank.”

He added: “We are delighted to have secured the future of Call the Midwife for two further series beyond those which are currently in production, and look forward to enjoying more adventures for the inhabitants of Nonnatus House for years to come.”

While it’s not been officially confirmed, we can assume that Call the Midwife continue to air on PBS in the US.

Each season will once again consist of eight one-hour episodes, plus a feature-length Christmas special.

Based on the memoirs of Jennifer WorthCall the Midwife first aired in January 2012 and continues to be one of the UK’s most popular and most watched drama series.

Season 11 is expected to begin filming in England very soon.

Call the Midwife is available on DVD on Amazon.