‘Call the Midwife’ is bringing back past characters in Season 12 – but who?

The next season of Call the Midwife is currently filming and it’s sounding great!

BBC One’s long-running period drama series about a group of nurse midwives in the East End of London has been celebrating a decade on air in 2022.

Watch the Season 11 trailer here:

With production on Season 12 now underway in England, we’ve got some exciting details about what to expect from the upcoming episodes.

Call the Midwife actor Stephen McGann has revealed that fans will be reunited with some returning faces from the show’s history when the story resumes later this year.

Speaking to Radio Times at the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival recently, he said: “Starting with the Christmas special, what I can say is that there is a return of some familiar characters from the past, in a very moving way.”

With the fourth episode of Season 12 set to mark the show’s 100th episode, could we see original star Jessica Raine return to Nonnatus House as Jennifer “Jenny” Lee?

Raine departed the show in the third season in 2014, going on to appear in Line of Duty, The Last Post, Baptiste, Patrick Melrose, and Wolf Hall.

Most recently she’s been playing Catherine Parr in Starz’s new period drama series Becoming Elizabeth.

Perhaps we might see Bryony Hannah back as Sister Mary Cynthia, or even the much-missed Miranda Hart as Chummy (aka Matron Camilla Fortescue-Cholmondeley-Browne)?

Maybe a more recent departure like Jennifer Kirby will reprise her role as Nurse Valerie Dyer?

Or will we see Oscar-winner Emerald Fennell and Kate Lamb return for a visit as Patsy and Delia?

McGann hinted: “I think it draws on its own history again, but there’s a lot of joy at Christmas as usual. But there’s also a great story there too, and it’s been really enjoyable to do.”

One thing is certain, the cast are definitely enjoying the more relaxed atmosphere on set after filming with Covid restrictions in 2020 and 2021.

Stephen McGann commented: “For the next series, I think it feels very open after the pandemic. There’s a good vibe at the moment on set. So I’m really looking forward to the dynamic of the new series – although we don’t get told a great deal, so we don’t know any big secrets!”

We’re not sure we believe that last bit, as McGann is married to Call the Midwife creator Heidi Thomas!

But we can’t wait to find out who’s returning, that’s for sure.

The BBC also announced details of an official Call the Midwife podcast this week.

As part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations, they’re producing a new podcast that “celebrates Call the Midwife and its special relationship with its audience.”

Season 12 will premiere on BBC One in the UK and on PBS in the US in early 2023, following the show’s traditional festive special this Christmas.

In the meantime, fans can celebrate a decade of Call the Midwife with this lovely new behind the scenes book.

A Labour of Love: Ten Years of Call the Midwife is out now and you can order it here!

Call the Midwife is available on DVD on Amazon.