Is Call the Midwife ending? With Nonnatus thrown into turmoil, what is the future of the BBC series?

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In a deeply moving episode of Call the Midwife, Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) held a letter that carried terrible news. Standing alongside Dr. Turner and Mrs. Turner (Stephen McGann and Laura Main), she announced that the local council had ordered the closure of Nonnatus House’s maternity services and the maternity home.

Trixie (Helen George), close to tears, desperately asked if they had any control over the situation. The answer, delivered kindly, was still a firm no.

Nonnatus House has overcome challenges before, but this situation is the most serious it’s faced since Matthew Aylward stepped in and saved them from closure in season twelve. He purchased the building, securing their future at that time.

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After the recent events in the show, viewers are asking if “Call the Midwife” will continue. With no one left to care for expectant mothers in Poplar, will the series be able to keep going as it has since its debut in January 2012? Or could this be the end of the popular BBC drama?

For years, there’s been speculation about the future of Call the Midwife. Recently, in 2025, the network had to confirm that reports of the show ending after season 15 were untrue.

The BBC announced that Call the Midwife will return for a sixteenth season and confirmed the show will continue to be a key part of the BBC for the foreseeable future.

But how will this new story be told? In addition to the existing show, which is set in 1972, Call the Midwife is creating a prequel series. This new series will focus on the early years of beloved characters like Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt), Sister Julienne, and Sister Evangelina (Pam Ferris) during World War II.

Although the upcoming prequel will air instead of the planned 2026 Christmas special, the BBC has assured fans that season 16 (expected in 2027) will still have its own festive episode. They’ve also confirmed that Call the Midwife is here to stay, though expanding the show’s world might lead to new possibilities in the future.

Fans of the original show will be happy to hear it’s likely to continue! Sister Julienne actually hinted at this in episode five.

Sister Julienne explained to Trixie that she’d rather leave and work as a missionary somewhere else than compromise the values of Nonnatus House and pretend to be something they weren’t.

It seems the show might be hinting at a future move for the nuns. The Birmingham Mail reported that the real-life location inspiring Call the Midwife, and the people who lived there, relocated to Birmingham in 1976. This could explain why the series is now subtly suggesting a similar change, possibly setting up the nuns’ eventual departure from Poplar.

Season 15 is currently set in 1971, suggesting the show’s timeline is moving faster than before. Alternatively, there could be significant events and conflicts happening between 1971 and 1976, which would allow for a longer and more exciting story.

This is just an educated guess, but it’s reassuring for fans to know that the show’s creator, Heidi Thomas, and her team have lots of exciting ideas for the future.

Call the Midwife airs on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer.

Read more Call the Midwife news on our dedicated homepage

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2026-02-16 00:19