Call the Midwife star Helen George has warned fans that the show 'won't be the same' when it returns for season 16, following the departure of several characters. The season 15 finale aired on BBC One on 8 March, with the series set to take a break before returning in 2027.
For the first time since 2021, there will be no Christmas special, as a prequel series is confirmed to replace it. George, who plays Trixie, told Radio Times that April will be an especially emotional time for the cast, as they would normally begin filming then. 'We've all been saying that we'll feel it most in April because that's when we usually start filming,' she said. 'So when that comes around and we don't, we won't have the support network and community that work has given us.'
Laura Main, who plays Nurse Shelagh Turner, added: 'Apart from that first year, we've always known at the end of filming that we'd see each other again. We've had rare and lovely stability for 15 years. We've never had to be upset at the end before.' George reassured fans that the break is 'just a pause' because the show is coming back, but added: 'But it won't be the same, with different characters leaving and whatever.'
Created by Heidi Thomas, the series follows the midwives of Nonnatus House in London's East End. Season 15 hinted at a possible relocation for the midwifery unit, and Thomas has promised that the finale gave fans clues about where the characters will end up. A prequel series set during World War II is expected to premiere later this year, and a 1972-set film is also in development.
