Call the Midwife series 13 has a start date

Following the exciting news that BBC drama Call the Midwife has been renewed for a further two series earlier this year, the start date for series 13 has now been confirmed by bosses, and fans don't have long to wait.

When does Call the Midwife start?

After filming took place earlier this year, it's now been confirmed that series 13 of Call the Midwife will begin on Sunday 7th January at 8pm.

Weekly episodes will then follow every Sunday evening.

What channel is it on?

Series 13 will air on BBC One, with episodes also available on the BBC iPlayer.

What is it about?

Speaking ahead of the new series, bosses said: 'Series 13 continues to explore complex medical and personal situations on the midwifery and district nursing rounds. It is now 1969 and more babies are being born in hospitals than ever before. Pressure on maternity beds remains extremely high across the country but Poplar is coping better than most due to the work of Nonnatus House and the popularity of home births under the auspices of the Sisters.

'This series will see stories from within the Sylheti and Nigerian communities and from around the docks. Poor housing continues to blight areas of Poplar presenting complex social and health challenges to the Nonnatus team. It will also explore issues surrounding Cerebral Palsy, Congenital Hip Dysplasia, Tetanus, Porphyria and TB.'

When did filming take place?

Call the Midwife bosses posted on their official social media pages back in May this year, telling fans: 'BREAKING!! It's official - Call the Midwife has begun filming for Series 13!! 🤩🎬🎥🙌🍾

'We bring these pics straight from our filming set, where our intrepid Buckles, accompanied by the lovely Cyril, have the honour of beginning Series 13 with the opening scene!!

'Actors Cliff Parisi, Zephryn Taitte and Annabelle Apsion were on hand to posing for our traditional clapperboard shot, while the marvellous Daniel Laurie (Reggie, pictured) was waiting in the wings to begin his year's work with the family:-)

'We have SO MUCH to show you - beginning with our Christmas Special - so stay tuned!!

'Call the Midwife returns with a new Christmas Special, and Series 13 in 2024 xx'. (sic)

Will there be any more series?

After series 13 had already previously been announced, BBC bosses delighted fans earlier this year by confirming the show had been renewed for series 14 and 15, meaning Call the Midwife will be on our screens until 2026.

Creator Heidi Thomas said of the exciting news: "We are a family behind the scenes, on the screen, and in front of the telly, and I'm thrilled that we're all heading into the 1970s together."

Dame Pippa Harris, Executive Producer added: “I’m delighted that the BBC has commissioned another two series of Call the Midwife, taking us into the early 70s. 15 series is a tremendous achievement and it’s a testament to the passion and dedication of our cast and crew, of whom I’m very proud. But the show wouldn’t be the phenomenal success it is without the formidable presence of our creator and writer Heidi Thomas. Her continued devotion to the characters and determination to tell the untold stories of women is truly inspiring. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us and our extremely loyal audience in the future!”

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama also said of the news: “Call The Midwife's enduring popularity is thanks to the extraordinary creative talents and hard work of creator Heidi Thomas, executive producers Pippa Harris and Ann Tricklebank, and the series' dedicated cast and crew. I know they have many more stories to tell - and that the residents of Nonnatus House have many more babies to deliver - so I'm delighted that Call the Midwife will continue on BBC One and iPlayer for more years to come."

When is the Call the Midwife Christmas special?

As well as having series 13 to look forward to in early 2024, before that fans get to watch the 2023 Christmas special, which is airing on Christmas Day!

Check out al of the other TV Christmas specials:

How can I watch old episodes of Call the Midwife?

All past episodes of Call the Midwife are available on the BBC iPlayer now.

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