Call the Midwife Christmas 2022 special: Release date, cast, and latest news

The show's creator Heidi Thomas also previously teased some of the upcoming plots for the Christmas Special in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com.

She revealed that in the special and beyond into season 12 "something rather wonderful happens to Trixie, [and] Lucille has to contend with a reasonable amount of sadness".

She added: "We have a new nun coming to join the line-up, Sister Veronica. We also have a story featuring a young woman who’s recently been discharged from prison as a single mother and how she finds a community at Christmas when she’s completely alone in the world.

"And we also have a talent show, which has been enormous fun, honestly, both to write, rehearse and film. So there’s a lot of joy in there at Christmas as well."

Thomas also revealed the Christmas special will tackle the Thalidomide scandal once again, catching up with Rhoda Mullucks, whose baby was born with birth defects in season 5 after taking medication prescribed by Dr Turner, as she prepares to have another baby 12 months down the line.

The new pregnancy "puts them under a certain amount of pressure and gives them a lot to worry about", Thomas explained.

She added: "We haven’t actually been with that family for five years, so we’re picking up the pieces for them and it makes for a very special Christmas special."

While we count down down the days until we can sit back and enjoy the festive special when it lands on BBC One on Christmas Day, here's everything you need to know about the forthcoming Call the Midwife Christmas 2022 special.

Call the Midwife Christmas 2022 special release date

It's now been confirmed that we can well and truly look forward to seeing Call the Midwife on our screens in time for Christmas.

In fact, the Christmas 2022 special will air on the big day itself (Sunday 25th December) at 7:55pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, and will run for 1 hour and 29 minutes.

Call the Midwife Christmas 2022 special cast

While viewers will be sad to learn of two characters' departure from the series, there are plenty of faces that will be returning for the Call the Midwife Christmas 2022 special.

Those include:

• Helen George as Trixie Franklin
• Stephen McGann as Patrick Turner
• Max Macmillan as Timothy Turner
• Leonie Elliott as Lucille Robinson
• Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson
• Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne
• Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan
• Megan Cusack as Nurse Nancy Corrigan
• Linda Bassett as Nurse Phyllis Crane
• Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins
• Ella Bruccoleri as Sister Frances
• Olly Rix as Matthew Aylward
• Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle
• Liz White as Rhoda Mullucks
• Laura Main as Shelagh Turner
• Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle
• Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson

Call the Midwife Christmas 2022 special plot

Like any classic Call the Midwife Christmas special, fans can expect the episode to have its fair share of heartwarming scenes, laughs and more pivotal moments.

This time round, it's December 1967 and with Christmas fast approaching, life in Poplar is returning to normal after the terrible train crash.

Fan favourite character Trixie (Helen George) arrives back from Portofino, "looking poised and beautiful, much to the delight of Matthew (Olly Rix)," according to the official BBC synopsis.

It continues: "The midwives move the maternity clinic into new premises and are delighted when one of their first patients through the door is Rhoda Mullucks (Liz White) who the team know well. Rhoda is heavily pregnant, and understandably nervous, after her last baby was born with limbs that have been affected by thalidomide.

"Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett) cares for a heavily pregnant single mother, recently released from prison, while Sister Frances (Ella Bruccoleri) is called out to deliver a Sylheti mother’s child in a garment factory in a rough area of Poplar.

"Elsewhere, Fred (Cliff Parisi) decides that Poplar needs to come together to raise money for those families still affected by the train crash and pitches the wonderful idea of a festive talent show – Poplartunity Knocks!"

Read more: Call the Midwife unveils behind-the-scenes first look at Christmas special

Will Call the Midwife season 12 air soon after the 2022 Christmas special?

Fans of the series don't have long to wait for a return to Nonnatus House at all. Season 12 of Call the Midwife will debut on BBC One on New Year's Day at 8pm.

The anticipated new season will be just like the others in the way that it deals with pressing historical issues, as well as chronicling medical progress and social change.

And speaking in a Big RT Interview, Call the Midwife creator Heidi Thomas promised season 12 – which will be set in 1968 – will be just as hard-hitting and enthralling as previous seasons.

"Again, we’re looking at some very strong stories about the way society was changing at that time," she explained. "And that can be as simple as ventouse delivery coming in as a sort of improvement or alternative to forceps, certainly."

Season 12 will also be influenced by Enoch Powell's inflammatory anti-immigration speech, which saw him dismissed from the Shadow Cabinet.

Call The Midwife Christmas 2022 special airs on Christmas Day at 7:55pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Call the Midwife is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.

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