Call The Midwife

[Perdita]

2nd March

Cynthia is concerned during a visit as she feels new mother Pamela is overly anxious. Dr Turner arranges for a psychiatrist to visit but on their return, Pamela and the baby are missing.
Jenny returns from the Mother House much restored, and is seconded to The London. At first she is impressed with the facilities and efficiency but after a while begins to see cracks in the establishment.

Chummy visits London to meet her mother for tea but is upset to discover that Lady Browne has left Madeira permanently and walked out on her father, rendering herself penniless.

Trixie struggles to hide her disappointment when Tom cancels a date but they later manage to enjoy their first dance together.

[Perdita]

9th March



Jenny visits the home of first-time mum, Jeanette, and the two women strike up an instant rapport. Jeanette needs frequent visits during the labour and a friendship begins to grow between Jenny and Jeanette’s cousin, Philip.
Jeanette struggles to cope with her labour pains and Jenny herself is also exhausted. She asks Philip to call Nonnatus House to ask for gas and air to be brought, and also a new midwife. Jenny is upset that this is the first time she has been unable to see through a labour and begins to ponder her future as a midwife.

Meanwhile, Chummy discovers that Lady Browne has discharged herself from hospital and despairs over her mother’s illness. Tensions grow again as Lady Browne begins to rally after her surgery and this makes Chummy less than keen to visit her again. However, after finding her in great distress, PC Noakes decides to take Lady Browne to the only place he knows she’ll be looked after properly – their home. As the days pass and Lady Browne’s illness worsens, Chummy focuses on what she can do for her mother, as a nurse, together with the help of everyone at Nonnatus House.

Shelagh and Dr Turner are dealing with the fallout of the revelation of Dr Turner’s nervous breakdown which came to light during their adoption interview. They receive a letter informing them that they have been accepted as adoptive parents and they have been placed on a waiting list pending the advent of a suitable baby. They are surprised and overwhelmed by the news as it comes at a time when their relationship feels very fragile.

[tammyy2j]

Call The Midwife and Death In Paradise have both been re-commissioned by the BBC for a fourth series.

Award-winning period drama Call The Midwife, starring Miranda Hart, Jessica Raine and Jenny Agutter, is set to return for another season, this time set in the 60s.

The medical drama, which was created by Heidi Thomas, follows the lives of a group of midwives living and working in London's East End during the late 50s.

The third series, which continues on BBC One on Sundays, has so far tackled the subjects of childhood illnesses, disability and birth in prison, as well as the death of one of the series' central characters.

[tammyy2j]

.

[tammyy2j]

Jessica Raine, the lead actress in Call the Midwife, has exited the show after an emotional third series finale.

Raine's character Jenny Lee quit her role as a midwife to begin working in a Marie Curie cancer hospital, and to start a new life with Phillip Worth (Stephen Ashfield).

The voice of mature Jenny (Vanessa Redgrave) will still narrate future series, as it was explained that she remained in contact with the staff at Nonnatus House and that she continued to share their stories with the world.

Raine has exited the show to pursue new acting projects after becoming a major star in the BBC One period drama.

She recently appeared in BBC Two's Line of Duty, and also starred in Doctor Who biopic An Adventure in Space and Time last year.

Raine will soon appear in the new Sky Atlantic drama Fortitude alongside Christopher Eccleston and Michael Gambon.


It was an eventful series finale for the BBC One drama tonight (March 9) as Miranda Hart's character Chummy Noakes lost her mum to cancer. Shelagh Turner (Laura Main) and Dr Patrick Turner (Stephen McGann) were also successful in their attempts to adopt a baby.

Meanwhile, Raine's Jenny Lee was shown growing tired of midwifery and discovering a new passion for helping the terminally ill and sick.

Call the Midwife will return for a Christmas special this year and a fourth series in 2015.

[tammyy2j]

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[Perdita]

Charlotte Ritchie and Linda Bassett have joined the cast of Call the Midwife.

Filming for the upcoming Christmas special and fourth series of the BBC One drama has begun in Chertsey, Surrey.

Charlotte Ritchie
© Getty Images / Ben Pruchnie
Charlotte Ritchie

Linda Bassett
© PA Images / Matt Crossick/Empics Entertainment
Linda Bassett

Bassett (Lark Rise to Candleford) has joined as Nurse Phyllis Crane, while Ritchie (Fresh Meat) will play Nurse Barbara Gilbert.

Meanwhile, narrator Vanessa Redgrave is to make her first on-screen appearance as present-day Jennifer Worth during the Christmas special.

Series four will see the group of nuns and nurses in 1960, bringing in new challenges at Nonnatus House.

Pippa Harris, Executive Producer for Neal Street Productions, said; "We're all delighted to be welcoming Vanessa Redgrave on screen, having hugely enjoyed her narration of the series to date.

Vanessa Redgrave
© WENN / Ivan Nikolov
Vanessa Redgrave

"It's also terrific that Heidi Thomas has created two wonderful new characters for the series, and that we're fortunate enough to have Linda Bassett and Charlotte Ritchie joining our regular and much-loved team at Nonnatus House."

Creator Thomas said: "The medical, social and emotional stories at the heart of Call the Midwife continue to inspire and compel me. The Nonnatus House nurses and midwives feel like my best-loved friends."

Regular stars Jenny Agutter, Pam Ferris, Miranda Hart, Judy Parfitt, Helen George, Bryony Hannah, Laura Main, Emerald Fennell, Victoria Yeates, Ben Caplan, Stephen McGann and Cliff Parisi will also return for the fourth series.

[Perdita]

Clare Cathcart has died, aged 48.

The actress, who had roles in Call the Midwife, New Tricks and Casualty, passed away yesterday (September 4) at her home in Brighton, a representative has confirmed.

Clare Cathcart
© Rex Features / ITV
Clare Cathcart

"It is with huge sadness that we have to report the death of our beloved friend and client Clare Cathcart," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"Clare was brilliant, fearless and funny; a wonderful actor who we are immensely proud to have represented.

"Her credits are too vast to list in full but, to name a few, she'll be remembered for her work at the Royal Court, the RSC, the National, the Tricycle and Chichester Festival Theatre as well as innumerable appearances on screen.

"Without her razor-sharp wit and glorious laugh the world will seem a darker place. We will miss her enormously."

Mrs Torpy faces a struggle.
© BBC / Neal Street Prouductions
Clare Cathcart as Mrs Torpy in Call the Midwife

Cathcart rose to prominence with roles in shows including Holby City, Come Fly with Me and Doctors.

Recently she guest-starred as Mrs Torpy in the first episode of the third series of Call the Midwife, which aired in January this year.

Her co-star Miranda Hart was among a number of actors expressing their sadness at the news.

Reeling from closer to home news of Clare Cathcart. Had the privilege of some serious laughing with her on call the midwife. A ball of joy.

— Miranda Hart (@mermhart) September 4, 2014

So sad to hear that my colleague fr Comedy of Errors Clare Cathcart passed away. She ws bright and very funny. She'll be missed. Bye Claire

— Lenny Henry (@LennyHenry) September 4, 2014

Clare Cathcart :a brilliant actress, comedienne,life affirmer, woman's woman,survivor, mother & friend.The world is a poorer place #RIP

— Tracy Ann Oberman (@TracyAnnO) September 4, 2014

My beautiful friend Clare Cathcart passed away today. Such a shock when someone so full of life dies. She will be so missed by so many. RIP

— Charlie Condou (@Charliecondou) September 4, 2014

Her cause of death has not been confirmed.

[Perdita]

Call the Midwife has been recommissioned for a fifth series.

The BBC1 period drama will also return for a Christmas special in 2015, as well as eight new hour-long episodes in 2016.

The fifth series will see the nuns and midwives entering 1961.

The fourth series has just finished filming, while viewing figures for the opening of series three reached 11.4 million.

Ben Stephenson, controller of BBC Drama commissioning, said: "Call the Midwife is one of UK's most popular dramas and in series four, Heidi Thomas's writing meets new heights.

"I'm delighted to be commissioning a new series."

Miranda Hart, Pam Ferris, Jenny Agutter and Helen George will all return for the Christmas special and new episodes for series four, while Fresh Meat's Charlotte Ritchie is joining the cast.

Call The Midwife series 4
© BBC
Helen George in the fourth series of Call the Midwife

Jessica Raine departed the show after an emotional third series finale earlier this year. Raine's character Jenny Lee quit her role as a midwife to begin working in a Marie Curie cancer hospital, and to start a new life with Phillip Worth (Stephen Ashfield).

The voice of mature Jenny (Vanessa Redgrave) will still narrate future series, as it was explained that she remained in contact with the staff at Nonnatus House and that she continued to share their stories with the world.

Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that Call The Midwife creator Heidi Thomas is developing a new US-based drama about nurses.

[TaintedLove]

I`m thrilled about Linda Bassett joining 'Call The Midwife'. She was fantastic in 'East is East' and 'West is West'. She`s really underrated actress.