Call the Midwife reveals huge change for Christmas special as first look unveiled

Call the Midwife will return to our screens later this year with a two-part Christmas special for the first time in the show's history.

Fans can look forward to two 60-minute episodes, rather than one 90-minute instalment, which will end with a Christmas cliffhanger.

In the upcoming special, set in 1969 east London, Poplar is filled with excitement as a funfair comes to the neighbourhood, while the Nonnatus House midwives continue to do what they do best and deliver babies.

But as the residents prepare for a carol concert, news of an escaped prisoner evokes fears that they could be lurking in the area following a string of break-ins.

Elsewhere in the episodes, the Turner children become wrapped up in the fever surrounding the Blue Peter Christmas appeal to collect Dinky cars and scrap metal. Meanwhile, Trixie (Helen George) makes a fleeting visit to Nonnatus House and is delighted to see her brother, Geoffrey (Christopher Harper).

Viewers can also expect to see Miss Higgins (Georgie Glen) welcome her grandson Harry for the holidays, while Violet (Annabelle Apsion) hosts a mince pie competition while the Buckles' preparations for Reggie's homecoming are thrown into turmoil.

First-look photos show the characters singing carols outside Nonnatus House, while another snap sees the Turner children unwrapping Christmas presents. A third picture shows Fred Buckle (Cliff Parisi) in a hospital ward dressed as Father Christmas, carrying a red sack and a bell.

Teasing the upcoming episodes, creator and writer Heidi Thomas said: "Who doesn't love finding an extra, unexpected present underneath the Christmas tree? When I was asked to write a two-part Christmas special for 2024, I couldn't resist."

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Executive producer Dame Pippa Harris added: "For the first time, viewers can luxuriate in a two-part festive treat this Christmas. Heidi has created a spellbinding special which I know will delight our loyal fans."

Meanwhile, director of BBC drama Lindsay Salt said Heidi and the show's team have "lined up an absolute treat".

The two-part special will air on BBC One over the festive period.

Production on series 14 is currently underway, with filming expected to wrap in a few weeks. The upcoming series will consist of eight new episodes, on top of the Christmas two-parter, launching in early 2025 on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

A 15th series of the long-running show has also been commissioned.

What happened at the end of series 13?

As always, the show ended with a tear-jerking finale which focused on two major storylines.

Fans watched as Miss Higgins said goodbye to her long-lost son, Victor, who she was forced to put up for adoption decades ago after falling pregnant in India when she was 21. After the pair were reunited, it was revealed that Victor was dying from kidney disease.

Elsewhere, Trixie revealed her plans to join her husband Matthew in New York, who left Poplar earlier in the season to rebuild his finances after declaring bankruptcy.