Miriam Margolyes will join the cast of Call the Midwife for the forthcoming 2018 Christmas special and episode 1 of series 8 which will, most likely, premiere on BBC1 in January 2019.

The Harry Potter star (along with Blackadder, Little Dorrit and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries) is set to play Sister Mildred, a “forthright and indefatigable sister from the Order.”

Mildred’s arrival at Nonnatus House, with four Chinese orphans, is something of a surprise. The child refugees who accompany her had fled China and were found abandoned in Hong Kong. They are being adopted in the UK as part of the World Refugee Project.

In addition to Sister Mildred, two more midwifes have arrived at Nonnatus House to make up for diminished numbers. Fenella Woolgar will play Sister Hilda, and Ella Bruccoleri will play Sister Frances. The final addition to the cast is Georgie Glen, who will appear as Miss Higgins, the new receptionist at Dr Turner’s surgery.

The 8th series of Call the Midwife will center around the spring time in 1964, with anticipation building for the birth of Prince Edward. Violet is holding a Teddy Bears’ Picnic and raising funds through a competition on whether the Queen will have a boy or a girl. With the addition of the two new Sisters, Nonnatus House feels full once more. The midwives are introduced to their new midwifery bags, much to the distress of an already under the weather Sister Monica Joan, who disturbingly absconds from Nonnatus House. Meanwhile, Nurse Crane is braced for a twin delivery but is confident the team can handle this smoothly.

In addition to the new resident of Poplar, the return of Helen George as Nurse Trixie Franklin has been confirmed with this announcement from producers, “We’re delighted to confirm that our Trixie is back where she belongs for Christmas and the forthcoming series.” You might remember that Trixie was absent from much of the previous series as she sought recovery from her alcoholism (and as Helen George gave birth to her own child) but fans can look forward to seeing her back on the job in series 8.

Call the Midwife will return to BBC1 for Christmas 2018 and to PBS in Spring 2019.

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