WATERTOWN, NY (March 7, 2023) – The critically acclaimed British drama CALL THE MIDWIFE will return for its 12th season Sundays, March 19 – May 7, 2023 at 8:00 pm on WPBS-TV, watch.wpbstv.org, and on the PBS App. The eight-part series, which follows the nurses, midwives and nuns from Nonnatus House in 1960s East London, will air as part of WPBS’s Sunday night drama lineup this spring.
In Season 12 – set in 1968 – change is in the air. Enoch Powell’s infamous “Rivers of Blood” speech criticizing immigration creates serious tension in Poplar, especially when a group of dockers march in support of Powell – distressing Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) and Lucille (Leonie Elliott) in particular. The midwives welcome a new nun, Sister Veronica (Rebecca Gethings), who is an instant hit with everyone – except Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett). Meanwhile, the bond between Trixie (Helen George) and Matthew (Olly Rix) only strengthens following their engagement, while Nurse Crane helps Nancy (Megan Cusack) with her financial woes. Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) enjoys helping out the district, Shelagh (Laura Main) and Dr. Turner (Stephen McGann) split their time between the busy maternity home and their lively young family, and Reggie (Daniel Laurie) continues to bring joy into the lives of Violet (Annabelle Apsion) and Fred (Cliff Parisi).
CALL THE MIDWIFE stars Jenny Agutter (The Railway Children, Spooks) as Sister Julienne, Linda Bassett (Lark Rise to Candleford) as Nurse Phylllis Crane, Judy Parfitt (Girl with a Pearl Earring) as Sister Monica Joan, Ella Bruccoleri (Genius: Picasso) as Sister Frances, Helen George (Doctors) as Nurse Trixie Franklin, Laura Main (Monarch of the Glen) as Nurse Shelagh Turner, Leonie Elliott (Black Mirror) as Nurse Lucille Robinson, Stephen McGann (The Hanging Gale, Emmerdale) as Dr. Patrick Turner, Cliff Parisi (EastEnders) as Fred Buckle, Annabelle Apsion (Hillsborough, The Lakes) as Violet Buckle, Georgie Glen (Waterloo Road) as Millicent Higgins, Max Macmillan (The Song of Names) as Timothy Turner, Daniel Laurie (Finding Alice) as Reggie Jackson, Zephryn Taitte (Brothers with No Game) as Cyril Robinson, Megan Cusack (The Cherry Orchard) as Nurse Nancy Corrigan, Olly Rix (The Spanish Princess) as Matthew Aylward, and Vanessa Redgrave provides the voice of the mature Jennifer Worth.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Episode One – 3/19/23
The midwives welcome a new nun, Sister Veronica, who’s an instant hit with everyone – except Nurse Crane.
Episode Two – 3/26/23
A surprise patient pregnancy leads Dr. Turner to campaign for men to use contraception.
Episode Three – 4/2/23
As Nancy harbors a secret of her own, Sister Veronica’s new case shocks the women of Nonnatus house.
Episode Four – 4/9/23
An emergency gastroenteritis outbreak is declared at the Nonnatus House.
Episode Five – 4/16/23
Nancy oversees a child born out of wedlock, taking a very unexpected and shocking turn.
Episode Six – 4/23/23
Sister Veronica spearheads a new initiative to monitor the health of working children in the borough.
Episode Seven – 4/30/23
Preparations for Trixie and Matthew’s wedding are underway. A joyous occasion brings everyone together.
Episode Eight – 5/7/23
The wedding day arrives at Nonnatus House, but a horrific car crash turns into a race against time.
CALL THE MIDWIFE will be available to watch on-demand on all station-branded PBS platforms, including wpbstv.org and the PBS App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO.
WPBS members can view the the new season early with WPBS Passport (U.S. only) – Episodes one through three are available now and new episodes are added each Sunday. WPBS Passport is a member benefit that provides you with extended access to an on-demand library of quality public television programming. Learn more about WPBS Passport at: watch.wpbstv.org/passport/learn-more.
CALL THE MIDWIFE is created and written by Heidi Thomas; Executive Producers are Pippa Harris, Heidi Thomas, Ann Tricklebank, and Gaynor Holmes. The series is a Neal Street Production for BBC, in co-production with PBS, and is distributed internationally by BBC Studios in addition to the previous 11 hit seasons.
About WPBS
WPBS is a PBS station serving approximately 650,000 households throughout Northern New York and Eastern Ontario via cable, satellite, Internet and over-the-air distribution. WPBS is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate, inform, and engage its two-nation region with exceptional and trusted content across multiple platforms. Its vision is to be the premier provider of extraordinary public media that instills wonder and curiosity across generations and borders. More information about WPBS, including a full channel listing, is available at wpbstv.org, or by following WPBS on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
