CALL The Midwife bosses may have confirmed a new series for next year, but that hasn’t stopped speculation over the show’s future.
After creator Heidi Thomas suggested the BBC One hit may be paused and replaced by a spin-off, I can exclusively reveal that it could take the form of a “casebook” featuring doctor Patrick Turner.
Sources reckon there is plenty scope to expand the much-loved medic, played by Stephen McGann.
A TV insider said: “The GP is an important character, but ultimately is a supporting character to the nuns and midwives of Nonnatus House.
There’s the feeling that his day-to-day work in the East End of London has huge potential to be adapted into a spin-off, because he will deal with a vast array of problems and ailments beyond delivering babies.
“So it would be linked to the heritage of Call The Midwife, but also be sufficiently different to make it worth exploring.”
The 14th series of the period drama drew to a close on Sunday night and the show’s official account posted on social media: “See you again soon! x #CallTheMidwife will return with a brand new Christmas Special, and Series 15 in 2026!”
Filming is due to start soon, but if the show was rested after that, I previously revealed that another option could be a spin-off about the early life of Trixie Franklin, played by Helen George.
Heidi didn’t give much away when she recently told the Radio Times: “I don’t believe Call The Midwife will ever end. But I do think we might take a break at some point.
“There is a sort of an ongoing conversation we have at this point every year, which is, ‘Is there an end point? What are we working towards?’.
“Increasingly, we do see opportunities to expand our storytelling world. So if we do take a break, it will be with a view to looking at other aspects of Call The Midwife.”
When asked if that might lead to a spin-off being created, she teased: “Watch this space.”
I’d say a show centred on Patrick Turner could be just what the doctor ordered.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D108695%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /] [bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Call the Midwife fans stunned after discovering Renee Bailey’s racy TV past – and it’s worlds away from Joyce” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6369255708112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”] [boxout headline=”SOAP JOY FOR JANE”]ITV has confirmed Jane McDonald will reprise her role as host of the British Soap Awards when it returns later this year.
We were the first to tell you last week that Jane would be returning to the show, which she first hosted in 2023 before it was mysteriously cancelled last year.
She said: “I’m beyond excited to be hosting again, as I had such a ball last time.
“You all know I love my soaps, so to be giving recognition to the wonderful actors and their fantastic hard work is joyous.
“I can’t wait to get my glittery frock on and celebrate with everyone.”
THEM NEXT DOOR ARE A BIT RUMPY
A FIRST look at the new series of The Couple Next Door sees newcomers Annabel Scholey and Sam Palladio share a steamy kiss.
But Channel 4 will have to turn up the heat even more to compete with season one, which viewers coined the channel’s raunchiest ever drama.
It saw neighbours Danny and Evie, played by Outlanders’ Sam Heughan and One Day’s Eleanor Tomlinson, share a full-on snog in the rain and plenty more besides.
The new series will now follow Annabel and Sam as new characters Charlotte and Jacob, a high-flying married couple whose lives are turned upside down as new hospital colleague Mia (Aggy K. Adams) rents the house next door then works her way into their home, and bed.
Meanwhile, Charlotte has to handle the reappearance of an old flame, Sendhil Ramamurthy’s hunky Leo.
[boxout headline=”MO LIFTS A MASK”]MASKED Singer judge Mo Gilligan has told how he battled depression after first finding fame.
He told Jamie Laing on the Great Company podcast: “I lost myself, I struggled in a sense of, ‘Wow, this is all I’ve wanted, I’ve got the big cheque, but I’m not in the happiest place’. I was massively depressed. That’s when I started therapy.
“I didn’t cry in my twenties, I put up a wall, and when I got depressed it all came out. Therapy helped me open up, not so much to my therapist but other people, to let my real personality out and connect.”
SUE PERKINS wants viewers to know her new series Chess Masters: Endgame, can be surprisingly attractive.
Ahead of next Monday’s debut on BBC Two at 8pm, Sue said: “It’s gone from being a beloved board game to an online phenomenon, and it’s also become sexy.”
JAMES ACASTER has revealed Channel 4 will not be commissioning another round of his late-night game show People Person after a disastrous pilot episode.
He told the Always Be Comedy podcast: “Everything that went wrong could have gone wrong, and I absolutely loved it.”
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