When will Call the Midwife be back? Christmas special and season 11 release dates and latest news

But don't panic! Because in less than seven months' time, the show will be back with a festive special. And that's not all: production on season 11 is already underway, and seasons 12 and 13 (and their Christmas specials) have already been confirmed.

Here's what we know so far.

Call the Midwife Christmas special 2021

Good news: despite all the challenges posed by COVID, we're definitely getting a Christmas special this year. If scheduling follows the usual pattern, we can expect Call the Midwife to return for a feature-length episode on 25th December 2021 on BBC One.

Fans in America can also expect a broadcast on PBS.

When will season 11 air?

Call the Midwife usually airs from early January in the UK.

This year, season 10 was delayed until the spring – with filming beginning several months later than usual, thanks to production delays caused by the pandemic.

However, things are back on track for season 11. Almost as soon as filming was complete on season 10, the cast and crew began work on the new season; that should mean it will air on BBC One in January 2022.

Call the Midwife cast: Who is returning?

The cast has yet to be officially confirmed for the Christmas special and season 11, but we can (hopefully) expect most of the regular Call the Midwife cast to return. That includes Helen George (Nurse Trixie Franklin), Leonie Elliott (Nurse Lucille Anderson), Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter), Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt), and Nurse Phyllis Crane (Linda Bassett).

Other main cast members include Stephen McGann (Dr Turner), Laura Main (Shelagh Turner), Cliff Parisi (Fred Buckle), Annabel Apsion (Violet Buckle), Daniel Laurie (Reggie), Zephryn Taitte (Cyril Robinson), Ella Bruccoleri (Sister Frances), Fenella Woolgar (Sister Hilda), and Georgie Glen (Miss Higgins).

We can also now reveal that Megan Cusack will return as Nancy Corrigan, Nonnatus House's resident pupil midwife who arrived in season 10.

Miriam Margolyes also remains in the cast of Call the Midwife as Mother Mildred, even though she did not appear on screen in season 10; presumably for COVID-related reasons, all her interactions took place down the telephone line.

What we don't know is whether Matthew Aylward (Olly Rix) will return, having guest-starred in most of the episodes in season 10. The widower has been through quite a lot in the last year, and Trixie has been a huge help to him – but could there be potential for romance?

Further guest stars for the Christmas special and season 11 will be confirmed in due course.

What will happen in the Call the Midwife Christmas special 2021?

So far, we only know about one thing which will happen in the Christmas special – but it's quite a big event. Because Lucille and Cyril are planning a Christmas wedding!

Originally, they were planning a long engagement so they could return to the West Indies for their wedding. But in the season 10 finale, they had a rethink about the logistics of that plan, and whether they wanted to wait to tie the knot. Now the happy couple are planning a Poplar wedding instead, which is exactly what we hoped for.

Further details of the Christmas special will be confirmed closer to the time.

What will happen in Call the Midwife season 11?

We don't have any official details yet. However, we can take a quick look at what happened in 1967, when season 11 will be set.

Firstly, there were a couple of big legislative changes which Call the Midwife will certainly cover. The Abortion Act 1967 was passed towards the end of the year, legalising abortion in a wide range of cases; this is sure to have a big impact on the women of Poplar, and on the work of the midwives at Nonnatus House.

The second significant change was the Sexual Offences Act 1967, which came into effect in July. The Act permitted "homosexual acts" between two consenting adults over the age of 21, and was a considerable milestone, even if it did not ensure equality in law.

This was also the year when the UK and Republic of Ireland applied for European Economic Community membership (a precursor to the EU); the Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band; Bond film You Only Live Twice premiered; colour television began on BBC Two; and Norwell Roberts became the first Black officer in London's Met Police.

How many more seasons of Call the Midwife will there be?

Fans will be delighted to hear that the future of Call the Midwife is secure! Aside from season 11 (2022), the show has already been re-commissioned by the BBC for season 12 (2023) and season 13 (2024).

The seasons will each consist of eight one-hour episodes, plus a feature-length Christmas special. This also means that the story will continue until at least the end of 1969, and potentially into the 1970s.

Creator, writer and executive producer Heidi Thomas said: "It’s an incredible privilege to be able to look back on a decade of Call The Midwife, and yet know that our journey is still very far from over. We are thrilled to be going on for a few more years!

“Like Nonnatus House itself, we have a proud past but an even more exciting future – full of old favourites, fresh faces, higher hemlines, new ideas. The stories we tell are like babies – they never stop coming, we love them all, and we vow to do our best by every single one.”

Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, added: “The enduring popularity of Call The Midwife is a testament to the extraordinary love and creativity from its creator Heidi Thomas and its producers Pippa Harris and Ann Tricklebank. We are delighted to have secured the future of Call The Midwife for two further series beyond those which are currently in production, and look forward to enjoying more adventures for the inhabitants of Nonnatus House for years to come.”

Call the Midwife seasons 1-10 are available on BBC iPlayer. Looking for something else to watch? Check out the rest of our Drama coverage or take a look at our TV guide.