BBC bosses have responded to rumours that Call The Midwife is to leave our TV screens after almost 15 years.
The Bafta-winning period drama concluded its 14th season earlier this year, after which it was announced that both a prequel series and film adaptation were in the works.
On Wednesday, the Daily Star claimed that Call The Midwife鈥檚 upcoming 15th season would be the last to air on television 鈥 though the BBC has now insisted this will not be the case.
鈥淭he BBC would like to reassure fans that Call The Midwife will remain at the heart of the BBC for years to come,鈥 a spokesperson said. 鈥淎s previously announced, there are two Christmas specials, a new series, a film and prequel series, before a sixteenth series in due course.
鈥淐all the Midwife isn鈥檛 going anywhere.鈥
In 2023, the period drama was renewed for two more seasons, the second of which will kick off with a two-part Christmas special at the end of this year.
A synopsis for these episodes previously teased that the story will begin in the early 1970s, with half of Nonnatus House heading on a mercy mission to Hong Kong while the younger team are left in Poplar 鈥渢o cope alone鈥.
The BBC explained: 鈥淎s the Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order鈥檚 future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do.
鈥淭his change of energy reverberates throughout series 15. The new series kicks off in 1971 with several of the ladies embracing Women鈥檚 Lib and burning their bras outside Nonnatus House. As the year unfolds, we see the team handle cases including premature birth, placenta previa, kidney cancer, tuberculosis and slavery.鈥
For now, the plot of the upcoming Call The Midwife film is being kept under wraps (other than that it鈥檚 set in 1972 and will feature 鈥渋conic characters from the existing TV show鈥), though it has been revealed that the new prequel series will be set during World War II.
鈥淗aving wept, laughed, and raged my way from 1957 to 1971, I found myself yearning to delve into the deeper past,鈥 creator Heidi Thomas explained.
鈥淭he Blitz years in the East End were extraordinary 鈥 filled with loss, togetherness, courage and joy. The bombs fell, the babies kept on coming, and the Sisters kept on going. There will be so much in the prequel for our wonderful, loyal fans, including the appearance of some familiar (if much younger!) faces.鈥