Everything You Need To Know About Call The Midwife Season 7

Hurrah - finally, our favourite midwives and nuns from Nonnatus House are returning to our screens, with a brand new, and brilliant, season of Call the Midwife

Call the Midwife season 7 is set to begin in January 2018 - and it's looking like it's shaping up to be one of the most enthralling seasons yet.

The BBC's show's Christmas special won over the nation on Christmas Day, to become the most watched TV show of the entire festive period.

Understandly, fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the programme's seventh instalment, to find out what our favourites in Poplar have been up to since we last saw them.

Returning this series are some old favourites, as well as some brand new faces. Helen George stars as Nurse Trixie Franklin yet again, while Jenny Agutter will reprise her role as Sister Julienne too.

Laura Main will yet again play Shelagh Turner, and will be accompanied by on-screen husband Stephen McGann, as Dr Turner. Charlotte Ritchie will also return as Nurse Barbara Gilbert - as will her on-screen husband, Jack Ashton, as Reverend Tom Hereward. So what else is there to find out about the return of Call the Midwife?

Here's everything you need to know about Call the Midwife season 7

1. There will be some brand new characters on the scene

Sadly, it's recently been confirmed that some old favourites won't be returning to the drama. The programme confirmed that actresses Bryony Hannah, Kate Lamb, and Emerald Fennell wouldn't be returning for this season, meaning fans never got a chance to see how Sister Mary Cynthia recovered, or whether Patsy and Delia really had a future together.

But luckily, there will be some brand new faces, as the show prepares to welcome Nurse Lucille Anderson, as the show's first ever black nurse.

Black Mirror actress Leonie Elliott will be taking on the role, to mark the changing times in London, where medical facilities welcomed a wave of Caribbean nurses in the 1960s.

Coronation Street's Shayne Ward also spilled the beans that his fiancee will be starring in the new series too - Sophie Austin. Live on This Morning, he shared, "Sophie's just starting a new job, and she's probably going to kill me for saying this, but I have to say it because I'm excited for you, but she's just started Call the Midwife." It's not yet clear which role Sophie will play.

2. It looks as though old problems will be rearing their head for Nurse Trixie

In a newly released trailer, fans witness a glimpse of long-standing character Nurse Trixie Franklin in a teary conversation with her new love, Christopher.

In the short clip, an emotional Trixie tells him, "I'm not asking for help", to which he responds "You need to."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWfAD0hVPLA

So could it be that the midwife's problem with alcoholism slowly becoming a much bigger issue again? Live on This Morning, actress Helen George admitted, "It's always going to be a problem for her."

Fingers crossed that she swiftly gets the help she needs, if that's the case.

3. Could love be in store for Nurse Phyllis?

In the popula 2017 Christmas special of the show, viewers noticed that romance could be in the air for Nurse Phyllis Crane. The senior nurse at Nonnatus House had somewhat of an tounge-in-cheek exchange with a rather miserable policeman. But towards the end of the episode, the pair exchanged a rather knowing look...

And in the newly released trailer, we see the pair speaking and getting close yet again. Fingers crossed that love is in the air!

4. The new series will see a big change in times for Nonnatus House

Call the Midwife season 7 will see the world well and truly enter the '60s - and all the social and culturual changes it brought along with it.

According to Helen George, we can expect to see all sorts of changes as Poplar gets with the times. She said, "You'll see coloured TVs, tower blacks, dancing lots of fun dancing!"

We look forward to it!

5. Shelagh and Dr Turner will be getting an au pair

Shelagh [formerly Sister Bernadette] and husband Dr Turner have clearly got their hands full this season, with three children to take care of (including a newborn), and busy careers to juggle.

So it seems Bernadette has taken matters into her own hands in season 7, and hired a brand new au pair to help her and her husband take care of their expanding family.

In the new trailer, the former nurse introduces her family to the new nanny - and is met by a rather perplexed looking Doctor Turner.

The au pair certainly makes her mark saying "Your home is lovely...and so is your husband!" Uh oh, let's hope she doesn't stir up too much trouble in the new series...

So will you be tuning in to Call the Midwife season 7?

Call the Midwife season 7 starts this January on BBC One.