Does Fred Buckle die in Call the Midwife season 13 and is Cliff Parisi leaving?

"Does Fred Buckle die in Call the Midwife?" is a question that some fans might be asking themselves after a particularly intense storyline was introduced for the beloved character.

The departure of a major character is something that fans of long-running dramas always dread and with Call the Midwife now on season 13 there have already been plenty of tear-jerking exits to watch. This includes the moment we saw Lucille leaving Call the Midwife in season 12 and if that wasn’t heart-wrenching enough, Fred Buckle’s storylines took a turn for the worse in Call the Midwife season 13. 

The fan-favourite character has been part of the show since season 1. So his fate is something that has likely caught fans’ attention as they wonder about actor Cliff Parisi’s future on the show. As concern circulates, we have the details about whether Fred Buckle died in Call the Midwife and whether Cliff is leaving.

*Warning: Spoilers for Call the Midwife season 13 ahead*

Does Fred Buckle die in Call the Midwife? 

For a moment it looked like fans were going to have to prepare themselves for a heart-breaking goodbye, but thankfully Fred Buckle didn't die in Call the Midwife season 13 episode 3. However, it’s unsurprising that anyone who hasn’t yet found out how to watch Call the Midwife season 13 and watched the latest episode might be fearing for his safety after seeing other fans talk online because Fred’s health deteriorated quickly. The character started feeling unwell after he cut his hand on a lawnmower as he was fixing up a green space in the local community.

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He was looked over by Nurse Trixie Aylward who dressed his cut and asked him whether he was up-to-date with his jabs. Busy thinking about his wife Violet wanting to become mayor, he said, “yes” without really thinking about what Trixie had said. Later his wound got far worse and he collapsed, barely able to talk.

Reggie Jackson, his distant cousin and surrogate son, ran to Nonnatus House for help and Trixie told Fred she was worried he had tetanus. This later turned out to be the case - on top of an infection in the wound. As the episode went on he was put on a ventilator after developing “an aspirational pneumonia” and things were looking dyer. Though in the final stages of episode 3 Fred responded to Reggie holding his hand with a gentle squeeze as he sat by his bedside with Sister Monica Joan.

At first, Sister Monica Joan didn’t believe Reggie and told him, “I deem it unlikely”, indicating just how serious Fred’s condition was. But Reggie was soon proved right about Fred regaining consciousness as he moved his foot whilst she was adjusting his duvet and opened his eyes. After he regained consciousness, Violet Buckle came rushing into her husband’s room, clearly overjoyed and emotional as she kissed him on the cheek.

“You’ve taken us to hell and back,” she declared as he responded calmly, “No lovey-dovey stuff now,” and the two rested their heads together, delighted Fred had pulled through.

Meanwhile, Sister Joan took the fact that Fred Buckle didn’t die in Call the Midwife as an act of God. She returned joyfully to Nonnatus House to inform the others about what had happened, telling them that the Lord had “expressed His gracious will”, and that “Fred ha[d] recovered his bodily health”.

The narrator in Call the Midwife, the older version of Nurse Jennifer Worth (née Lee) who appeared in seasons 1-3 later, reflected in the episode’s closing stages that sometimes “the things we almost lose are returned to us completely”. This couldn’t have been more fitting in light of what happened - and what *almost* happened - to Fred Buckle in this episode.

She added that we should celebrate and “hold [our] loved ones close and say out loud ‘How lucky we are!’”, as Reggie and Violet surprised Fred with a special meal brought to him in hospital.

Is Cliff Parisi leaving Call the Midwife? 

It’s easy to understand why some fans might be worried, even now, about whether actor Cliff Parisi is leaving Call the Midwife, but thankfully Fred Buckle’s recovery suggests this isn’t happening anytime soon. Of course, Fred’s full recovery will possibly take several more episodes but he seemed to have made huge progress by the end of episode 3. It would be very unexpected for Fred to get drastically ill again after the focus was put on his miraculous recovery. 

Of course, this is possible and Fred could recover only for his health to go downhill again in episode 4. But this doesn’t seem likely and so it probably isn’t wasn’t part of a long-term exit storyline for the character and for Cliff. Cliff Parisi has been part of the Call the Midwife cast since 2012 and thankfully it looks like fans can look forward to seeing him continue to be a key cast member going forwards too. 

Call the Midwife season 13 continues at 8pm on BBC One on Sundays and episodes are available to stream after broadcast via BBC iPlayer.