BBC Call the Midwife prequel Sisters in Arms wraps filming

Filming has wrapped on a three-part Christmas special for the BBC drama "Call the Midwife," with new first-look images released on August 7, 2026. The special, titled "Sisters in Arms," serves as a prequel set in the London district of Poplar at the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939.

The story focuses on younger versions of the show's beloved nuns, Sister Monica Joan, Sister Julienne, and Sister Evangelina, who are portrayed as being in their prime. They are joined by Sister Alice and a local GP, Dr. Kit, dedicating themselves to mothers, babies, and the vulnerable in a time before modern medical comforts. The synopsis notes the absence of gas and air, penicillin, a cure for tuberculosis, and a welfare state, with conditions becoming even harder after war is declared. Three young secular midwives named Sybil, Olive, and Marianne complete the team, facing a trial by fire as the blackout and the Blitz grip the city.

New cast members featured in the released images include Helena Wilson as the young Sister Julienne, Julie Hesmondhalgh as Sister Alice, and Ellie McKay, Liv Andrusier, and Lizzie Back as the midwives Sybil, Olive, and Marianne, respectively. Original...