The beloved BBC drama Call The Midwife returned this Christmas with a two-part special that took its characters—and viewers—on an unexpected journey far from the familiar streets of Poplar. Airing on December 25 and 26, 2025, the festive episodes saw the nuns and nurses of Nonnatus House dispatched to Hong Kong, where they faced not only the aftermath of a devastating orphanage collapse but also the perils of organized crime and the enduring strength of human compassion.
The adventure began when news reached Poplar of a church orphanage in Hong Kong that had collapsed, leaving children and staff in desperate need. Led by Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter), a contingent of midwives and medics, including Dr. Turner (Stephen McGann), rushed to the scene to offer aid. But their arrival was anything but peaceful. According to Daily Mail, the group was met not with gratitude but with hostility from local Triad gangs. Their medical supplies were ransacked, and when Sister Julienne handed over all the money they had managed to raise as a deposit for a new orphanage in Kowloon’s Half Lotus Street, a menacing thug seized the keys at gunpoint.
Fred and Violet Buckle, in Hong Kong to visit their policeman son Derek, quickly realized they were far from the relative safety of Poplar. Derek warned, "Kowloon isn't the East End. It's about as dodgy as it gets." But Fred, ever the optimist, replied, "It's the same as Poplar, innit? Bad things happen, good people sort it out." That sentiment, as Daily Mail noted, has long been the heart of Call The Midwife’s Christmas specials—no matter how dire the circumstances, hope and kindness prevail.
The tension only escalated in the second part of the special, as reported by Mirror and Radio Times. Sister Julienne and Sister Hilda (Fenella Woolgar) were held at gunpoint by the same Triad-linked thug, who refused to return their deposit for the new clinic. Choosing to avoid violence, the pair abandoned the building and forfeited their hard-earned funds. Dr. Turner and Fred Buckle also found themselves at the mercy of the criminal while taking a taxi, their safety hanging by a thread.
Meanwhile, another storyline unfolded with Dr. Turner and his wife Shelagh (Laura Main) tracking down the biological mother of their adopted daughter, Esther Tang (Yennis Cheung). Esther and her young son were hiding from the boy’s father, a notorious criminal known as the Cormorant. Living in fear and squalor, Esther was desperate to prevent her son from following a similar path. When Dr. Turner discovered the child needed urgent medical attention, he insisted the boy should be brought back to London for treatment.
The situation came to a head when Dr. Turner and Frank confronted the Cormorant, who chillingly declared that if Dr. Turner wanted to take the boy out of Hong Kong, he would have to gamble for the chance. In a dramatic turn, the criminal was interrupted by a team of police officers, who instructed Dr. Turner to take the boy and give him a shot at a better life. The episode concluded with the family reunited in Poplar, the young boy awaiting treatment and a new beginning.
Back home, the Christmas rush for the midwives was in full swing. As Daily Mail described, a gypsy matriarch and her eldest daughter both needed assistance, and when Dr. Turner’s stand-in was unable to perform a forceps delivery, even the venerable Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) was called upon to help. Trixie (Helen George) returned from New York, forming a double act with her Harley Street brother Geoffrey (Christopher Harper), while Dr. Turner’s son Timothy (Max Macmillan) reappeared sporting a 1970s sitcom-inspired haircut and a newfound taste for cocktails and cigarettes. With so many nuns away in Hong Kong, some characters feared for Poplar’s moral standards, but as always, the spirit of Nonnatus House prevailed.
One of the most poignant threads in the Christmas special centered on Sister Monica Joan. As Radio Times recounted, a mystery visitor, Mr. Fischer—a terminally ill Jewish man and renowned actor—arrived wishing to spend his final days in his childhood home, now occupied by Cyril. Sister Monica Joan and Mr. Fischer shared a touching moment when they realized she had been the midwife present at his brother’s birth in 1903. With Hanukkah approaching and Mr. Fischer’s health fading, a rabbi was brought to his bedside. Surrounded by Cyril, Sister Monica Joan, and others, they lit the menorah and sang a prayer. Mr. Fischer died peacefully, comforted by the makeshift family of Nonnatus House. In the quiet that followed, Sister Monica Joan reflected on her own mortality, worrying who would be there for her when her time came. But her friends reassured her: "Your sisters will comfort you—those you knew in life, those who coached you through the novitiate, those who knelt beside you in prayer and by the beds of everyone you served." Rosalind added, "God can't have you yet—we can't spare you."
While the Christmas special delivered high drama and heartfelt moments, it also sparked a flurry of reactions from viewers. As Mirror and Daily Mail reported, many fans took to social media to voice their disappointment with the Hong Kong storyline, calling it "ridiculous" and lamenting the loss of the traditional Christmas atmosphere. Comments ranged from "Should have stayed in Poplar. Hong Kong storyline is ridiculous" to "Not sure what to make of this episode for Christmas—not enjoying the Hong Kong storyline, it’s lost that Christmas feel." Others, however, praised the emotional depth and moving performances, with one fan declaring, "The most moving episode of Call The Midwife I've ever watched. Bravo," and another enthusing, "That ep was SO beautifully done. So excited for series 15 soon!"
Despite the divided opinions, the Christmas special set the stage for the upcoming fifteenth season, which is scheduled to premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in early 2026. As always, Call The Midwife continues to blend stories of hardship and hope, reminding viewers that even in the darkest times, kindness and community light the way.
With its trademark mix of drama, compassion, and a touch of holiday magic, Call The Midwife once again offered viewers both comfort and challenge, proving that the enduring spirit of Nonnatus House can weather any storm—even one that blows in from halfway around the world.
