The BBC has released information on the Call the Midwife Christmas 2020 special episode

The BBC has released a set of interviews from many of the cast and others involved in bring Call the Midwife Christmas 2020 to our screens.

It’s December 1965 and everyone at Nonnatus House is looking forward to traditional celebrations with all the trimmings, but nothing goes quite to plan. Sister Monica Joan is rushed to hospital, and Trixie is incensed to receive a subscription to a Marriage Bureau as a Christmas gift. Meanwhile, a surprise reunion for Shelagh involves her in a deeply moving birth, and the Circus arrives in Poplar, bringing new friendships, new experiences, and an exciting adventure for Nurse Crane.

First up is creator / writer Heidi Thomas:

“… Fred is dressed as Santa, the tree goes up at Nonnatus House, it snows (slightly), and Trixie rocks a lot of faux fur. Meanwhile, there are fresh faces in Poplar, and new stories to unfold… TV was a major part of my family’s festivities, and Billy Smart’s Circus was an unmissable treat, even on our tiny black and white telly. It has been a joy to relive those memories in Call The Midwife this Christmas, in glorious colour, and with the added delight of Peter Davison guest-starring as our ringmaster.

We are now exactly half way through filming series 10, and in story terms are up to the summer of 1966. (No spoilers – England win the World Cup!) Everything feels full of optimism. Above all else, this year’s Christmas special is a story about our hopes, our fears, our need to be together, and what can happen when our dreams come true. You will cry a little, but end up smiling. I can’t think of a better metaphor than that for 2020.”

Jenny Agutter (Sister Julienne) shared this memory: In 1965, I would have been in Cyprus, so it wouldn’t have been a white Christmas. At that time, I would have been in Nicosia with my parents. My mother always decorated the tree on 20 December, which is my birthday.

Helen George (Trixie) admits There was a moment when we thought are we going to have Call the Midwife this Christmas? while Cliff Parisi (Fred) imagines the Buckles Christmas Day:

Definitely a trip to the circus on Christmas Day, then a nice turkey in the afternoon, maybe some Dubonnet or a Tia Maria or a Snowball and Fred will have a couple of light ales in the evening. They’d open their presents in the morning, under the tree. Fred will probably get an electric razor, and not know how to work it. Vi would get some heated curlers and Reggie would get a Scalextrics.

We finish with Stephen McGann (Dr Turner):

“I always, always watch the Christmas episode with my wife, who just happens to have written the Christmas episode! We are in our late 50s and are old enough to remember the golden age of Christmas specials. Suddenly we are the main Christmas programme. We now have that responsibility. It’s such a pleasure. We always make a point of watching live. It connects you with the festival and with the time. Christmas specials are a privilege because you get to do something wonderful for other people. The reason we’ve done nine of them is that we love them, and we try to give people a special present on The Big Day.”

Until Christmas fans can still watch all 78 episodes of Call the Midwife here on iPlayer.