Linda Bassett (East Is East) and Charlotte Ritchie (Fresh Meat) have joined the cast of Call the Midwife for the upcoming fourth series.

Bassett will play Nurse Phyllis Crane and Ritchie will play as Nurse Barbara Gilbert.

Series narrator Vanessa Redgrave will also appear as the mature Jennifer Worth on screen for the first time in this year’s Christmas special episode.

Filming has started on Series 4 and this year’s Christmas episode at the historic Chatham dockyard and at its studio base in Chertsey, Surrey.

Executive producer Pippa Harris commented: “We’re all delighted to be welcoming Vanessa Redgrave on screen, having hugely enjoyed her narration of the series to date. It’s also terrific that Heidi Thomas has created two wonderful new characters for the series, and that we’re fortunate enough to have Linda Bassett and Charlotte Ritchie joining our regular and much-loved team at Nonnatus House.”

The show’s regular characters will return for Series 4, alongside the recently introduced Patsy and Sister Winifred.

The third series concluded in March on BBC One.

Are you looking forward to Series 4? Let us know below…