The emotional finale of Call The Midwife’s fifteenth series was filled with touching moments, but sharp-eyed viewers may also have noticed a few unexpected faces quietly slipping into the background of the drama.
Among the surprise appearances was actress Pam Ferris, who returned as the beloved Sister Evangelina — nearly a decade after her character’s heartbreaking death in 2016. In a powerful and symbolic scene, she appeared once again to guide her old friend Sister Monica Joan as the elderly nun prepared to leave the mortal world.
But Ferris was not the only familiar face making a cameo.
Behind the scenes, the creators of the long-running BBC drama decided to step briefly into the spotlight themselves. Showrunner Heidi Thomas appeared in the scene as a ghostly nun following Sister Monica Joan as she was led away from her bedside. Executive producer Dame Pippa Harris also joined the moment, portraying a mourner inside St Oswald’s Church during the funeral sequence.
Heidi, who has written the series since it first launched in 2012, admitted she had always planned to make a small appearance in the final episode one day. She said she had promised for years that she would turn up in the finale dressed as a nun — and finally kept that promise.
She joked that although she thought she looked rather good in the costume, her husband Stephen McGann — who plays Dr Turner in the series — reacted very differently. When he saw her, he turned pale and told her she looked exactly like the nun who taught him sex education at school.
The episode also delivered a moving farewell to Sister Monica Joan, the oldest resident of Nonnatus House. Fans had been preparing for her final moments ever since she was diagnosed with kidney failure, with Dr Turner warning that she did not have long left.
In the series finale, the 99-year-old nun — played by 90-year-old actress Judy Parfitt — was given a deeply emotional send-off. The moment marked the end of an era for the beloved BBC drama, which is now taking a break while the creative team works on a prequel series and a feature-length film.
During the haunting scene, Sister Monica Joan is gently guided away from her body, with other nuns silently following behind — including Heidi Thomas herself in her ghostly cameo.
Meanwhile, executive producer Dame Pippa Harris revealed she had long hoped to appear briefly in the show. When she realised the crucial funeral scene was about to be filmed, she jumped at the chance to step into the background dressed in full mourning attire.
Pam Ferris originally left the series when production moved to a new filming location in Surrey, which made the journey too difficult for her. At the time, she admitted the decision was painful but said once she committed to telling the story properly, she had little time to dwell on regret.
She reflected that she would miss her friends on set — both in front of the camera and behind it — as well as the familiar costume she had worn for years. However, she admitted there was one part of the outfit she wouldn’t miss: the traditional nun’s wimple.
The finale also set up several major story developments. Nurse Trixie Aylward took control of the private maternity facility Lady Emily, while Cyril and Rosalind rushed into marriage ahead of their baby’s arrival despite her parents refusing to give their blessing. Nurse Joyce Highland also secured a new position as a sister at St Cuthbert’s Hospital.
Looking ahead, fans can expect a three-part prequel set during the Second World War, featuring younger versions of Sister Evangelina, Sister Monica Joan and Sister Julienne. The special is expected to premiere on Christmas Day.
A Call The Midwife film is also in development, with filming scheduled to begin next year. Set in 1972, the movie will reunite the current cast and take the story beyond Poplar — all the way to Australia.
Series 16 is expected to follow in the future, with new storylines likely centred around a community hospital.
