10x99 - Special Delivery

[bunniefuu]

Welcome to the tenth anniversary
celebrations of Call The Midwife,

full of love stories, crime,
comedy, tragedy,

all fired by the ties between
family, friends and community.

With nursing at its core,
Call The Midwife

depends on human interaction

more than most shows.

SHE SOBS
Oh, lass.

Since the series launched in ,

millions around the world have taken
our characters to their hearts.

Hello, I'm Jennifer Lee.

We are the Sisters
of St Raymond Nonnatus,

midwives and district nurses,
present at life's commencement

and at its end.

The name's Turner, patient's GP.

Sister Bernadette,
this is Nurse Lee.

Oh, greetings.

I understand you qualified
by a whisker,

- Nurse Fortescue-Cholmeley-Browne.
- I did pass.

It was a bit of a scrape.

Call The Midwife is a little
bit like a watch.

If you take the back off it,

you see all these tiny individual
wheels and cogs,

and not only does each have
a role of real importance,

but it works in conjunction

with other wheels and cogs.

So every character in the drama has
a particular relationship

with another one.

Nurse Gilbert?
Welcome. I'm Sister julienne.

I'm Patience Mount,
but people call me Patsy.

This is Fred, our handyman.

Phyllis Crane, SRN, SCM.

Hello!

One of the things that makes
the job special,

is that it's an ensemble cast

and they're all wonderful
and it's a joy to act with them.

Nurse calling.

Valerie Dyer, I'm a nurse.
Queen Alexandra's Army Corps.

BELL RINGS, DOOR CLOSES

Oh, hello, Reggie, love.

Hello, Mum.

We're going to go straight ahead and
then turn right into Lisbon Street.

Don't forget your hand signals.

I just stick out my arm, don't I?

- Slow down now, Chum.
- How?

Lean in as you turn.

I don't know how to turn!
I've forgotten how to turn!

THEY SHRIEK

Brake! Brake, Nurse!
BIKE BELLS RING, CRASHING

What happened? They
were going too fast!

I think the success of the show
really is down to the fact that

Heidi Thomas is still
writing for us.

The programme has showcased the life
and work of a midwife

and the essential
humanity of the role.

Absolutely beautiful.

You say that as if you've never
heard it before.

I haven't, for a while.

That's it, Carrie,
put another one behind you.

I think, Call the Midwife has

really brought
midwifery into people's minds.

It's become a sort of household
name in a way that

perhaps it wasn't before.

It's discussed more, it's become

a career possibility for many women
and men.

The word midwife means "with woman".

A woman in that situation needs
somebody by her side,

whatever mistakes or choices
brought her to our door.

That's it. That's it.
Keep it coming.

SHE GROANS

Gravity can do amazing things.

It keeps our feet on the ground
and bring babies down to earth.

You have to remain

calm and measured in your responses

and you have to be

kind and empathetic.

BABY CRIES
You're unbelievably brave

and I wish we all had your courage.

Thank you.

I thought I deserved all
manner of medals. Up all night,

cycling for miles,

a wall of wimples at every
single mealtime.

Ain't you ever heard of a mother's
instincts before?!

I need him to come!

Blondes have more fun, they do.

Ain't that right, Nurse?

Absolutely.

I didn't expect glamour
when I came into nursing,

but I had hoped for something more
than a nice hymn,

discussing square dancing
and drinking Horlicks.

We are midwives.

And we're also nurses
and we're your friends.

While we're looking after you, we'll
be whichever of those you need most.

SHE SOBS

SHE LAUGHS
Ah!

You mark my words,
the joy of midwifery never dims.

With music you can somehow
express things that

go beyond what you can say
with words.

We're here in Abbey Road Studios,
where we have just recorded an

episode of season ten.

The most important instrument in the
palette of sounds is actually

the, the dialogue,
the script of Heidi Thomas

and the music is written in
counterpoint with the, with the story.

What happens in the story resonates
in the, in the music

and creates an avid language.

It is just a universal
human language.

Some of the scenes I like to score
the most are the birth scenes.

It's the mystery of
the creation of life,

and the music can go beyond
what we see in the visuals.

A receiver for the placenta, please,
Pupil Midwife Corrigan.

Yes, Mrs Turner.

Playing the part of a
competent midwife

is not the same as being one.

Confronted by the reality,
could any of us really handle it?

I could deliver a baby.

Absolutely not! I think
I'd probably run the other way!

SHE LAUGHS

Because it's not like it is
on TV in real life.

If I see someone who is quite
largely pregnant

and likely to have a baby any time,

I move very far away,
so that I am not spotted

because the idea of being asked

whether I could do anything...
SHE LAUGHS

Yeah, I, I'd sort of think,

oh, I'd know what maybe
some of the stages were.

Erm, not really. No, I think,
I think I'd rather,

erm, leave it to the experts.

In terms of my favourite birth,
gosh, there have been so many.

I'd like to know how many
I've done on the show.

There's been some really
incredible ones and I think,

each time it's an emotional
bubble that bursts.

Even though it's acting,
it somehow feels real.

She says, I love you.

And your father loves you.

And if you never hear his voice,

or if I never hear yours...

...just know that we love you...

"from the bottom of our hearts.

I never stop being moved every time
I see a baby born.

It doesn't matter how many times.

And I think that's what the audience
love too, it's fresh life.

And if you're suggesting that
a few deep breaths

and not thinking about what's for
dinner is all there is to labour,

you are leading your patients
up the fairy way.

SHE EXHALES, MOANS
That's it.

SHE GASPS, BABY CRIES

Congratulations!

One baby.

Babies come along when
they feel inclined.

We can only prepare,
we can never predict!

SHIP'S HORN BLARES

Oh, Lord, if I've ever given you

the impression that I don't
believe in you,

I absolutely promise that I do now.

Oh! I did it!

- It's a little boy, Noelle.
- Oh, he's beautiful!

But that dress is ruined.

That dress just had
the best day of its life.

I want to be glad but
I don't know how.

Let him hold your finger.

Let him know you're here.

You have a son.

Hello.

Call The Midwife has not shied
away from difficult subjects.

What is it?

Baby's had some complications, Ruby.

Spina bifida...

It's a problem with his back.

...tuberculosis...

Yes.

The lesions are small.

...female genital mutilation...

But there is more than one.

There's nothing there but a scar
from front to back.

- Are you sure?
- ...abortion...

This is England and we do not give
out abortions to any woman

who demands one.

...racism.

One as necessary,
just as you've been taking them.

I tell you what, every woman
in the family way is going to be

banging your doors down for these.

What's that magic stuff
in them again?

The tablets are known as Distaval

and the magic ingredient is
called thalidomide.

Well, better get some more in.
I'm going to spread the word!

Shall we?

I think one of my favourite moments

has to be series five
and thalidomide,

and the reason being that, I was old
enough to remember these kids

playing in the street, they were
a bit older than I was.

Catch your breath for now.
SHE MOANS

What is it, a boy or a girl?

It also affected the
character personally.

It's a daughter.

It involved fantastic
special effects

and enormous commitment to accuracy
and authenticity in the script.

BABY CRIES

Bring her over,
I want to look at her.

My favourite

Call The Midwife scene is probably
the scene in that episode.

An ordinary mum has the baby
in her arms and she uncovers

for the first time that this,
this child is four-limb deficient.

BREATH QUIVERS

Oh, love.

What a mess.

What a mess, eh?

We'll sort something out.

I promise.

Cos you're mine.

Mine.

And I'm not bailing out on you.

But me and Laura worked a lot

with the wonderful animatronic model
which we called Baby Susan,

that's her character's name.

She can hold a rattle in them,
Dr Turner, and a spoon!

She can't get it in her mouth yet,
but...

Most children can't feed themselves
until they're a wee bit older.

One of the most important
prosthetics

we had made was for baby Susan

and we had loads of research
material from Heidi

and we worked with really brilliant
prosthetic technicians.

We were also talking to grown-up
thalidomiders,

who hadn't seen themselves
as babies,

so it was really moving for them.

That's it, lift it off there, go on.

Look at that! Yay!
Susan, that's for you!

And at that time,
observing those things

and being proud to play a part
in that

is possibly my proudest
moment on Call The Midwife.

Come along, Sally. You can
bring your mother with you.

My favourite story was
incredibly moving.

It was me and Cynthia, Chummy

and Cynthia, that did the birth
for that scene and that was...

...incredibly tough to do

acting-wise and just sort of being
in the moment of that story.

That's an example of a Heidi Thomas
genius script.

I thought it was amazing,
incredibly moving.

I haven't heard it cry yet.

Is it hurt?

Baby's just very, very little,
Sally.

SALLY MOANS
It's just the placenta, Sally.

Can I go home now?

We do deal with the harsher
realities of being

a young black woman in white
British society at that time.

The midwife's here.

Nurse Anderson,
this is Marjory Chivvers.

Hello, Mrs Chivvers.

Textbook pregnancy this time too.

Known Marjory since school.

Biggest complication is likely to be
the mother — bit of a character.

I meet the mother of the expectant
mother, called Mae Stanton,

who's probably not
so pleased to see me.

I need to examine you.

Who d*ed and made her the boss?

Look, if you're going to be
funny you can clear off!

Can't no-one take a joke these days?

Right, Mae, why don't you
get back down...

She doesn't want a foreign

midwife to, you know,
look after her daughter.

Hello, girls!

And how's little... Hands off!

Mrs Stanton!

Come on, girls. Come with me.

I don't want you lot anywhere near
my family!

And especially not her!

Come on, girls.

I did an episode about FGM.
(female genital mutilation)

And people couldn't believe
that it was,

sort of, went as far back as that,

that people were addressing it that
far back, but they were and

that was sort of when we were first
starting to see it in this country.

My name is not Mrs Farah.

In my country, a woman does not take
her husband's name.

She is her own person,
called after her own family line.

My name is Nadifa Ghedi Jama!

And no man would dare cut me
or my sisters.

The person who holds a Kn*fe
is a woman.

The person who calls Deka back to
be cut is a woman.

Her own mother who loves her!

Who wants her to be respected, to be
clean and to find a good husband!

And to be those things...

...she must be cut.

She will not be scared.

She is braver than me.

Call The Midwife does address some
of the issues

that we have today, I think.

There's a real focus about abortion
and people's opinions on that.

Obviously it was still illegal at
the time, so people were going to

desperate measures to
reach their end goals.

Gran... Gran, has someone been
doing an abortion?

Yes.

Me.

You know it goes on all over.

Just like everybody else does.

She ain't never had this
happen before.

Not once! You wanted towels.

Don't you dare bring those filthy
articles anywhere near my patient!

Throw them on the floor, please,
so I don't slip in this mess!

Thank you.

Can you put some gloves on,
Nurse Dyer, in case I need you

to prepare some ergometrine?

Sweetheart,
can you tell me your name?

It's Teresa.
SHE GROANS

I'm just going to take a little
look down below, Teresa.

I send them home to bed, usually.

They lose it at night
or the next day.

Move your knees apart for me.

- I've never seen anything like this.
- Good girl.

We're going to sort this out.

I reckon there was already
something wrong with her.

It's the haemorrhage she's
having now that concerns me.

- Did you use instruments?
- Yes.

Thank you.

Nurse Dyer. I need sterile pads.

- And I need you to call for an
ambulance. - I can't do that.

You know I can't.
It's why we sent for her.

You can and you will,

because if either Nurse Dyer or
I have to leave this poor girl's

side to do it, we'll be coming back
here with a police officer.

Won't we?

Yes.

I don't want my mum and dad to know.

I promise, Teresa, right now

nobody in this room is
thinking about anyone but you.

The sets in Call The Midwife
are carefully

built around the stories.

Working with elaborate props,

actors sometimes feel drawn
to the objects around them.

If I were to steal something from

a set on Call The Midwife,
I'm afraid that there are two

main places of focus
and one is my office.

I absolutely love... all
the props in my office.

I'd like to take my uniform home.

I love this building and I would...

Every time I have an idle moment,

I stroll around it and imagine it

as a fabulous house that
I could live in.

And this room that we are in is
actually my en-suite bathroom.

Armchairs. They're not comfy

but they look fantastic.

Yeah, I'd like an armchair.

I'd want to take home that.

Well, I think contractually
it's going to follow me

on every job I do

and I might take it home.

WHISPERS: Don't tell anyone.

There's a few costumes that
I really want to take home.

I've got this beautiful,
bright blue, suede coat, which is

a gorgeous sort of ' s
vibrant colour

and I really want to take it home.

I have been eyeing up the clock
in Dr Turner's surgery.

I really would quite like that
on, on my kitchen wall.

I'd probably take my cross.

And the other thing I'd like to
steal, if I may steal

something else, is a tea set
from the tea table, because so much

of our lives are placed around that
and they're so much of the period.

If there is something I'm allowed to
take home from the set,

it would be an enamel
bucket with a lid.

If Laura Main doesn't bring her
lucky handbag to the set

containing her script,
she freaks out.

So, if there's anything I'd like to
take home, it's the handbag.

I, Georgie, would like the donkey
from the first nativity play.

That was my, I think
it was my very first scene.

There are one or two young men
I wouldn't mind taking home,

but apart from that, no.

In a scene, I may be opening
a letter and when I open it,

someone's taken the trouble to write
the letter to Sister julienne

and it will be about a problem
they're having.

And it's not a letter
that's being seen,

it's not a part of the story, but
that's what the prop department do

and I might steal one of those.

This is the prop store and we hold
thousands of items here.

I've been to South Africa
with this show

and we've been to Scotland.

South Africa probably was

the hardest challenge I had,
because we were in the heat.

So, we were up against
all the elements.

There've been so many wonderful
scenes over the last ten years.

I think one of my favourite ones was

when we were in South Africa
and we were travelling back

on the back of a truck that

Dr Turner was driving.
SHE GIGGLES

Quite badly, I have to say.

But we had this wonderful moment,
myself and the ladies, where we

just sort of watched the sunset and
sang. I think we sang Amazing Grace

and it was just this really
peaceful moment.

I don't think
we were even being filmed,

it was just a wonderful moment.

I had huge resistance in me
to going to the Outer Hebrides,

looking at these
pictures of what seemed

to be a very grey
and difficult place,

and I loved the experience
of being there.

There was that inexplicable

scene of following Sister
Monica Joan across the moorside

and then having
her see a white stag.

It's part of the magic of the way
Heidi writes.

I think that she does write
imaginatively.

You can't help but be
touched by something like that.

SHE GASPS

Oh!

I knew Him at once...

"from the love in his glance.

He came...

He looked...

...and He departed.

In that case,
we will accept His blessing

and go to seek Him in another place.

Love has been a key element
in Call The Midwife.

The turmoil, excitement and quiet
comfort

of relationships have all
played out here.

Falling in love with
Dr Turner in series two

and, you know, that dilemma,
leaving the order.

I'll never forget being told

what was planned in that series,

because it just felt like such
a gift of a story line and

suddenly the job was even more

greater than I thought
it was going to be.

So all of that series
and those moments

I'm really fond of, looking back.

Dad!

There's a woman in the wrong clothes
and I think it's her!

What if it had started raining?

What if you'd got lost?

I was lost.

I got the wrong bus.

- I was on the right road.
- Yes.

I know you so little,
but I couldn't be more certain.

I am completely certain.

I don't even know your name.

Shelagh.

Patrick.

There.

We've made a start.

I can't, Jimmy!

I believe in the films, they say,
"Your place or mine?"

I'd live in a ditch
if it was with you.

Will you just let me love you

and accept this blade of grass?

Yes, I will.

Barbara Gilbert, will you marry me?

Oh!

If I may quote a poem.

"For love of you, the air, it hurts,

"and my heart, and my hat,
they hurt me.

"Who would buy it from me,
this ribbon I am holding,

"and this sadness of cotton, white,
for making handkerchiefs with?

"Ay, the pain it costs me
to love you as I love you."

Not my words
but those of Garcia Lorca.

I'm not one for Spanish poetry,
give me Tennyson any day,

but...I find his words move me.

And if I may...

...the pain it costs, to love...

I believe it is always worth it.

And wherever I go next...

...you're coming with me.

I love you, Nurse Anderson.

Over ten years of powerful drama...

Hello, bambino.

...particular scenes touch us
in a special way.

I'm your dad.

I thought it was a wonderful scene
when the nuns

went through the trunk load of
dresses that they had had for their

marriage to Christ,

and gave a revelation as to who
they were and what they'd felt

and their commitment.

...Until I had blisters.

And this one's mine.

It was almost thrown out

because there was silver
embroidery on the sleeves.

In the end, I had to unpick
every stitch.

I felt rather sorry for the bride

that donated it.
SHE GIGGLES

I was quite sad when I was told
I'd be making my vows in my habit.

I hadn't realised the order had
given up the custom until then.

Sister, the expression on your face
was worth a thousand frills

and folderols.

I don't mind telling you, I felt
like an absolute sideshow in my big

white frock.

I'm sure you looked lovely.

It was just a load of nonsense!

I'd never had any dreams
of a wedding day.

When Sister Evangelina d*ed and
the coffin is at the entrance

to Nonnatus House and Sister Monica
Joan brings out her shoes

and puts them on the coffin lid,
lthought

that was the most brilliant
thought on Heidi's part,

because it was so emotive.
It sums up the character.

HORSE SHOES CLATTER

I think my favourite story was
the one where we rescued

a young mother from an abusive
husband.

Her mother was also a bully,

so she was having a very bad time.

She had a little son as well
as the baby.

Mickey... Mickey, run and bang on
the door. Bang on it.

Help! Help!

SHE SOBS
Come inside.

Come inside, where we can help you.

We got her away.

There was a lovely scene at the end
of them getting on the bus, going

off to a better home life

and the little boy holding his
balloon as he went off

and waving bye-bye.

- Yes, I liked that story.
- Bye! Thank you!

Bye!

One make-up that I really did enjoy
doing was a few series ago now,

but it was on Sister Cynthia.

And she'd unfortunately, in the
story line, been badly beaten up.

We didn't really go overboard
with it,

so it wasn't absolutely
excruciating to look at her,

but it was enough to make her look
really vulnerable and frail.

It's very important that we create
just the right support.

I think it can really help an actor.

Sister. What happened?

I wasn't r*ped.

Before you ask me,
I can say that, I wasn't r*ped.

You were viciously att*cked.

Just now the details don't matter.

I don't want you to come near me,
I just...

...I don't want anybody to
touch me at all.

I'll call Sergeant Noakes.

Bryony was so brilliant
in that part.

Thank you.

There was a little bit of prosthetic
on her eye, but not too much,

but I think it really worked
actually.

There is a time for us
to mortify our flesh.

And a time to cherish it...

...and marvel at its strength.

My entrance,
coming in and the big freeze,

trudging through the fake snow,
meeting Val

and the rest of the cast,

that's probably my favourite moment.

Ah!

BANGING

Come in! Quick, out of the snow!

- Do you need to see a midwife?
- I am a midwife.

I'm Nurse Anderson.
L-Lucille Anderson.

Ah! Course you are!

And I just fell over.

Oh! I'm sorry we're in the middle
of a power cut.

I'm sorry I'm late.
I've been travelling for two days.

Have you bought a suitcase
or anything?

I bought two but I had to leave
them behind

when we were forced to
evacuate the train.

Oh!

A poetess?!

Oh!

One dabbles, Sergeant Woolf.

I'd had a romantic liaison
with Sergeant Woolf

and I'd allowed myself to get a
bit silly and romantic about it all.

I feel it would be unfair of me
to continue with our relationship.

It ended badly and tragically and I
felt embarrassed and silly about it.

Nurse Crane offered

a hand of friendship

and we had a little scene where
we sat in the allotments.

And it was a very special moment,

because I think it was the first
time Miss Higgins had

actually allowed herself to
let down her defences and realise

there was someone there who was
offering some sort of friendship

and she could really speak openly,

and I found that that was quite
an important moment for me.

I...fear I have made myself look
rather foolish.

Not in the least.

One becomes so starved
of companionship.

I let myself imagine it was
something more than it was.

You've been disappointed in love,

it doesn't mean there wasn't love
there to begin with.

I have many favourite moments
but one that

sticks in my head is when

Cyril picks up Lucille in the
motorbike and the side car.

I just fixed it up.

You're the first person
to ride in it.

- And how do I get in?
- Just climb in.

There's nothing to it.

Come on, let's go.

It just lit that kind of excitement

about this new relationship
that's forming.

And he hasn't rode this bike again,
so definitely that,

that was a memorable moment for me.

What makes me feel so happy
in fittings is when that

actor actually feels
the characters that

they're playing and you can just
see it in their face.

- Beautiful. - You know, I know
that I've done my job then.

A favourite outfit would be
Trixie's return.

Taxi!

Everybody watches what
Trixie's wearing.

So there was quite a lot of pressure

to make sure we had an outfit

that was eye-catching.

Nurse Franklin. Trixie, you look
wonderful!

I dare say you'll be wanting
a decent cup of tea!

Yes! And if it comes with cake,
yes, please!

The good thing with Trixie
is that we do have the, er,

the rich aunt from Portofino, so
we do have a little bit of

artistic licence on giving her
a wardrobe that's slightly more

sophisticated and glamorous than

perhaps would be for a normal
midwife's wage.

APPLAUSE
AUDIENCE: Oh!

Family bonds are especially
important here.

They are the b*ating
heart of the drama.

People write in all the time
saying how much

they enjoy watching functioning,
growing families.

Are you sad, Dad?

How could I be sad
when I've got you?

There's only t-two things that
I want now...

...a minister of religion...

...and to see you in your
Nonnatus uniform again.

I'm happy.

Well, that's a good thing,
isn't it, to be happy?

Not if my mum's angry.

Why would she be angry?

Because she's not here.

Reggie... Your mum
would be delighted.

All she ever wanted
was for you to be happy.

And Fred and I are going to make
sure that you are.

Don't worry, Auntie Vi.

I'm not sad, I'm happy.

Put this on.

It's Mater's.

SHE WHEEZES

I love you.

SHE SOBS

The family, to the Turners,

it should feel like home.

HE LAUGHS

I sent you a Dundee
so it would last.

We have Tim,

a widower's son,

and we have Angela,

we have May, we have baby Teddy,
we have a number of rabbits.

Well done, Timothy.

To have a family at the centre of a
drama like this, a family that grows

like other families who watch the
programme...

Oh! You've grown a whole inch!

...that is more true to more people
out there than, say,

a serial k*ller drama

or, you know, a spy mystery
that you can have a hundred of.

This is more of a real thing.

We just have to check if you're

tall enough to drink beer.

Oh!
THEY GIGGLE

It seems you are.

The Bishop said that BBC Television
want to film a carol service

in an ordinary London church
and broadcast it on Christmas Day.

Filming, Mr Hereward? In a church?

My sentiments exactly.
Is nothing sacred?!

Call The Midwife deals with births,
marriages and deaths.

All major life events that have
traditionally

been mediated by faith.

And grant that this day
we fall into no sin,

neither run into any kind of danger.

That all our doings,

in order by thy governance,
may be righteous in thy sight.

Everyone always says I sound
like I'm from a different time

and so it fits perfectly for this,

so it's nice to have a little sing,
actually.

It's very soothing doing
those psalms.

There's something that comes over
you when you're doing it,

it's a really nice thing

to do with the other nuns
when we get to do those scenes.

I would be a little bit fed up with
you if I was the man upstairs.

The man upstairs knows my reasoning.

In which case, he also knows
you're scared.

Yea though I walk through
the valley of the shadow...

Yea though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,
for thou art with me,

thy rod and thy staff,
they comfort me.

♪ I once was lost

♪ But now I'm found

♪ Was blind

♪ But now I see. ♪

We are, none of us, cast adrift
if we have faith.

Our location, Poplar, has developed
through each series.

Morning, Reverend.

Over ten years,
housing and fashions change.

We're all girls together, aren't we?

The abiding element

has been a sense of community.

Smile for Mother Mildred.

All islands are like this.
All islands have a boundary

and you live your life within it,

and you love it or you break out
and make a life elsewhere.

And on every island in the world,
no matter how magnificent,

there are those who cannot leave
and those who cannot stay.

And I was one of those who
could not stay.

We have always helped our neighbours
where we can

and the people in this district
are our neighbours not

objects of charity or pity.

So, why do you think
they chose to come to you?

Because they want to stay in
the community.

They want the midwives who saw them
through their pregnancy

and they want their families
close at hand.

Without the maternity home,
many of our patients would have the

choice between giving birth in damp
overcrowded housing or a bus ride,

while in labour, to a hospital
where their children couldn't visit.

Personally, I don't think that's
any choice at all.

Babies are not statistics
at Nonnatus House.

We know when they are wanted
or unwanted,

whether they are cherished
or deprived.

We see when they're in with a chance
in life or stand no chance at all.

We value every infant
and every mother equally.

We are part of their world and they
are part of ours because that is

what happens when you enter
people's homes.

Beautiful bunch, eh?

The power of the stories
lies in their essential truth.

Joined the Great w*r and...
and never come home.

And my Sally. Yeah.

Circumstances change

but people are much the same
from one generation to the next.

- I'm sorry.
- Don't be.

I love them. They loved me.

One of my own personal favourites
is a story

of a couple called the Gelins,
who lived in Poplar,

and Mrs Gelin was dying and there is
one particular scene where

he tells his wife how much he loves
her, how much he misses her

and how much he wishes he had told
her all these things.

And every time I see that scene,

it makes me cry because it
reminds me of my own parents

and how they felt for each other.

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

If I never said I was
grateful to you...

...I say it now.

If I never said I was proud
of the home that you kept...

...I say it now.

If I didn't tell you that you
were beautiful

when your face grew lined...

when you didn't have a new blouse
from one summer's end to the next,

I say it now.

And if I didn't tell you that
I loved you...

...I say it now.

Missing you,

I will talk about tomorrow.

Even though our stories took place
perhaps ,

, years ago,

they're still true today.

Because it's honest and because
it deals with periods of time,

very particular periods of time,

one's able to see the effect
of the changes in society.

THEY SING

My own sense is that people in a way
don't change that much

emotionally, but our lives are run
by what happens around us,

which we felt very much with covid.

I mean, we've all had to adapt to
a very different way of life

and I think it's a wonderful
opportunity doing this

to address all of those things, all
of those problems, the frailties,

the vulnerability, the humour,
the resilience of people.

This way, Doctor.
He's just round here.

We need an ambulance right away.

And bring something
to keep him warm.

Every year, when I start to plan my
stories,

I go into medical archives.

One of the things
I find very interesting is

when I started writing Call The
Midwife, we would have TB stories,

we would have polio stories.

Now I can't tell polio stories
and I can't tell TB stories,

because they did not exist at that
time, they were being stamped out.

CAMERA WHIRS
Timer's on!

The Christmas special

is, as always with Heidi,
she creates a really

exciting and different story.

And it's also very measured in terms
of bringing in all

of the characters because in a way,
it's an introduction

each year to the series, so that you

remember where everybody is

and what they're about
and what they're doing.

EXCITED SHRIEKING

So we are in the Turners' house

and it's our most contemporary set.

Very ' s,
the kitchen and furniture.

We're celebrating Christmas
here at the moment and the important

thing about Christmas is
the decorations the children do.

Last year they made
Father Christmases,

so they will recognise
things that they did last year,

which I think gives the charm

and the reality
to their Christmas tree.

Happy Christmas, Nurse.
TRIXIE GASPS

Liqueur chocolates! How decadent!

And a urine sample.

Sister Monica Joan has arranged
the figurines in what she calls,

"conversational groupings".

What, in the name of goodness,

is the Angel Gabriel going to
say to the ass?!

' going into ' ,
there's something that obviously

presented itself to us straight away

and that was something
known as the Big Freeze.

Ooh!

Fred! A long time since we've seen
anything like this!

Morning, Nurse Crane,
or should I say, er,

baby, it's cold outside.

It was quite astonishing with
icicles hanging off the roof

and it affected a lot of things,
people's travel,

the milk floats didn't arrive,

people aren't getting heat at home.

That'll teach you to snub
complimentary thermals.

Babies being born again
without electricity...

all the problems that that brings.

Put that in with him.

Don't seem right,
sending a bubby out into the cold.

WHIMPERING

SHE GASPS

BABY CRIES

Help! Help! Quickly!

He's alive! I thought
he was stillborn!

We, as ever, at Christmas,
tell stories which are

quite emotional
and challenging at times,

but resolve in an incredibly

joyful, positive, loving way.

I can't allow that on the premises
until it's passed a fire test.

Aluminium trees are
highly inflammable.

Good donkey. No, you're not going
to go.

DONKEY BRAYS
Please.

Look at you!

ALL: Absent friends!

Merry Christmas, everybody!

The first time that we sang with

the choir, and it was at night
and they came into the chapel,

it wasn't their first scene

but it was the first time we'd all
been there and it was sublime.

We sang Hark The Herald Angels Sing

and it was very, very uplifting.
Wonderful!

♪ Glory to the newborn king. ♪

Hallelujah!

Characters are sometimes
severely tested,

but there are moments too,
of sheer joy and abandon.

The love and energy

of these scenes are vital to the
success of Call The Midwife.

Open for business.

FIREWORKS BANG

ALL CHEER

BELLS RING, CHEERING

APPLAUSE

SHE GASPS

Did you do all of this for me?

I do everything for you...

...always.

We would like to thank all of

the actors and the thousands of crew
members who have helped us

and supported us
over the last ten years.

But most of all, we would like to
thank you, our audience,

but hopefully,
we will see you very soon.

Thank you so much for watching over
ten years and if you're new to the

show, you've got loads of episodes
to watch, so get watching!

Thank you for watching
but thank you for supporting us,

because there's no way a show could
do that for ten seasons

without that really loyal fan base.

We love all fans of Call The Midwife
but there's an extra special

thank you to fans who've been
with us from the beginning.

That is why we're still here.

It's very, very special, this show.

It's not like any other job
I've ever done.

We're sincere, we believe
it's something beautiful,

that it's about life
and love and death

and all those important things

and we absolutely mean it.

As long as you still want to
watch us, we will still

try giving you the best we can,
that's all we can say.

And thank you for watching.

Stay with us. We've more to do!

CHEERING

We are the sisters
of St Raymond Nonnatus,