Call the Midwife fans are getting an extra special gift this Christmas 2024, as the BBC have filmed TWO festive episodes.

For the first time since it started in 2012, the Christmas special of Call the Midwife will be a two-parter.

And BBC One has even teased a "Christmas cliffhanger". Here's everything you need to know about the Call the Midwife Christmas Special, including plot, cast, and release date...

How many parts is the Call the Midwife Christmas Special 2024?

The BBC and Neal Street Productions have announced that this year, for the first time ever, Call the Midwife will celebrate Christmas with a two-part special.

In previous years, the midwife drama had a special 90-minute Christmas special, which typically went out on Christmas Day.

However, this year's festive trip to Poplar will consist of two 60-minute episodes – complete with a Christmas cliffhanger!

Heidi Thomas OBE, creator and writer said: "Who doesn't love finding an extra, unexpected present underneath the Christmas tree? When I was asked to write a two-part Christmas special for 2024, I couldn't resist!"

When is the Call the Midwife Christmas Special 2024 on?

The Call the Midwife Christmas special will be coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One over the festive period.

The BBC has not yet confirmed what days the two-parter will air, however we'd be surprised if it wasn't Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

What year is it set?

The Call the Midwife Christmas Special is set in 1969. In the first of two episodes, the funfair comes to Poplar, "adding a burst of colour and excitement to the frosty landscape".

However, there are other visitors to the borough, too - including influenza and the Hong Kong flu.

As Poplar prepares for a carol concert, the neighbourhood is gripped by the news of an escaped prisoner and fears grow that he may be in the local area after a spate of break-ins.

Meanwhile, the Turner children are caught up in the fever surrounding the Blue Peter Christmas appeal to collect dinky cars and scrap metal. Trixie makes a fleeting visit to Nonnatus House and is delighted to see her brother
Geoffrey, and Miss Higgins has her grandson Harry stay for Christmas.

Elsewhere in Poplar, Violet hosts a mince pie competition but the Buckles' preparations for Reggie's homecoming are thrown into turmoil.

When does Call the Midwife series 14 start?

Call the Midwife series 14 kicks off with the two Christmas specials in December 2024. They are followed by eight new episodes launching in January 2025 on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK (and on PBS in North America).

Call the Midwife series 15 has already been commissioned, meaning that the award-winning drama will be on air until at least 2026.

Who's in the cast of the Call the Midwife Christmas Special?

All the regular characters will return for the Call the Midwife Christmas Special 2024.

The returning cast include Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan, Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne, Laura Main as Shelagh Turner, Helen George as Trixie Aylward, and Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle.

Of course, Stephen McGann returns as Dr Turner, opposite Linda Bassett as Nurse Crane, Megan Cusack as Nancy Corrigan, Annabelle Apsion as
Violet Buckle, Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins, and Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson.

Elsewhere, Rebecca Gethings will reprise her role as Sister Veronica, alongside Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson, Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland, Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford, and Alice Brown as Angela Turner.

Francesca Fullilove will play Colette Corrigan, April Rae Hoang stars as
May Tang, and Edward Shaw portrays Teddy Turner.

The Call the Midwife Christmas Special will air in December 2024 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.