Call the Midwife Returns With Its Most Ambitious Christmas Special Yet as the Turners Reunite — and a Crisis Unfolds in Hong Kong

This Christmas, Call the Midwife brings viewers a festive special unlike any the long-running BBC favourite has delivered before — one that blends joy, nostalgia and family reunions with a dramatic, emotional rescue mission that spans continents. The two-part Christmas event, set to air on BBC One in the UK and PBS in the US, will also be available globally to BritBox subscribers, ensuring fans across the world can share in the holiday storytelling tradition Nonnatus House has become known for.

At the heart of this year’s celebrations is the joyful reunion of the Turner family, as eldest son Tim Turner returns home after completing a stage of his doctor training. Played by Max Macmillan, Tim arrives sporting a nostalgic flourish — his signature 1970s long hair — much to the delight of fans and the amusement of the cast. Macmillan steps back into the role with what insiders describe as “warmth, humour and real emotional depth,” cementing Tim’s place as a fully fledged adult character in the series’ growing ensemble.

Behind the scenes, the Turner family spirit was strong too. Mum and Dad Turner, Shelagh (Laura Main) and Dr Patrick Turner (Stephen McGann), kept their cherished on-set Christmas tradition alive with a Turner family selfie. The moment was captured by Costume Head Justine Luxton, whose snapshot has already charmed fans hoping for a glimpse of this year’s festive feel.

But while the special begins with warmth at home, it soon takes a dramatic turn — and becomes the most logistically ambitious Christmas story Call the Midwife has attempted in years.

A Shocking Collapse in Hong Kong

The storyline shifts to Hong Kong, where beloved characters Fred Buckle (Cliff Parisi) and Violet Buckle (Annabelle Apsion) have travelled to spend Christmas with Violet’s son Derek (Nicholas Atkinson). What should have been a joyful visit quickly becomes a nightmare when they arrive to find that the Hong Kong Branch House has collapsed, resulting in multiple fatalities.

The disaster triggers a fast, urgent response back in Poplar. With lives hanging in the balance, and the international crisis deepening, Nonnatus House organises a hastily assembled rescue team to fly to Hong Kong and provide emergency support — a storyline inspired by real midwifery outreach missions from the era.

It is here that the episode’s emotional core emerges.

A Journey Fueled by Hope — and Fear

Dr Turner and Shelagh join the relief mission not only out of duty, but because the crisis offers unexpected, potentially life-changing hope regarding their adopted daughter May (April Rae Hoang).

The couple have not heard from May’s biological mother, Esther Tang (played by Yennis Cheung), in over a year. Esther’s last known address was connected to the Branch House programme. As news unfolds that the very building has collapsed, the Turners must confront overwhelming uncertainty — and a fear every adoptive parent understands intimately: whether someone their child loves, or who shaped their early life, may be among the injured, or worse.

The search for Esther becomes one of the special’s most emotionally charged threads. Shelagh and Patrick’s quiet hopefulness, their determination to give May answers, and their journey through an unfamiliar, devastated landscape gives the special a depth and intensity rarely seen in earlier festive instalments.

Nonnatus House at Its Best

Despite the scale of the Hong Kong storyline, the heart of Call the Midwife remains firmly rooted in community, kindness and human resilience. Fans can expect a blend of:

heartfelt emotional scenes
moments of levity that balance the tension
classic warm Poplar storytelling woven alongside the international drama

As always, the ensemble cast brings both comfort and power. The Christmas episodes promise scenes filled with the familiar warmth of Nonnatus House, even as the characters navigate grief, fear and unexpected reunions abroad.

A Festive Special for a New Era

With its blend of domestic celebration, global crisis, and family reconnection, the 2025 Christmas special marks a new chapter for Call the Midwife. It is visually ambitious, emotionally rich, and — according to early production whispers — one of the most moving holiday instalments the series has produced.

This year’s festive episodes remind audiences why the show continues to thrive more than a decade after its debut: because it never loses sight of humanity, compassion and connection, even when the storyline takes viewers far from Poplar.

For millions of families worldwide, this Christmas, the Turner reunion and the Hong Kong rescue mission will stand as one of the most gripping, heartfelt holiday dramas of the season.