Call the Midwife is one of the best-loved TV shows and has been delighting millions since it first hit our screens back in 2012.
The BBC period drama has been responsible for launching the careers of previously unknown actors, catapulting them into stardom, but has also attracted already established household names.
While a few of the original cast members remain, Call the Midwife has seen the departures of many special characters over the years, as the actors who played them decided it was time to spread their wings.
But what happened to these famous alums after they waved farewell to Poplar?
With Call the Midwife season 13 here, let us tell you what happened to the faces from the past...
Jessica Raine - Jenny Lee
Jessica was one of the original Call the Midwife cast and played main character Nurse Jenny Lee for the first three series.
In 2014, it was announced Jessica was hanging up her nurse's uniform to pursue other projects, and she's certainly been in demand since.
As well as starring in the BBC smash hit police drama Line of Duty as Detective Constable Georgia Trotman, Jessica took on the role of Tuppence Beresford in the series Partners in Crime, based on Agatha Christie's novels.
She also had parts in The Last Post, Fortitude, Jericho, Baptiste and played King Henry VIII's wife Catherine Parr in Becoming Elizabeth.
Jessica is married to fellow actor Tom-Goodman Hill, who she met when they appeared together in the stage play, Earthquakes in London, and the couple welcomed a son in 2019.
Pam Ferris - Sister Evangelina
Pam Ferris was already a veteran of the acting world prior to her Call the Midwife days, appearing in iconic movies such as Matilda and Harry Potter.
She played kindly Sister Evangelina for four years before her character was killed off, leaving fans devastated.
In December 2016, Pam lent her voice to a Channel 4 animated version of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and has had a couple of other, smaller, roles since.
In an interview with The Mirror, Pam revealed she has become very selective about what jobs she accepts, saying:
"Television has speeded up so much that it’s very hard. Attempting to create three-dimensional characters takes time and hard work. But TV now tends to be happy with two dimensions – and sometimes even one. I can’t work like that."
Miranda Hart – Camilla ‘Chummy’ Browne
Actress and comedian Miranda Hart played Matron Camilla Fortescue-Cholmondeley-Browne, aka Nurse Chummy, from 2012 until 2015.
Chummy was a firm favourite amongst the viewers, so much so that Miranda scooped Most Popular Female Drama Performance at the 2013 National Television Awards.
Shortly after leaving Call the Midwife to focus on her film work, Miranda appeared in the movie Spy alongside Melissa McCarthy, Jane Austen adaptation, Emma, with Bill Nighy and played the Dew Drop Fairy in Disney fantasy The Nutcracker and the Four Realms with Keira Knightley.
She experienced success on the stage, as Miss Hannigan in a West End re-imagination of the musical Annie, and in 2017, Miranda released her debut children’s fiction book The Girl with the Lost Smile.
Ben Caplan – Sergeant Peter Noakes
Ben played Peter the policeman and husband to Nurse Chummy, from 2012 to 2017, before announcing it was time to head on to pastures new.
Speaking of his departure he told The Mirror: "It's been lovely to have been there since the beginning, an amazing roller coaster ride, but it's good to keep my foot in with the theatre world and exploring other roles."
Ben went on to star in the West End play The Knowledge, an adaptation of the 1979 TV film which was brought to stage by Maureen Lipman.
His CV also includes roles in Maigret, Midsomer Murders, Silent Witness, Caveat and Casualty.
The writers of Call the Midwife left the door open for Ben and Miranda, so who knows - Chummy and Peter may return to Poplar one day!
Charlotte Ritchie - Barbara Gilbert
There wasn't a dry eye in the house when Nurse Barbara succumbed to septicaemia in series seven.
Actress Charlotte Ritchie departed the show back in 2019, saying although she'd loved being part of the Call the Midwife crew it was time to 'branch out and try something new.'
And she's definitely achieved that.
Charlotte guest starred as Lin in the Doctor Who New Year's Day episode 'Resolution', played George in the Channel 4 series Feel Good, and since 2019 has portrayed Alison in BBC sitcom, Ghosts.
Last year, Charlotte became a series regular on the fourth season of You, and has been a guest on several episodes of the official Taskmaster podcast.
She also made her music video debut for alternative rock band Squid's single, The Blades.
Emerald Fennell – Patsy Mount
Emerald, who played Nurse Patience (Patsy) Mount from 2013 to 2017, is arguably one of the show's biggest success story.
She's no stranger to a historical drama - having starred as mathematician Ada Lovelace in ITV's Victoria, then portraying Camilla Parker-Bowles in The Crown, which earned her a primetime Emmy nomination.
Emerald left Call the Midwife to concentrate on her writing work and in 2018 she was appointed as head writer for the second season of Killing Eve, also becoming one of the show's executive producers.
She wrote the book for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cinderella, and her feature film directorial debut, Promising Young Woman, earned her the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Away from the spotlight, Emerald and her husband, film director and producer Chris Vernon, have two children.
Leonie Elliott - Lucille Robinson
Fans were heartbroken when Nonnatus House nurse Lucille Robinson left in episode two of Call the Midwife season 12.
The character was last seen heading to Jamaica after suffering a breakdown, and unfortunately, actress Leonie Elliot confirmed she won't be returning to the role she's held for six years.
Leaving a message on her social media, the star said: "Thank you all for embracing Lucille and rocking with me on this journey, it is with a heart full of love and appreciation that I embark on pastures new. Super excited for what's coming next."
Leonie, who's starred in shows such as Black Mirror, Casualty and Children in Need is currently shooting a film titled Trinidad Remains.
Bryony Hannah - Cynthia Miller
RADA-educated Bryony was already an accomplished stage actress when she won the part of Nurse Cynthia Miller.
An original member of the Call the Midwife cast, Bryony stayed five series before departing the show in 2017.
That same year she returned to the theatre, appearing in the posthumous premiere of Kevin Elyot's final play, Twilight Song, alongside Adam Garcia.
Bryony's other credits include performances in Every Good Boy, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Pillowman and War Horse.
TV-wise, she's had roles in Death in Paradise and ITV crime drama, Unforgotten, and voiced the character of Padget in the CBeebies series, Bing.
Bryony has also co-written and directed Laika, a children’s theatre production about the dog that became the first living creature to orbit the earth.
Ella Bruccoleri - Sister Frances
Yorkshire-born Ella won hearts in her role as novice nun Sister Frances and fans were gutted when departed at the end of Call the Midwife season 11.
However, they didn't have to wait long for Ella to return to their screens in the Channel 4 drama, Alice & Jack, starring alongside Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson.
She also had a role as Rebecca in Hulu TV series, Extraordinary, whose colourful language was a complete departure from Ella's rule-abiding Call the Midwife character.
2024 is shaping up to be a busy one for Ella. As well as starring in upcoming supernatural series, Passenger, she's also starring in horror flick, The Strangers: Chapter 1, Hexengeddon and the highly anticipated Netflix period drama, Bridgerton season 3.
The actress, who speaks fluent French, is also a talented singer, who writes, sings and performs with her band ‘Marry Me Emelie’, who are currently recording their first EP.
