Since its very beginnings over a decade ago, Call the Midwife has been a Christmas Day TV staple. And 2023 is no different, with the festive feature-length edition effectively kicking off series 13 which will then continue with eight further episodes in January.
You can watch Call the Midwife Christmas Special for FREE in the UK on the BBC iPlayer streaming service from December 25. But don't worry if you're on holiday while it's on, because you can watch the Call the Midwife Christmas Special on iPlayer from anywhere with a VPN.
Time: 8.15 pm UK / 3.15 pm ET / 12.15 pm PT / 7.15 am AEDT (Tue)
UK: BBC iPlayer (free with TV licence)
US: PBS (free)
AU: ABC iview (free)
How to use a VPN to watch any stream
So what does the 2023 Call the Midwife Christmas Special have in store — and can it possibly compare to the feelgood factor we were gifted this time last year when Matthew (Olly Rix) proposed to Trixie Franklin?
Series 12 finished with the cute couple tying the knot, which means we get to see the newlyweds preparing to enjoy their first Christmas together. But the advent expectation is disrupted when her brother Geoffrey (Christopher Harper) emerges as an unexpected yuletide house guest. Great news for viewers — for whom Geoffrey has already become a firm favorite — but not so great for the happy couple.
Much of this year's episode will revolve around the Turners, who get a surprise of their own. When a package from May's mother drops through the door all the way from Hong Kong, it means they'll have to spend Christmas wrestling with some emotional dilemmas.
The Nonnatus House convent itself is set to acquire a new resident after Sister Julienne permits Nurse Nancy (Megan Cusack) to let Colette (Francesca Fullilove) move in, and Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) is in a philosophical mood as December 1968 sees the launch of the Apollo 8 moon mission. Will the octogenarian live to see the day that mankind walks on the moon?
Ready to settle in for Christmas evening with your favorite nurses from Poplar? Here's how to watch the Call the Midwife Christmas Special 2023 from anywhere in the world and for free — we've got all the streaming information you'll need below.
How to watch Call the Midwife Christmas Special in the UK
How to watch Call the Midwife Holiday Special in the US?
The 2023 Call the Midwife Holiday Special will go out on PBS on Christmas Day (December 25) in the US. The broadcast is set for 8 pm ET/PT.
As well as TV, you can stream Call the Midwife for free on the official PBS site or PBS app devices such as Android, iOS, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and Android TV.
While all 12 seasons of Call the Midwife are now available to watch on Netflix in the US, the latest run (including last year's Holiday special), didn't land until September. So it looks like you'll have to wait to watch the 2023 Call the Midwife Holiday Special on that platform.
How to watch Call the Midwife Christmas Special in Australia
Call the Midwife Christmas Special is among the seasonal shows on ABC iview in Australia. It's scheduled to hit the platform on Tuesday, December 26, and airs on TV on ABC TV the same day at 7.30 pm AEDT.
That means you'll be able to stream the festive episode for free on the service. All you need to do to watch is register on ABC iview with your name, date of birth and postcode.
Anybody with Foxtel can also watch the Call the Midwife Christmas Special at the same time on Boxing Day on BBC First. And subscribers to a Fetch TV Ultimate or Variety Pack can stream it on demand.
How to watch Call the Midwife Christmas Special from anywhere with a VPN
You can watch Call the Midwife on any of the streaming services above by using a VPN — no matter where you are in the world.
Normally a streaming service will know where you are trying to tune in from and block you if you're not in the right country but a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an app that hides your location. That means you can access your usual sports and entertainment services even while you're traveling abroad.
Our favorite VPN is ExpressVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.
How to use a VPN to watch any stream
- Download the app at ExpressVPN
- Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
- Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
What is the Call the Midwife Christmas Special release date?
The hour-and-a-half 2023 Call the Midwife Christmas Special airs on BBC One in the UK at 8.15 pm on Christmas Day. It will also be available to watch on the network's BBC iPlayer website and apps.
It will air on PBS at 8 pm ET/PT on Christmas Day in the US, and on ABC TV at 7.30 pm AEDT on December 26 in Australia.
All you need to know about Call the Midwife Christmas Special
What is the cast of Call the Midwife Christmas Special 2023?
- Helen George as Trixie Franklin
- Olly Rix as Matthew Aylward
- Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne
- Linda Bassett as Nurse Phyllis Crane
- Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica
- Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins
- Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan
- Megan Cusack as Nurse Nancy Corrigan
- Francesca Fullilove as Colette Corrigan
- Stephen McGann as Doctor Turner
- Laura Main as Shelagh Turner
- Max Macmillan as Timothy Turner
- Alice Brown as Angela Turner
- April Rae Hoang as May Tang
- Edward Shaw as Teddy Turner
- Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle
- Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle
- Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson
- Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson
- Christopher Harper as Geoffrey Franklin
Will Call the Midwife return in 2024?
Season 13 of Call the Midwife has been confirmed by the BBC to be returning in 2024. The series will comprise eight one-hour episodes.
And there isn't long to wait, with the first episode going out on BBC One (and the BBC iPlayer) on Sunday, January 7.
Call the Midwife season 13 will start in the US on Sunday, March 17 on PBS.
Who has been axed from Call the Midwife?
In September it was claimed that Matthew Aylward who plays Olly Rix has been axed from Call the Midwife.
This is particularly surprising considering his character married fan favorite Trixie Franklin (Helen George) in the series finale of season 12.
It is yet to be confirmed when and how Olly will leave the show.
