Despite rumors, BBC says the fan-favorite drama is “not going anywhere.” With Season 16, holiday specials, and even a prequel in development, the show’s future looks stronger than ever.
 Here’s why fans are breathing a sigh of relief.

If you’ve heard the rumors that Call the Midwife is being canceled, you’re in luck. According to the BBC, the beloved series isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Premiering back in 2012, Call the Midwife has grown to become one of the most popular shows on the British network, and across the pond where it airs on PBS.

A rumor began circulating recently thanks to an article in the Daily Star that mentioned that once Season 15 was done in 2026, the series wouldn’t be returning. “Bosses have decided they want the period drama to go out on a high,” the article said, adding: “The show’s 15th run in 2026 will be its last series on telly.” The tabloid suggested that with the recent news that the Call the Midwife universe would be expanding, its time on TV was winding down. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, if you believe what the BBC has to say (and we do):

“The BBC would like to reassure fans that Call the Midwife will remain at the heart of the BBC for years to come. As previously announced, there are two Christmas specials, a new series, a film and prequel series, before a sixteenth series in due course. Call the Midwife isn’t going anywhere.”

That’s good news for the show’s loyal fans who have been with it since the beginning, and have seen many faces come and go from Nonnatus house. Created by Heidi Thomas and based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, the series has grown over the years to tell original stories of the nuns and midwives working in London’s East End during the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Winning several awards during the course of its run, the series is as much a British institution as Doctor Who is, and holds an overall Popcornmeter score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘Call the Midwife’ Still Has a Lot of Life Left in It

As mentioned, the world of Call the Midwife is anything but over, as the series still has a lot of life left in it and will be expanding to include a prequel and a movie. The prequel will be set in Poplar during World War II and feature a fresh crop of actors playing younger versions of the characters we’ve come to know and love, while the film will take things overseas, presumably to Hong Kong, which is where the Christmas special will be set this year. It’s said that the movie will tie into the upcoming 15th season, which is expected to air on the BBC in January 2026, and in the U.S. on PBS in March.

“As the classic Call the Midwife series moves further into the 1970s, it also seems the perfect time for our much-loved regulars to take a short break from Poplar and test themselves in an unfamiliar landscape,” Thomas said at the time the news was announced. It’s a smart move, really, because as fun as it’s been to see the nuns and midwives take care of things in the East End of London, it’ll be even better to see them in uncharted waters to find out how they all fare. It helps keep things fresh, and builds anticipation for the series when it returns.

We’ll have more news about the Call the Midwife universe as it breaks, but in the meantime, fans can take comfort in knowing it will still be around for years to come. The first 13 seasons are available to stream now on Netflix.