It's a Double Helping of Christmas with a 'Call The Midwife' Two-Part Special

The BBC has announced it will be a double helping of Christmas joy for 2024, as it has been revealed the broadcaster's commission for the Call The Midwife Festival Special is a two-part double episode surprise. One of the most popular entries to the yearly special lineup during the holiday season, the Call the Midwife special also has the added boost of being the show's return just before the new season begins after the New Year. In this case, the special represents the close of a decade: 1969 and the 60s won't be allowed to roll out of Poplar until we've had a full two-hour send-off.

The run-up to the holidays in the U.K. is peppered with announcements of forthcoming specials, from brand-new adaptations of classics like A Christmas Carol to special holiday-themed performances on an extra hour of Strictly. But some of the most anticipated holiday editions are of long-running, beloved shows like Doctor Who, All Creatures Great & Small, and Call the Midwife. These specials are rewarded to the most culturally symbolic and highest-rated shows on the BBC, and it said a lot about how the broadcaster felt about Call the Midwife when it received its first Christmas commission directly following the first season.

Since that first December 2012 special, the series has had one yearly, but always a single feature-length, 90-minute installment. Season 14's pair of Festive Specials marks the first time the series has been given a two-hour block.