Call the Midwife film and prequel series announced

The BBC has announced plans to marque a Call the Midwife movie arsenic good arsenic a prequel TV bid acceptable during the Second World War.

It comes arsenic filming begins for the 15th bid of the BBC One drama, which follows a radical of caregiver midwives moving successful London's East End from the precocious 1950s to the commencement of the 1970s.

The movie volition beryllium acceptable successful an as-yet undisclosed overseas determination successful 1972, and volition diagnostic characters from the existing TV show.

Meanwhile, the abstracted prequel bid volition "delve into the deeper past", showrunner Heidi Thomas said, offering a presumption of beingness successful Poplar, eastbound London, during the Blitz.

The new, abstracted movie and prequel projects volition beryllium written, created and produced by Thomas and enforcement producers Dame Pippa Harris and Ann Tricklebank, who volition besides oversee the accumulation of bid 16 of the programme together.

The prequel bid volition diagnostic "some acquainted (if overmuch younger) faces", Thomas said.

She said that portion she has "never tally retired of stories for our midwives", she had recovered herself "yearning to delve into the deeper past" than the years 1957 to 1971 which person been covered by the show.

"The Blitz years successful the East End were bonzer - filled with loss, togetherness, courageousness and joy," she said.

Meanwhile, the movie volition spot the "much-loved" regular characters "take a abbreviated interruption from Poplar and trial themselves successful an unfamiliar landscape", Ms Thomas said.

The determination of the movie remains "top secret", she added - but said it would look "absolutely fantastic" connected the large screen.

The archetypal bid of the amusement was primitively inspired by the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, who worked arsenic a midwife and caregiver successful the assemblage successful Poplar.

Dame Pippa said the prequel bid and movie task were being made partially for a "new, younger procreation who person besides fallen successful emotion with our characters and the challenges they face."

The 15th bid volition statesman with a two-part Christmas peculiar which volition spot characters travelling to Hong Kong connected a mercy mission.