The writer behind BBC One drama Call the Midwife has hinted that she could kill off a major character in this weekend’s season 11 finale.
Fans of the long-running period drama were horrified when Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) and Dr Patrick Turner (Stephen McGann) were caught in a terrible train crash.
The episode ended with both characters unconscious – or possibly worse – with their ultimate fate set to be revealed on Sunday night.
Thomas told Radio Times magazine: “The thing is, if there was a train crash near where you live, in the world of Call the Midwife, the two people you could rely on to come and sort everything out are Dr Turner and Sister Julienne. But if they are in the eye of the storm, who will save them?”
While some fans had been in disbelief over whether writer Thomas would seriously dare to write two beloved characters out of the show at once, she went on to make it clear she was quite open to the concept.
“I’m a very daring woman,” she continued.
While the dramatic stakes of the show have arguably never been higher after this cliffhanger, some longtime viewers have felt that the train crash twist felt more like an EastEnders story than one for Call the Midwife.
Thomas explained that the change in tone was partly inspired by the restrictions of filming during COVID, which made the previous season a more “domestic and intimate” production, but instilled a thirst for more “challenging” developments later on.
She added: “What appeals to me as a dramatist isn’t the spectacular nature of anything, but I know my Call the Midwife characters so well, as do the audience, so the idea of taking people with whom you’re very familiar, and putting them in an unfamiliar situation, immediately creates all sorts of scenarios we don’t normally get to see.”
Read the full interview in this week’s new edition of the Radio Times – out 15th February.
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The latest issue of Radio Times arrives on Tuesday 15th February – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Call the Midwife concludes on BBC One at 8pm on Sunday 20th February 2022. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.