‘Call the Midwife’: How the Younger ‘Sisters in Arms’ Cast Compares to the Originals

Erin Maxwell
17 Comments
Jenny Agutter, (Season 14, episode 1403, aired in the US on April 13, 2025). photo: Olly Courtney / ©PBS/Neal Street Prod./BBC / Courtesy Everett Collection; JULY 17: Helena Wilson attends the press night after party for 'The Estate' at The National Theatre on July 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images); CALL THE MIDWIFE, Stephen McGann, (Season 12, ep. 1201, aired in the US on March 19, 2023). photo: Olly Courtney / ©PBS/Neal Street Prod. / courtesy Everett Collection; Ben Rose attending a screening of new BBC series This Town, at Birmingham Town Hall. Picture date: Tuesday March 19, 2024. (Photo by Jacob King/PA Images via Getty Images)
Olly Courtney/PBS/Neal Street Prod./BBC;Courtesy Everett Collections; Photo by Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images; Olly Courtney/PBS/Neal Street Prod./Courtesy Everett Collection; Photo by Jacob King/PA Images via Getty Images

The prequel series to Call the Midwife: Sisters in Arms is underway, as the popular long-running series takes fans from the current season, now set in the ’70s, and brings them back to the ’30s.

Set in 1939, the prequel finds the nuns and midwives working through some of the most challenging conditions imaginable. With Britain on the brink of World War II, there is no penicillin or fuel, medical supplies are scarce, and financial resources are stretched thin. The sisters must thus rely on ingenuity and compassion as they care for the people of Poplar.

Nonnatus House remains the heart of the community, but the faces that audiences know and love are much younger. Sister Monica Joan (Helen Schlesinger) is in the prime of her life, while Sister Julienne (Helena Wilson) and Sister Evangelina (Amy Booth-Steel) are just beginning their journeys as young, inexperienced nuns. Fred Buckle (Ciaran Bowling) is still married to Betty, and Dr. Turner (Ben Rose) is at the beginning of his career.

Here is a look at the familiar characters who populate Sisters in Arms and how they compare with their Call the Midwife counterparts at a later stage in their lives and careers.

Call the Midwife: Sisters in Arms, TBA, PBS

CALL THE MIDWIFE, Jenny Agutter, (Season 14, episode 1403, aired in the US on April 13, 2025). photo: Olly Courtney / ©PBS/Neal Street Prod./BBC / Courtesy Everett Collection; JULY 17: Helena Wilson attends the press night after party for "The Estate" at The National Theatre on July 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Olly Courtney/PBS/Neal Street Prod./BBC;Courtesy Everett Collections; Photo by Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images

Sister Julienne

Jenny Agutter (Season 1 – present) vs. Helena Wilson

CALL THE MIDWIFE, Judy Parfitt, (Season 6, ep. 604, aired in the US on April 23, 2017). photo: Laura Radford / ©PBS/Neal Street Prod. / courtesy Everett Collection; Helen Schlesinger attends the after party on the press night of "Coriolanus" at The Hospital Club on December 17, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Getty Images)
Laura Radford /PBS/Neal Street Prod. /Courtesy Everett Collection; David M. Benett/Getty Images

Sister Monica Joan

Judy Parfitt (Season 1 – 15) vs. Helen Schlesinger

CALL THE MIDWIFE, Pam Ferris, (Season 3, ep. 305, original UK airing Feb. 16, 2014 / US airing April 27, 2014). photo: Laurence Cendrowicz / ©Neal Street Prod./PBS /courtesy Everett Collection; Amy Booth-Steel attends The Olivier Awards 2026 with Cunard at the Royal Albert Hall on April 12, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
Laurence Cendrowicz/Neal Street Prod./PBS; Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

Sister Evangelina

Pam Ferris (Season 1–5) vs. Amy Booth-Steel

CALL THE MIDWIFE, Cliff Parisi, (Season 11, ep. 1105, aired in the US on April 17, 2022). photo: Sally Mais / ©PBS/Neal Street Prod. / courtesy Everett Collection; NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 15: Ciaran Bowling attends 'A Midsummer Night's Dream" New York premiere at DGA Theater on June 15, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage)
Sally Mais / ©PBS/Neal Street Prod. / courtesy Everett Collection; Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage

Fred Buckle

Cliff Parisi (Season 1 – present) vs. Ciaran Bowling

CALL THE MIDWIFE, Stephen McGann, (Season 12, ep. 1201, aired in the US on March 19, 2023). photo: Olly Courtney / ©PBS/Neal Street Prod. / courtesy Everett Collection; Ben Rose attending a screening of new BBC series This Town, at Birmingham Town Hall. Picture date: Tuesday March 19, 2024. (Photo by Jacob King/PA Images via Getty Images)
Olly Courtney/PBS/Neal Street Prod./Courtesy Everett Collection; Photo by Jacob King/PA Images via Getty Images

Dr. Patrick Turner

Stephen McGann (Season 1 – present) vs. Ben Rose

Call the Midwife: Sisters in Arms



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  1. R

    Reebs51

    Very excited about this one! Love the midwife series!!

  2. G

    Gigi

    Can hardly wait

  3. B

    Bijoun98

    Really love Midwife so looking forward to seeing the prequel. It will be very interesting to see them as young people struggling to starting out under such circumstances. 💞💞💞💞

  4. G

    Guest

    Love this show. Been watching since the first season. Looking forward to.the prequel

  5. R

    Radzzzz

    Love 'Call the midwife' hoping the prequel is as good 👍

  6. S

    Sis

    Wow I can't wait

  7. T

    Tet

    Going to love it!!

  8. N

    NANACHRISSY

    I cant wait!!!

  9. S

    Suzanne

    Can't wait! Loved this show!

  10. M

    Marleyfu

    Can't wait!

  11. S

    sharynn

    i loved this series. Always wished they didn't change decades so fast. Looking forward to the new series. I hope they don't rush through the 30s and 40s. But, at the same time, I am going to miss the original characters. When you watch a series, every episode, and then it's over its like a death of friend

  12. L

    Ladybug

    I love love this show, I just wish it was the original cast they will be miss tremendously.

    1. T

      Tet

      Seeing how this show will be the characters when they were like 40 years younger than they are in the show we watch now it's kind of impossible to have the original cast! You can still watch the original show, so no need to miss anyone.

      1. C

        Crod0019

        I think ladybug missed the concept about the new series. Thank you for clearing it up. I am super excited to see the new series

  13. C

    Cat

    So excited about this series!!!!

  14. R

    Rhonda Russell

    I cant wait Been watching the Midwifes since the very 1st season.

  15. S

    Sue 80

    Love the original cast so much I have watched the whole series 20 times over I am not sure how I feel about the new cast We will see