Last week’s episode of the BBC tearjerker saw Nurse Barbara Hereward (played by Charlotte Ritchie) die in the biggest shock of Heidi Thomas’s series so far.
Only one episode earlier, fans had had to endure the departure of original nurse Trixie (Helen George) as the real-life actress was taking time off to give birth to her daughter Wren Ivy.
In the series, the outspoken midwife had suffered from a string of problems with alcoholism and it started affecting her ability to do her job.
After a number of run-ins with the nuns at Nonnatus House, Trixie finally decided she needed to leave Poplar for a stint at rehab in the sunshine.
While viewers are aware that Helen George is set to make a happy return for the show’s eighth season, it was still a pleasant surprise to see the blonde bombshell wearing a tight black swimsuit and sunning it up in footage.
The clip was shown at Sister Monica Joan’s surprise birthday party, as part of a celebration presentation of the long-time nurse’s life.
Trixie beamed as she held a clipboard that displayed the words “see you very soon” in a pre-recorded video, and fans went into a frenzy on Twitter.
One person said: “Ayyyy Trixie #callthemidwife.”
“Trixie – now I’m in tears … #callthemidwife,” another fan sobbed.
A third agreed: “It was so nice to see Trixie again #callthemidwife.”
While a fourth wrote: “Yes there’s my Trixie @helen_george #callthemidwife @CallTheMidwife1 see you soon Trixie,” followed by: “Yayyyyy Trixie Frigging love Trixie!”
Some viewers were in hysterics over the BBC’s announcement that the show would be back in “nine months” – a fitting time period for a show about midwifery.
“Nine months until we next #callthemidwife – Did #BBC plan that one?” one fan joked.
As the series came to a close, a heart-wrenching tribute was made to Barbara with pictures of the character and her husband Tom Hereward (Jack Ashton) in happier times.
Vanessa Redgrave’s voiceover poignantly finished off the moment with the declaration: “In the end, we all become memories.”
Call The Midwife season eight returns to BBC One in 2019.
