How to watch Call the Midwife Christmas special online from anywhere

The residents of Poplar gather to sing carols in a scene of the Call the Midwife Christmas special
(Image credit: BBC)

Fans of Call the Midwife are receiving a festive treat this year as the annual Christmas special will consist of two 60-minute episodes instead of the traditional one 90-minute feature.

Here’s where to watch the Call the Midwife Christmas special online for free and from anywhere and potentially for FREE.

Watch the Call the Midwife Christmas special online

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Premiere: Wednesday, December 25 at 8 pm GMT
FREE stream: BBC iPlayer (UK)
Use NordVPN to watch any stream
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It wouldn’t feel like Christmas without a special edition of Call the Midwife. The hugely popular drama has aired a festive feature every year since 2012 and this year is no exception. This time around, events will unfold around Christmas in 1969 as the Nonnatus midwives deliver babies and carry out their nursing duties.

Featuring all of the regular, well-loved characters, the festive trip to Poplar will see the neighborhood preparing for a carol concert and the arrival of a colorful funfair. But there will also be challenges as there is an outbreak of influenza and Hong Kung flu, as well as an escaped prisoner on the loose.

With the special being split into two, there may well be a Christmas cliffhanger so you won’t want to miss either of the two episodes. Read on as we explain how to watch the Call the Midwife Christmas special online for free and from anywhere.

Can I watch the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special for FREE?

The good news for fans of the drama is that they can watch both episodes of the Call the Midwife Christmas special completely FREE when they land on BBC iPlayer.

The first episode will be available to watch from 8 pm GMT on Wednesday, December 25, when it airs on BBC One, with the second then dropping at 7.30 pm GMT on Thursday, December 26.

Not at home over the holidays? Use a VPN to access you usual streaming services from abroad.

How to watch the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special from abroad

For those away from home looking to watch the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas Special, you’ll be unable to watch the show as normal due to regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.

Downloading a VPN allows you to stream geo-blocked services online, no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home. Our favorite is NordVPN.

Use a VPN to watch the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special from anywhere:

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How to watch the Call the Midwife Christmas special around the world

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How to watch the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special online and on TV in the UK

BBC One 8 pm GMT Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25

The first episode of the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special is set to air on BBC One in the UK, at 8 pm GMT on Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25.

The second episode will also be on BBC One in the UK, at 7.30 pm GMT on Boxing Day, Thursday, December 26.

Both episodes will also be available to stream FREE on BBC iPlayer as they air and on-demand. Viewers can also binge all previous episodes, including previous festive instalments, on the service right now as well as every other episode of the classic drama.

Away from the UK right now? Just use a VPN to alter your IP address so you can stream your favorite TV shows and films online just like you would at home.

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How to watch the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special online in the US

Christmas Day, December 25,PBS 8 pm ET.

Both parts of the 2024 Call the Midwife Holiday Special will premiere on Christmas Day, December 25, on PBS at 8 pm ET.

It will be available to stream for free at the same time as broadcast – 8 pm on December 25 – on the Call the Midwife Official Site or with the PBS App on these devices: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android phones, iPhones, iPads, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, and Android TV.

Unlike in the UK, the special isn't being split in the US, meaning both parts will go out at the same time as one 120-minute broadcast.

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Can I watch the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special online in Canada?

BritBox is the streaming home of Call the Midwife in Canada, but at the time of writing, there's no confirmed date for when the 2024 Christmas special will drop on the service.

Brits away from home in Canada who can't wait should be able to access their usual streaming service by using a VPN.

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How to watch the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special online in Australia

For Aussie fans, the Call the Midwife Christmas special episodes will land on BritBox on Thursday, January 9.

Brit traveling Down Under and don't want to wait? You don't have to, because with the help of one of the best VPNs, you can unlock BBC iPlayer and watch your British shows as usual. We recommend NordVPN.

What you need to know about the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special

Who is in the cast of the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special?

  • Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan
  • Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne
  • Laura Main as Shelagh Turner
  • Helen George as Trixie Aylward
  • Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle
  • Stephen McGann as Dr Turner
  • Linda Bassett as Nurse Crane
  • Megan Cusack as Nancy Corrigan
  • Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle
  • Georgie Glen as Miss Higgins
  • Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson
  • Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica
  • Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson
  • Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland
  • Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford
  • Alice Brown as Angela Turner
  • Francesca Fullilove as Colette Corrigan
  • April Rae Hoang as May Tang
  • Edward Shaw as Teddy Turner.

What can we expect from the Call the Midwife 2024 Christmas special?

The official synopsis from the BBC reads: "All the regular, well-loved characters will return for a Christmas set in 1969 where the Nonnatus midwives are in their element, all busy delivering babies and doing the job they are most dedicated and committed to. The funfair comes to Poplar, adding a burst of colour and excitement to the frosty landscape but there are other visitors to the borough - including influenza and the Hong Kong flu. As Poplar also prepares for a carol concert, the neighbourhood is gripped by the news of an escaped prisoner and fears grow that he may be in the local area after a spate of break-ins. The Turner children are caught up in the fever surrounding the Blue Peter Christmas appeal to collect dinky cars and scrap metal. Trixie makes a fleeting visit to Nonnatus House and is delighted to see her brother Geoffrey, and Miss Higgins has her grandson Harry stay for Christmas. Violet hosts a mince pie competition but the Buckles’ preparations for Reggie’s homecoming are thrown into turmoil."

Are there any other Call the Midwife Christmas specials?

Rather a lot actually. The Call the Midwife Christmas specials have been a fixture of the BBC's festive schedule since the show began in 2012.

All can be streamed for free on BBC iPlayer.

Will there be a new series of Call the Midwife arriving soon?

The next series of Call the Midwife is almost here, with the two Christmas specials this year followed by eight new episodes launching on January 5 on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK, and on PBS in North America.

A 15th series has already been commissioned as well, meaning that the popular drama series will run until at least 2026.

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Adrian Back

Adrian is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in the UK. He’s written about sport for a vast range of publications including World Soccer Magazine, Newsweek, Yahoo, FourFourTwo and Red Bull. Although he has covered everything from the NBA Finals and French Open, to the London Olympics and Formula 1 in Abu Dhabi, his great passion remains football – a sport he could write and talk about all day long.

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