Call the Midwife season 7: Will Charlotte Ritchie, Jack Ashton return?

At the end of the Call the Midwife Christmas Special on the BBC Monday we saw Tom make what was ultimately a life-altering decision: He has taken a job in Birmingham. What that means as a result of that is that he and Barbara are not going to be staying put in Poplar in the immediate future. It was clear at the end of the Christmas Special that the two characters were departing, but also that this was a job meant only to last for a good six months.

So are Charlotte Ritchie and Jack Ashton going to be coming back on season 7? For those of you who love these characters, we have news that could be construed as both good and bad. Let’s start by getting the bad news out of the way — you are not going to see either of the two characters during the first several episodes of season 7. This allows for the arrival of some new characters (including Lucille from the West Indies) but it also raises questions as to their own long-term future with the show. We’re hoping that this isn’t another Patsy situation where she departs early on, returns at the end of the season, and then departs for good. Ritchie did confirm to the Radio Times that she and Ashton are back for the end of the season, so rest assured that you will have a chance to see them in due time.

Meanwhile, Ritchie also explained to the publication why her character chose to go with her husband to Birmingham in the first place, given that she had a job and didn’t necessarily need to move:

“Basically, he has this opportunity to take a different job and discover a new parish, and I think it’s a great opportunity for him, and we know it’s possibly only temporary.

“It’s a new adventure for us, so I go up with him…where he goes, I go, and where I go he goes.”

It’s frustrating to lose a great character like Barbara for a stretch of time, and in such a manner, but the more you think about it, the clearer it becomes that this is just the most realistic outcome. In life, this does tend to be what happens with married people when one of them takes a new job. You sacrifice for the sake of each other. It’s a natural part of life.

You can read more regarding when Call the Midwife season 7 is going to premiere just by heading over to the link here right now. Meanwhile, like CarterMatt on Facebook in the event you want additional news regarding the show. (Photo: BBC.)