Call the Midwife is a British period drama television series created by Heidi Thomas and based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth which follows newly qualified midwife Jenny Lee and the work of midwives and the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent, coping with the medical problems in a deprived area of East London in the 1950s.
We are introduced to the community through the eyes of young nurse Jenny Lee as she arrives at Nonnatus House to live and work as a midwife alongside an Order of Nuns.
As Jenny comes to terms with her new life, we meet some phenomenal people who prove that their warmth, resilience and determination are to be admired beyond measure.
At the heart of this world are the Sisters of St Raymond Nonnatus, who have been active in the East End as Anglican nursing nuns since the beginning of the 20th century. The Sisters and the midwives of Nonnatus House carry out many nursing duties across the community.
However, with between 80 and 100 babies being born each month in Poplar alone, their primary work is to help bring safe childbirth to women in the area and to look after their countless newborns.
The series was adapted with the blessing and guidance of Jennifer Worth, who worked closely with Neal Street Productions and screenwriter Heidi Thomas (Upstairs Downstairs, Cranford) up until she passed away shortly before filming began in the summer of 2011.
Starring newcomer Jessica Raine as Jenny, the cast includes Jenny Agutter, Pam Ferris, Miranda Hart and Judy Parfitt. Three other new faces - Helen George, Bryony Hannah and Laura Main - complete the regular ensemble cast. Vanessa Redgrave provides the narration as the mature Jenny.
Executive Producer for Neal Street Productions is Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road, Stuart: A Life Backwards) with Christopher Aird as Executive Producer for BBC.
The series was produced by Hugh Warren (Above Suspicion, Survivors) and directed by Philippa Lowthorpe (Five Daughters) and Jamie Payne (The Hour, Ashes To Ashes).