Call the Midwife actress Fenella Woolgar aka Sister Hilda left the show leaving us heartbroken. But the reason for her leaving the series is legitimate.
Fans of the show said goodbye to Sister Hilda as well as Sister Frances, played by Ella Bruccoleri after the latest episode of Season 11. The viewers of Call the Midwife have shared their disappointment on social media as their favorite characters have been written off.
Sister Frances appeared on the Christmas Special episode of the show, but the sudden plot twist of her injury on the show has given the hint that she will not be returning for season 12.
The twelfth season of the show is set to release on January 1, 2023. As we bid goodbye to our two beloved characters, one new character is added. We will be introduced to the new character, Sister Veronica, played by Rebecca Gethings.
Why Is Fenella Woolgar Leaving Call The Midwife?
As reported by the Daily Mail, Fenella Woolgar is leaving Call the Midwife because she is working for other projects.
Fenella is starring in this series for a long time and now she is off for other new things in her career. Hence, her departure is not sad news but rather good news indicating the advances in her professional life.
The exact reason for her departure from the show hasn’t been revealed by the actress. At the beginning of the Christmas Special, the viewers are notified that Sister Hilda has left the Nonnatus House as she was summoned back to the Mother House in Chichester.
Apart from Woolgar, actress Ella Bruccoleri, who played the role of Sister Frances, has also exited the show. She appeared in the Christmas Special of the show, but during the episode, she is seen falling off her bike in the snow as she was heading to a birth emergency.
For her recovery, she is sent to the Mother House, and by the end of the episode, it is clear that she won’t be returning to Nonnatus House.
According to the reports presented by The Mirror, this might not be the end of the two nuns, and there is a possibility that we might see them together in the near future.
What Happened To Sister Hilda In Call The Midwife?
Sister Hilda character in Call the Midwife wasn’t written off with a dramatic plot twist. Nothing serious had happened to her in the previous season of the show.
The writers created a simple exit of the character from the story. Unlike sister Frances whose axing was demanded by the script, Hilda was removed because of personal reason.
In episode seven of season 11, Sister Hilda is seen taking care of a pregnant woman named Edina Corbett. Edina begins to feel labor pain, but it turns out to be a false alarm. In the same timeline, we see her husband, Lionel, a train driver, suffering from blinding headaches.
Due to his headaches, he misses the stop signals and hits another train, which is derailed. In the final episode of the season, Edina goes into labor as she waits for her husband to return.
She informs Sister Hilda that his last train for the day is at 5:19, but when she checks the time, it reads 7:05. Concerned Sister Hilda is seen heading towards the reception to find Miss Higgins.
Miss Higgins informs the nun that the train has derailed and killed the driver, but Sister Hilda asks her to confirm the news before she goes back to Edina. In the end, we see Edina giving birth to a baby boy.
With a heavy heart, Sister Hilda and Miss Higgins break the news of Lionel’s death to Edina. After the incident, the nun is sent back to the Mother House, as Mother Mildred believes that Nonnatus House can work just fine without her.
Fenella Woolgar Is Sister Hilda Actress Since Season 8
Fenella Woolgar’s character Sister Hilda was introduced in the Christmas Special of season 8. She has been on the show for four seasons.
It is known that before she became a nun, she was in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during World War II. The first scene features Sister Hilda calling Sister Julienne to inform her that Mother Jesus Emmanuel is terminally ill with a brain tumor.
Since her role was introduced in the show, it has been a fan favorite, and the news of her leaving the show has left viewers heartbroken. They were shocked to know about her moving to Mother House, as it is a clear indication that she won’t be returning.
Actress Fenella Woolgar is known for her roles in the television shows Doctor Who as Agatha Christie and Home Fires as Alison Scotlock. Her film credits include Bright Young Things, Mr. Turner, Judy, and Mr. Jones.
She has also been part of theatre performances including Playboy of the Western World, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Circle Mirror Transformation.
Despite Fenella’s exit, the show has been renewed for seasons 12 and 13. The series will be returning for its twelfth season on New Year’s, and it will show that Poplar is coming back to normal after the train crash. Rhoda Mullucks, who is pregnant, will be welcomed to the maternity ward by the midwives at Nonnatus House.
In this season, ventouse birth will be showcased for the first time, and it will also feature some medical advancements of that time. It is known that the upcoming episodes of the season are influenced by the speech given by Enoch Powell in the context of inflammatory anti-immigration.