Call the Midwife returned to BBC One with a harrowing episode featuring a gas explosion at an apartment block and a baby born with spina bifida. Joyce Hyland (played by Renee Bailey) found herself put in a difficult position as she was reminded of her own childhood whilst visiting a disadvantaged family.
Meanwhile, Trixie Aylward (Helen George) was given the important role of fighting for more financial support for Nonnatus House. With the episode finishing on a high, viewers were treated to a snapshot of what is to come.
The teaser shows a woman addressing Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) as she announces: “Greetings, Sister. I’m Catherine Cantwell.” The has given insight into her role and the actress who plays Sister Catherine.
Sister Catherine is played by Molly Vevers, who is known for her role as Heather Shaw in The Rig. The actress said she felt immediately at home on set and praised her co-star Linda Bassett, who plays Nurse Phyllis Crane.
The star said: “In my first episode, I was filming a lot with the lovely Linda Bassett. I was so grateful to do that in the first few days because she was just so kind and welcoming and helpful.
Molly Vevers plays Sister Catherine (Image: BBC)
“In my first few days, we had a birth to do, which is quite scary when you haven’t done it before.
“But Linda’s just such a calming, warm presence, and she really helped me during that. Playing a nun, I also had a lot of scenes with Jenny and with Judy.
“So it was lovely just working with all of them and becoming one of the sisters at Nonnatus.”
The actress admitted she was “quite nervous” about filming her first birth scene, adding: “There are lots of tricks in the way that they film the birth, which you don’t really know about in advance.
“You’re working to get the wide shot and the close up, and then the baby comes in at the last minute.
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Sister Catherine is training to be a district midwife (Image: BBC)
“I just remember on the first birth that I did, there was a lot of build up to the baby finally arriving. So that started to make me quite nervous.”
Sister Catherine joins the team in episode four of the new series as she studies for her district midwifery qualification at Nonnatus House, and is the only trainee to live on the premises.
She is also still a postulant in the Order, having yet to take her First Vows. When she first felt a religious calling, she tried to quash it, but was unable to.
Now at Nonnatus, she faces daily reminders of all that she has left behind- fun, fashion and family.
The teased: “Sister Catherine keeps her distress from most of her housemates, though Sister Julienne is aware of the situation.
“But the closer Catherine gets to taking her First Vows, the more afraid she becomes. Is she doing the right thing? Can a life lived in the service of God and strangers ever justify the pain she has caused to those who have loved her all her life?”
Call the Midwife airs on One on Sundays at 8pm