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The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

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Call the Midwife

Drama: Classic & Period

Drama: Medical

Drama set in London's East End during the 1950s, based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth.

A heart-warming tale of life in London's hard-up East End. Midwives welcome new lives in the changing times of the 50s and 60s.

Series 1

BBC HD

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

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Call the Midwife: Series 1

Vanessa Redgrave

Jessica Raine

Jenny Agutter

Pam Ferris

Miranda Hart

Judy Parfitt

Helen George

Bryony Hannah

Laura Main

Cliff Parisi

Stephen McGann

Ben Caplan

Amy McAllister

Liam Reilly

Sophie Cosson

Darwin Shaw

Jessica Jones

Jake Bailey

Terry Bird

Stanley Townsend

Victoria Allcock

Penny Layden

Amelda Brown

Nick Bartlett

Mitchell Hunt

Philippa Lowthorpe

Hugh Warren

Heidi Thomas

Call the Midwife: Series 1: Episode 2

call-the-midwife_jessica-raine_amy-mcallister_v2_s01e02_0112_e_pp.jpg

Episode 2

BBC One - Call the Midwife, Series 1, Episode 2

As Jenny Lee settles into her role, there is a new arrival at Nonnatus House.

Drama about a newly-trained midwife in 1950s London. As Jenny Lee settles into her role, there is a new arrival at Nonnatus House. Meanwhile, Jenny sees a darker side of life.

As the nuns and nurses go about their duties, Nonnatus House gains a new resident, Chummy, a welcome pair of hands to help with the busy caseload. Sister Evangelina, in a case of inverted snobbery, has little patience with her or with her passionate and somewhat lofty desire to become a missionary. 

Meanwhile, Jenny has a chance late-night encounter with Mary, a young Irish girl aged 15. She is heavily pregnant and reveals that she ran away from an abusive home life in rural Ireland and made her way to London. She is unwilling to give away many details of her current situation. Mary is desperate and terrified, and eventually Jenny discovers the full, horrific details of the young girl's plight.

Destitute upon arrival in London, Mary was "taken in" by Zakir, the owner of an all-night cafe in the notorious Cable Street area. It transpired that the cafe was in fact a brothel, and Mary was forced into prostitution almost immediately. Her suffering has been extreme, but in the tough world of the criminal East End, this is far from unusual.

Sister Julienne arranges for Mary to be helped by a religious charity, but sadly it is not to be the end of her tragic story.

Chummy makes great efforts to settle in, but nerves and a keenness to please almost overwhelm her, and she makes slow progress. A particular obstacle is her inability to ride a bike, and although Jenny, Trixie and Cynthia struggle to teach her, their efforts are hampered by catcalling and jeering from local children. Her initial attempts to learn end in a spectacular collision between the three midwives and a policeman, PC Noakes.

Chummy's future at Nonnatus House hangs in the balance, and she soon finds herself out of her depth.

BBC One

A newly-qualified midwife begins her career alongside an order of nursing nuns.

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