Call the Midwife’s Turner family grows again after tragic development

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Jenny Agutter, who plays Sister Julienne on Call the Midwife, has said the upcoming Christmas special—which takes place in both Poplar and Hong Kong—includes some scenes that viewers might find quite upsetting.

But that won’t have come as a surprise to longtime fans.

Heidi Thomas’s BBC drama, set in London’s East End from the late 1950s to the 1970s, follows the lives of midwives and nuns at Nonnatus House. While often praised for its heartwarming stories, the show also realistically portrays the difficult and sometimes tragic experiences of those it depicts.

This was particularly noticeable with May Turner’s birth mother, Esther, and her son, Christopher.

When Shelagh found out Violet was going to Hong Kong to see her son, she asked the mayor to give a letter and photos of May to Esther. They hadn’t received any news from Esther in over a year and were worried. Although sisters at the Branch House – which had been damaged in a landslide – had occasionally seen Esther, the long period of silence was very concerning.

Despite her initial hesitation, Shelagh chose to travel to Hong Kong with the team from Nonnatus House. She then made it her mission to locate Esther, but found she was nowhere to be found.

It turned out she’d been let go from her nanny position with a British military family, and nobody knew where she had disappeared to.

The Turners refused to give up on her, continuing to search despite warnings from one of Esther’s frightened friends. This friend’s fear, and the fact that Esther’s husband was involved in organized crime, suggested a dangerous situation.

Despite their worries, the couple pressed on, becoming concerned when Esther and Christopher seemed to have gone their separate ways. Shelagh asked Sister Edith for help, and the nun was able to tell her where Esther was – living in terrible poverty – and explain why she’d disappeared.

Esther is in hiding because Christopher’s father, known as The Cormorant, is a dangerous gangster with numerous children. The Cormorant wants to take Christopher, as he’s his only son.

Sister Edith warned, “You’ve never encountered anyone like him before. He’s ordered them to be hunted down as if they were animals.”

Esther was terrified her child would end up like her criminal father, so she ran away. It was a heartbreaking decision, made worse by the fact she had to leave her baby daughter in a cardboard box at Hibiscus House, hoping the nuns who lived there would look after her.

But the situation has since become even more desperate…

When Dr. Turner examined Christopher, he quickly realized something was seriously wrong. After convincing Esther to leave their difficult living situation, he took Christopher for an X-ray. The results showed he had Wilms tumor, a type of kidney cancer most often found in young children.

With Esther’s consent, Dr. Turner intended to bring Christopher to London for a new, potentially curative chemotherapy trial. It was known as a harsh treatment, but offered the only real hope for recovery.

Turner emphasized that time was running out to get Christopher out of Hong Kong, saying they didn’t have much time left to act.

However, that plan seemed to unravel when The Cormorant discovered his son was being sent abroad. He immediately dispatched a man to capture Dr. Turner, who was unexpectedly attacked while gathering medical supplies with Fred.

The gangster, once deported from Liverpool during the war, wouldn’t allow his son to leave. He declared he’d only change his mind if Dr. Turner won at gambling – a condition he knew was impossible to meet.

But Turner refused to play, instead appealing to his ego.

“If Christopher’s life is lost, who will pray for you? Who will carry on your family line?”

When The Cormorant claimed he knew a Chinese doctor who could help his son, Turner replied peacefully, “I don’t care who heals him, just as long as he lives. And if he does, I promise I’ll return him to you.”

And that seemed to do the trick.

It was a huge relief when the police finally came in. The Cormorant finally gave in and told Turner to bring his son back to England. The boy will stay with the Turners while he gets the help he needs, but it’s not a permanent situation – the doctor made it clear they aren’t planning to adopt him. I’m just glad the boy is safe and getting care, even if it’s temporary.

But what is his survival chances?

As a movie critic, I often talk about sequels – and unfortunately, when it comes to cancer, a return performance is a really bad sign. The good news is, we’ve made incredible progress. Back in the early 70s, the five-year survival rate was around 59

Christopher has a tough journey ahead, but with excellent medical care and the Turners’ support, we’re hoping for a positive outcome by the end of season 15.

Call the Midwife season 15 arrives on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in early 2026.

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Authors

Abby RobinsonDrama Editor

Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor at TopMob, where she writes about TV dramas and comedies. Before joining TopMob, she was a TV writer for Digital Spy and a content writer for Mumsnet. She has a degree and a postgraduate diploma in English Studies.

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2025-12-27 01:05