Corrie legend leads cast in new WWII Call The Midwife spin off

Filming is officially underway for the much-anticipated Call The Midwife spin-off, Sisters In Arms — and you might recognise some of the faces in the newly-announced cast. Coronation Street legend Julie Hesmondhalgh, who famously played Hayley Cropper for almost two decades, is set to star in the World War II prequel.

It's also been revealed Call The Midwife favourite Jenny Agutter, who plays Sister Julienne, will be narrating the series — despite a new actress (Helena Wilson) playing a younger version of the character.

We now know Julie Hesmondhalgh will play new character, Sister Alice, while the younger Sister Evangelina will be played by Amy Booth-Steel — and with Helen Schlesinger playing a younger version of Sister Monica Joan.

In a post shared on social media on Thursday 18th June, Call The Midwife bosses said: 'NEWS!! Filming begins on Call The Midwife: Sisters In Arms – the new prequel series to Call the Midwife!

'BBC and Neal Street announce that filming has begun on our brand new prequel series Call the Midwife: Sisters in Arms, set in Poplar during World War Two!

'The three-part Christmas instalment is now filming – and we are delighted to confirm that our own Jenny Agutter will be narrating the series as the older Sister Julienne!

'Here's what we know... “In September 1939, Sister Monica Joan is in her prime, Sister Julienne and Sister Evangelina are young and zealous, and Nonnatus House is the beating heart of Poplar. Together with Sister Alice, and local GP Dr Kit, the nuns dedicate their lives to mothers, babies and the poor. But there is no gas and air, no penicillin, no cure for TB, and no welfare state.

'Then war is declared - and life gets even harder. The three young secular midwives who complete the team - Sybil, Olive and Marianne - receive a baptism of fire as the blackout and the Blitz take hold. While bombs rain from the sky, women give birth underground, families are shattered, children run wild, and whole streets are reduced to rubble. But courage, compassion and resilience triumph as the community unites in its efforts to survive…”

'The new cast is AMAZING!'

NOW READ: Sisters In Arms: Call The Midwife spin-off slated for Christmas debut

Who is in the cast?

Fans will be thrilled to see that not only will Sister Evangelina, Sister Monica Joan and Sister Julienne's younger selves feature in the new spin-off, but a young Dr Turner and a young Fred Buckle will appear too. Fred will be joined by his first wife Betty, who had passed away by the time we see Fred in the Call The Midwife series.

The new cast will feature some famous faces and rising stars, including Corrie's Julie Hesmondhalgh as Sister Alice, Helen Schlesinger as Sister Monica Joan (Eastenders, Ted Lasso), Slow Horses' Bally Gill as Dr Kit Malhotra, This Town's Ben Rose as Doctor Turner and Ciaran Bowling (Dune: Prophecy) playing the lovable Fred Buckle.

The new cast is as follows:

Sister Alice: Julie Hesmondhalgh

Sister Evangelina: Amy Booth-Steel

Sister Monica Joan: Helen Schlesinger

Sister Julienne: Helena Wilson

Dr Kit Malhotra: Bally Gill

Marianne Siegler: Liv Andrusier

Sybil Maxted: Lizzie Back

Olive Dobbs : Ellie Mckay

Fred Buckle: Ciaran Bowling

Betty Buckle: Ami Metcalf

Dr Patrick Turner: Ben Rose

Showrunner Heidi Thomas has said of the news: “Having loved and lived with the Sisters of Nonnatus House for so many years, I found myself longing to turn the clock back and tell the story of their finest hour - the Blitz. Who were Sister Monica Joan, Sister Julienne, and Sister Evangelina, when they were young?

"What did they do, how did they survive, and how did the conflict change them? Sisters in Arms has been a joy to write - I can't wait to share our new show with Call the Midwife’s fantastic fans.”