Call the Midwife viewers have weighed in on Matthew (Olly Rix) potentially being recast in the BBC drama, after Trixie (Helen George) confessed that their marriage is in trouble.
In the latest episode of the nursing period drama, the fan-favourite opened up about the state of her marriage to her friend and colleague nurse Phyllis Crane (Linda Bassett). “My marriage isn’t exactly thriving under current conditions,” she told her when Phyllis had suspected something was wrong.
“Are you spending too much time apart?” she gently enquired, to which Trixie answered: “We’re certainly not doing enough together. He has his business interest and I have this.” After watching the episode, fans were quick to offer up a solution on Instagram, stating that Rix’s Matthew should be recast despite their love for the character.
“Replace [him]. No, it won’t be easy to transition but then at least there can be the continuation of the story [without] the character just leaving never to be seen again. I so loved Matthew.”
Another fan wrote: “Just let her be happy with him off screen give her scenes with [Jonty] and professional stories. [When] the show finally ends make her pregnant or even recast him, which I wouldn’t love.”
PHOTOGRAPHER:Luke Ross//BBC
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Ahead of the show’s season 15 debut, George spoke to the Express.co.uk and other journalists about Matthew and Trixie’s relationship this season, sharing: “I think marriages function in lots of ways. They may seem strange from the outside, but they function well from within.
“I think it gives us space that she can come back to Nonnatus and do what she wants.”
She added: “She’s got this double life of being his wife and being Lady Aylward but also coming back to the heart of her life and her family, and doing the thing that she loves the most, which is midwifery, away from that. And I think there’s something really wonderful in that.”
BBC
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However, the latest episode suggests that Trixie isn’t so happy with the state of her life in Poplar. During her conversation with Phyllis, Trixie alluded to being unhappy when she shared that working at Nonnatus house “won’t be enough for anybody, if it all comes to an end”, referring to Sister Juilenne’s (Jenny Agutter) big decision over the future of the order.
Rix, who has since been cast in Casualty after his departure in 2024, shared his upset at leaving the period drama during an interview with HELLO! where he admitted: “It’s hard for me to talk about that show.
Olly Coutrney//BBC
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“I’m very fortunate. Most jobs, I think of very fondly but you do, of course, leave them in the past and move on and develop new work.”
He continued: “With that project in particular, I didn’t like the way it ended and I didn’t think they treated me with much integrity or respect, and I didn’t like that. I think it’s just best left in the past and not discussed much more.”
A spokesman for the series released a statement in response, saying: “We don’t accept this. Call the Midwife is a drama that prides itself on providing a supportive, inclusive and nurturing filming environment, and we are known for the family atmosphere on our set.”
Call the Midwife airs on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer.
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TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. Â For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. Â She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
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