The “Call the Midwife” Christmas Special has a completely different feel to it this year, as split storylines take the senior members of Nonnatus House to Hong Kong on a mercy mission — leaving the younger midwives unsupervised in Poplar and free to indulge themselves.
Here’s how to watch “Call the Midwife” Christmas Special 2025 online from anywhere with a VPN — and potentially for FREE.
► Part 1 of the 2025 “Call the Midwife” Christmas Special premieres at 8:15 p.m. GMT on Thursday, December 25.
► Part 2 premieres at 8:30 p.m. GMT on Friday, December 26.
• FREE STREAM — BBC iPlayer (U.K.)
• FREE STREAM — PBS (U.S.)
• Watch anywhere — try NordVPN 100% risk free
Violet (Annabelle Apsion) and Fred's (Cliff Parisi) far-flung adventure takes a tragic and unexpected turn when, shortly after touching down in Hong Kong to see Derek (Nicholas Atkinson), they discover that the Kowloon Branch House has collapsed, resulting in multiple fatalities and casualties.
Amid a hastily arranged rescue effort, Dr Turner (Stephen McGann) and Shelagh (Laura Main) set out in search of Esther Tang (Yennis Cheung), the biological mother of their adopted daughter May (April Rae Hoang), but opportunist gangsters and an outbreak of tuberculosis escalate an already desperate situation.
Back in London, a Mr Fischer (Henry Goodman) captures Cyril's (Zephryn Taitte) attentions with a wildly generous offer for his flat, and it's not just a case of festive goodwill.
Read on as we explain how to watch the "Call the Midwife" Christmas Specials for free and from anywhere.
How to watch 'Call the Midwife' Christmas Special 2025 for FREE in the U.K.
How to watch 'Call the Midwife' Christmas Special 2025 from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the show on your usual service?
You can still watch the “Call the Midwife” Christmas Special thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're in the U.S. but want to view your free BBC coverage, you'd select a U.K. server from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head over to BBC iPlayer and enjoy!
How to watch 'Call the Midwife' Holiday Special 2025 in the U.S.
In the U.S., the “Call the Midwife” Holiday Special will arrive as a bumper two-hour episode at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Thursday, December 25.
It will be free to watch on the PBS website and app until January 24, 2026.
Not in the U.S. at the moment? Signing up to NordVPN will help you access your preferred streaming service when you're overseas.
How to watch 'Call the Midwife' Christmas Special 2025 in Canada
In Canada, both parts of the “Call the Midwife” Holiday Special premiere on Britbox on Friday, December 26.
A subscription costs CA$10.99/month or CA$109.99/year after a 7-day free trial.
If you're a Brit or an American currently in the Great White North for work or on vacation, you can still catch the show for free by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.
How to watch 'Call the Midwife' Christmas Special 2025 in Australia
Both episodes of the 2025 "Call the Midwife" Christmas Special will land on Britbox in Australia on Saturday, December 27.
A subscription costs $13.99/month or $139.99/year after a 7-day free trial.
Anybody currently Down Under from the U.K. or U.S. can use one of the best VPN services to access their usual streaming service. We recommend NordVPN thanks to its speed, reliability and trusted security features.
'Call the Midwife' Christmas Special 2025 cast
- Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle
- Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle
- Fenella Woolgar as Sister Hilda
- Patra Au as Mrs Ma
- Stephen McGann as Dr Patrick Turner
- Laura Main as Sister Shelagh Turner
- Yennis Cheung as Esther Tang
- Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson
- Henry Goodman as Mr Fischer
- Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland
- Molly Vevers as Sister Catherine
- Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne
- Helen George as Trixie
- Christopher Harper as Geoffrey Franklin
- Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan
- Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford
- Linda Bassett as Nurse Phyllis Crane
- Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica
More from Tom's Guide
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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