Call the Midwife fans are devoted to its characters and important storylines, so it's perhaps unsurprising that when a character leaves, albeit temporarily, viewers are left feeling disappointed.
MORE: Call the Midwife's Helen George reaches out to fans after recent episode
Ahead of the next instalment in series 11 this week, the Call the Midwife official Instagram account shared a first look glimpse at episode six. But it seems fans are disappointed by the absence of Nurse Trixie Franklin (played by Helen George), particularly as her relationship with Matthew Aylward was beginning to reach new heights.
WATCH: Call the Midwife share first look at episode six
Noticing the character, who went away temporarily at the end of episode five to go to Italy, was missing from this weekend's episode, one person wrote in the comments section: "I'm waiting for Trixie to come back and marry Matthew."
Another agreed, adding: "This series has been so good! But please let Lucille and Trixie be happy. Every time Trixie finds love she has to leave..." followed by sad-face and red love-heart emojis.
A third was equally concerned about Trixie's absence, as well as Nurse Phyllis Crane's, writing: "Trixie and Phyllis going away on the same day, who will replace them??"
MORE: Helen George's fans are all saying the same thing about her sweet daughters
MORE: Call the Midwife: fans left 'heartbroken' after episode five
© Photo: BBCHelen George left the show to go on maternity leave
However, in real life, Helen George's absence from the show is very exciting as the actress went on maternity leave to welcome her second child. The star, who has played the beloved character since the beginning, and her husband Jack Ashton welcomed little Lark in November 2021.
The couple, who met on the set of the BBC drama, are also doting parents to four-year-old daughter Wren. Helen was pregnant throughout the course of her filming for series 11 of Call the Midwife and she recently spoke out in defence of shooting scenes while pregnant, despite the fact that her character is not with child.
Taking to Twitter, Helen addressed her followers, writing: "I've seen too many ridiculous comments about my pregnancy whilst filming @CallTheMidwife1 (also thank you for the lovely comments!).
"Women get pregnant, our bodies change. But we have the right to work if we choose to do so. How about just supporting it, and don’t question it?"
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