Call the Midwife continued with the third instalment of series 12 on Sunday night - and it's fair to say fans needed the tissues to watch this one.
The latest episode saw Sister Veronica pay a health visit to the Talbot family, where newlywed Sandy Talbot confessed that she was in an abusive relationship with her husband, Joe, who had been assaulting her both physically and sexually.
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Later on, Sandy decided to leave the house in the middle of the night to report her husband to the police, however, she was told that sexual assault within a marriage was not illegal. By the end of the episode, she had decided to employ a lawyer to help her divorce Joe.
Viewers were left sobbing over the heartbreaking storyline, with one person writing: "Tears unstoppable tonight after another episode, great writing and cast," while another added: "I literally can't stop crying."
A third person tweeted: "Sadly it wasn't a crime back then. Disgusting… it happens every day in married life. Most women never come forward. Heartbreaking to see."
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Other fans praised the show, which is created by Heidi Thomas, for handling such a sensitive topic with compassion. One person wrote: "People who say #CallTheMidwife is twee and saccharine, clearly don’t watch it. What makes it so brilliant is the tough issues it tackles head-on with compassion, interspersed with gentle humour and kindness. Tonight is heartbreaking."
© Photo: BBCRose Riley and Rebecca Gethings play Sandy Talbot and Sister Veronica
Another applauded the drama for its ability to make fans cry tears of sadness one minute and happiness the next.
"From shock, horror and tears to laughter, happiness and support in the blink of an eye. What a show #CallTheMidwife," wrote one person, while another tweeted: "Have gone from blood boiling rage to tears of despair and then belly laughter all in about five mins. #CallTheMidwife continues to be utterly brilliant."
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