Jennifer Kirby has quit Call The Midwife after four years as Nurse Valerie Dyer.
The actress, 31, took to Twitter on Friday to reveal she’d be saying goodbye to Poplar and Nonnatus House, but said she ‘couldn’t wait’ to see the ‘beloved’ show from ‘the other side of the screen.’
The news comes days after bosses announced that Call The Midwife had resumed filming for Series 10 and its upcoming Christmas Special, after production was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Off to pastures new! Jennifer Kirby, 31, has quit Call The Midwife after four years as Nurse Valerie Dyer
Jennifer, who joined the cast as Nurse Dyer in 2017, wrote: ‘After four joyful years spend with Call the Midwife I have decided to say goodbye to Nonnatus, Val and the wonderful cast, crew and production team.
‘The programme is truly a national treasure, and it will always be a huge honour for me to have been a part of something so wonderful. I can’t wait to keep watching our beloved Nonnatuns from the other side of the screen.
‘Long live Call the Midwife. So long chicks. x’
Jennifer made her Call the Midwife debut back in series six, appearing as an army nurse who came to Shelagh Turner’s aid following an explosion.
Two episodes later she joined the Nonnatus team as a midwife, and recently faced a devastating dilemma, after learning her beloved grandmother Eileen had been running a backstreet abortion clinic.
Sad: The actress took to Twitter to reveal she’d be saying goodbye to Poplar and Nonnatus House, but said she ‘couldn’t wait’ to see the ‘beloved’ show from ‘the other side of the screen
Back to work: Jennifer’s departure comes just days after Call The Midwife resumed filming, after being brought to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic
Deciding to report her to the authorities, viewers were moved to tears when Valerie was forced to watch her grandmother pass away of cancer after being thrown behind bars.
Jennifer’s departure comes just days after Call The Midwife resumed filming, after being brought to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taking to Facebook bosses gushed they were ‘overjoyed’ to be heading back to work to ensure their yearly festive special could air on time in December.
Bosses also shared snaps of mask-clad star Stephen McGann – who plays Dr Turner in the series – having his makeup applied by a crew member, who is dressed head-to-toe in PPE.
A lengthy statement posted to the show’s social media account said: ‘This has been no mean achievement. Giving birth to each season of Call the Midwife, even in healthy times, is a major logistical task, involving the skills of far more people than you see on screen…
‘Call the Midwife can have up to 200 crew members working on our set in a shooting day – and there are around 150 shooting days in every year. Our cast includes not only our 15 main cast members, but also about 70 guest actors in each season.’
‘And babies? We reckon we’ve employed about 1,100 babies in total since our series began!
Thrilled: Taking to Facebook bosses gushed they were ‘overjoyed’ to be heading back to work along with snaps of a mask-clad Stephen McGann outside Nonnatus House
Back to business: In the snaps Stephen – who plays Dr Turner in the series – can be seen having his makeup applied by a crew member, who is dressed head-to-toe in PPE
Exciting: Bosses also vowed that they would still be airing the Christmas Special and its 10th series on time, after being forced to halt filming in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic
‘And let’s not forget those other essential staff members who keep our Nonnatus House team fed and watered. Over 40,000 meals are served to our cast and crew during each filming season – as well as 100,000 cups of tea and coffee!
‘Bringing all of these heroes back together to film in safety during a pandemic has been our top priority in these last months. But being able to deliver a brand new Christmas Special and Series 10 to you is the very best reward that we could wish for.’
Dame Pippa Harris, Executive Producer said: ‘Alongside the rest of the country, we have all been devastated to see how Covid-19 has affected people around the world.
‘Our midwives and nurses may not be the front-line heroes of today’s NHS, but by getting back to work, they, and we, hope to bring some joy and respite into people’s lives.
‘In such difficult times, the values of Call the Midwife seem more resonant than ever. In series ten we will continue to celebrate the skill and bravery of the UK’s NHS whilst bringing laughter and love into our homes.’
‘Overjoyed’: In a statement bosses shared their delight to be back to work at weeks in lockdown, and vowed fans would be seeing the nurses back in Poplar this Decemberr
Series Creator, Writer and Executive Producer Heidi Thomas added: ‘Everyone is overjoyed to be whisking the dust sheets off Nonnatus House and getting back to filming after lockdown.
‘It is a particular thrill to be able to deliver the Christmas Special on time, just as we promised at the start of the pandemic.
‘We are very much a family at Call the Midwife, and like families everywhere, we have missed each other. We will now be putting more love and energy into our work than ever and can’t wait to share Series 10 with our fantastic, loyal audience.’
Dramatic: This year’s festive special will once again see the nurses and nuns of Nonnatus House hit by drama and delight (pictured in 2019’s Christmas Special)
This year’s Call The Midwife Christmas Special will once again see the nurses and nuns of Nonnatus House look forward to a festive celebration in 1965, but won’t be without drama as Sister Monica Joan (played by Judy Parfitt) is rushed to hospital.
Trixie (Helen George) is furious to receive a subscription to a Marriage Bureau as a Christmas gift, while Shalagh is involved in a deeply moving birth following a surprise reunion.
The circus also arrives in Poplar for the first time to the East End’s delight, leading to a new adventure for Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett).
Call The Midwife’s Christmas Special will air on BBC One in December. Series 10 will begin in 2021.
On soon: Call The Midwife’s Christmas Special will air on BBC One in December. Series 10 will begin in 2021 (pictured in 2019’s Christmas Special)