Call the Midwife has stopped filming due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Bosses on BBC show Call the Midwife have been forced to postpone filming of the show’s Christmas special and 10th series.
Read more: BBC’s Line Of Duty and Peaky Blinders filming postponed amid coronavirus
Dame Pippa Harris, the programme’s executive producer, admitted it is not “feasible or responsible” to shoot episodes at the current time, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement released on the programme’s official Twitter account, she said: “Very sadly, we have had to postpone the filming of this year’s Call the Midwife Christmas Special and Series 10.
“Our priority is the safety of our amazing cast and crew, and we don’t believe that shooting at the current time is feasible or responsible.”
NEWS: Call the Midwife to suspend filming due to Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/V2f05ZhUiJ
— Call the Midwife (@CallTheMidwife1) March 19, 2020
The good news is that the team plan to return to work on the festive special “the moment the situation improves”.
Very sadly, we have had to postpone the filming of this year’s Call the Midwife Christmas Special and Series 10.
She added: “The moment the situation improves, the nuns and nurses of Nonnatus House will be back on their bikes, bringing babies and joy into your living rooms.
“We send our love to the worldwide Call the Midwife family, and look forward to being back in Poplar soon. On behalf of everybody at Call The Midwife, we wish you all good health.”
Fans including house expert Kirstie Allsopp were quick to express their disappointment, writing: “Oh no! Is there nothing to look forward to?”
Another viewer added: “That’s it, cancel Christmas.”
A third typed: “While this makes me sad, it’s the right thing to do.”
The move comes after filming for countless other shows was postponed as a result of the pandemic, which has killed more than 10,000 people worldwide.
Production on BBC programmes Peaky Blinders, Line of Duty and EastEnders has also been halted after the virus – also known as Covid-19 – spread further around the world.
A BBC spokesperson said: “In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, the producers – Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions – of Peaky Blinders S6 have postponed filming, and World Productions on Line of Duty S6 have suspended filming, both in consultation with and supported by the BBC.
“We will continue to review all productions on a case-by-case basis and will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the Foreign Office, World Health Organization and Public Health England.”
The sixth series of Peaky Blinders – which stars Cillian Murphy and Helen McCrory – was due to begin shortly.
Filming on the sixth series of Line of Duty started in Northern Ireland last month.
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