Call The Midwife star Charlotte Ritchie has revealed she decided to leave the hit BBC One drama to ‘keep the show alive’.
The 28-year-old actress felt the time had come, following her character’s marriage to curate Tom and reconciliation with nurse Trixie Franklin, to end nurse Barbara Hereward’s journey.
Speaking to the Radio Times, Charlotte said: “It seemed like a good time to go.”
Read more: Distressed Call The Midwife viewers slam voiceover announcement
Detailing how she wanted to “branch out and try something new” after joining the Midwife cast in 2015, Charlotte added she didn’t want to get “too comfy” in the role.
“I just think it keeps it fresh and keeps it alive if I keep going,” she added.
Reflecting on how Barbara has grown up and matured – from a “sort of wreck and quite incompetent” to a highly capable midwife – during her time on the show, Charlotte also explained why her character could not continue living offscreen.
“It would have been amazing to have the door always open, but also you can’t always do that,” she said, adding how ‘closure’ on characters can benefit storytelling.
“You can’t have your cake and eat it. It was my decision to go and I think it feels right that I really, properly shut the door.”
It was… felt like time to keep moving. So sad to go though. 🙁
— Charlotte Ritchie (@Charitchie) March 4, 2018
Despite the emotional impact of last night’s scenes showing Tom and Phyllis tending to Barbara as she slipped away, Charlotte also joked the nurse could have been written out of the show in a very different manner.
She claimed being crushed by an iron lung, falling through a trap door or falling down a lift shaft were all possible scenarios for Barbara’s departure.
Read more: Call The Midwife favourite to perish in terrifying inferno?
Call The Midwife continues next week on BBC One at 8pm.
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