Call the Midwife's Sister Veronica leaves Poplar in tearful farewell, but will she be back?
Rebecca Gethings has played the sympathetic character since 2023
Call the Midwife fan-favourite Sister Veronica left Nonnatus House in emotional scenes this week, after coming to a pivotal fork in the road about her life. But has she gone for good, or will she be back?
Viewers will know that Rebecca Gethings has played the character since she joined the medical drama in 2023. But her future looks uncertain after she made a huge decision in series 15’s latest episode.
At the end of episode 5, Sister Veronica was seen having a teary farewell with Sister Julienne, before she left Nonnatus House. And fans have every reason to be worried for the popular character, who’s had quite the journey recently.
Here’s everything we know about Sister Veronica’s exit in Call the Midwife, why she’s left, and if she’ll be back.
***Warning: spoilers from Call the Midwife series 15 episode 5 ahead***
Sister Veronica’s crisis of faith
Call the Midwife fans will know that Sister Veronica – and her yearning for a baby – has taken centre stage in series 15. Despite being a nun who has made vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to God, the 2025 Christmas specials saw Sister Veronica’s desire to become a mother take hold.
Sister Veronica has always cared deeply about the children she is tasked to look after. But the moment of change came when a newborn baby was found abandoned outside The Order’s branch house in Hong Kong. Sister Veronica took the baby into her care and instantly fell in love with her.
Veronica was subsequently devastated when she was forced to return the baby to its mother, who just happened to be May Turner’s biological mother, Esther Tang.
Viewers saw Veronica confide in Trixie’s brother Geoffrey, saying: “I want a child. I want a child of my own, to hold in my arms and keep safe and cherish always. I want a child before it becomes impossible.”
Why has Sister Veronica left Call the Midwife?
Sister Veronica had developed a profound connection with Christopher, providing him with comfort and assistance. In the previous episode of Call the Midwife, the Turner family learned that Christopher required a pause in his cancer therapy. And Sister Veronica accepted the offer to accompany him home to continue his treatment at the British Army Hospital.
Having arrived back from Hong Kong, she immediately asked to speak to Sister Julienne. She told her superior: “I came back to Poplar via The Mother House. I needed to confer with Mother Mildred. Because I have been feeling increasingly unhappy. […] I cannot keep on giving and not counting the cost any longer.”
She continued: “I have loved, and served, and I have saved other women’s children for decades. If any one were mine, or felt like mine, for a day or even an hour, I had to hand it back. And stand there trying not to scream because my arms were empty. I hoped I could bear it, but I cannot.”
Finally, she told Sister Julienne she’d “been given permission to go away for six weeks”. During that time, Veronica will decide if she wants to “give up her vows and leave The Order”.
Will Sister Veronica be back in Call the Midwife?
You’ll find no spoilers here, because we wouldn ‘t want to spoil the series for you. But we will say it’s very unlikely Sister Veronica has left for good.
But, whether she returns as a Faithful (a nun) or a Traitor (breaking her solemn vows) remains to be seen. One thing we do know is that poor Veronica was absolutely broken in this episode and it was painful to witness.
Who plays Sister Veronica?
Canada-born Rebecca Gethings, 50, plays Sister Veronica in Call the Midwife. She joined the show in series 12 (2023) as a replacement for Sister Hilda.
Sister Veronica – real name Beryl – arrived in Poplar in 1968 after spending 13 years working in the Order’s branch house in Hong Kong. She changed vocation from midwifery to health visitor, and her warm, no-nonsense manner has made her popular with patients.
Speaking of her character’s latest storyline, Rebecca said: “You’re going to see a journey for Sister Veronica. I don’t know where she’ll end up. But she will have been to some places and seen some things she’s possibly never experienced before. She’ll be forever changed by this series – so watch this space!”
Actress Rebecca, who moved to Berkshire with her family when she was a child, is largely known for her comedic roles. She’s probably best known for her appearances in The Thick of It, The Mimic, Flat TV, and The Serpent Queen.
In real life, Rebecca Gethings’ partner is the Emmy award-winning animation director Tom Brass, with whom she has two children.
‘Sister Veronica isn’t going to come back, is she?’
Fans shared their fears over Sister Veronica’s future, and if she’ll return to Poplar.
One said: “I wonder if this is goodbye for Sister Veronica. Geoffrey will miss her. #CallTheMidwife.”
Another added: “That was a downbeat ending for once. I don’t see Sister Veronica returning #CallTheMidwife.”
A third typed: “Well Sister Veronica isn’t going to come back, is she? #CallTheMidwife.”
“Is it me or is Sister Veronica going to end up exiting at the end of this series? #CallTheMidwife,” said another.
Read more: What happened to Trixie’s husband Matthew and if Casualty actor Olly Rix is coming back
