BIRTH OF WOMEN’S LIB FOR MIDWIVES

Sex on agenda as hit drama enjoys 60s

CALL The Midwife is set to get the sex factor.

Bosses are planning storylines about women’s liberation that happened in the Swinging Sixties.

It is the first time we’ll see female characters enjoy sex on the hit drama.

Programme creator

Heidi Thomas, right, said: “In the show until now, women have lived in mortal fear of anything that might lead to pregnancy.

“So I am really looking forward to the bit of the 60s where women start to actually have some fun.

“At this point women agency over their own bodies.

“Our bodies won’t be an unruly object that has to be dominated and controlled. It’s something that can attain be celebrated and enjoyed. As we go forward in time, perhaps the women will start enjoying their own bodies, which is something we haven’t really seen them do yet.”

It sounds like the midwives are going to start having plenty of fun.

But expect a few raised eyebrows from the nuns.

Heidi added: “There was an episode when Sister Julienne expressed concerns about the Pill because she didn’t want it to initiate recreational intercourse, which she felt was not the way to go.

“But, of course, that is the way the world is going.

“So it will be interesting to see the team deal with that as we go further down the line.” Call The Midwife has always been about girl power, and Heidi is keen to keep women’s issues at the forefront of the show.

She said: “We have said the ‘V-word’ so many times now – vagina. But we have yet to say the ‘F-word’ – feminism.

“We see the women in Nonnatus House living lives with extraordinary autonomy.

“They’re very professionally dedicated.

“The word feminism hasn’t been used because it hasn’t been coined at this point.

“But as we continue for a couple more years, we might be getting into that sort of territory.”

The new series starts next Sunday at 8pm on

BBC One.