Call the Midwife
Pining for her family in Jamaica, can Lucille strike the right work-life balance in Poplar?
SUNDAY 2 May, 8pm BBC1 Drama Sister Hilda has a mystery on her hands when she treats nervy patient Louise Wrigley. The anxious young woman believes she’s pregnant, but that proves not to be the case, despite a variety of aches and pains. Sister Hilda starts to suspect something unusual might be the root cause...
Since arriving in the UK from Jamaica, Lucille Anderson has thrown herself into her job as a midwife at Nonnatus House. As she battles feeling homesick, this week Lucille makes an important diagnosis in the health of one of her mums-tobe, which reminds her why she came to work in Poplar, in the East End of London, in the first place.
Lucille treats local resident Patricia Williams, who’s expecting her third child. Already concerned about the woman’s weight gain and the large size of her unborn baby, Lucille then discovers Patricia has an anomaly with her urine sample.
Tough choices
Lucille is concerned about the health of the mother and baby but, despite the midwife’s worries, Patricia is determined to have her baby at home.
Lucille has been thinking of ‘home’ a lot herself as well, as she confides in her boyfriend, Cyril, that she misses family gatherings by the sea in Jamaica – so Cyril organises a surprise for his lady…
However, when Patricia suddenly goes into labour at home and Lucille has to attend, Cyril’s disappointed that she can’t make their date.
‘Lucille grew up in rural Jamaica, so coming to London was always going to be a shock to the system,’ says Leonie Elliott, who plays the midwife. ‘Lucille and Cyril’s relationship has grown over the last year or two, and I suppose it’s always difficult to balance your romantic relationship and work relationship. Cyril is quite understanding – but we see Lucille find more of a balance this series.’
When Patricia has complications, Dr Turner (Stephen Mcgann) has concerns, and what follows is a difficult birth. Afterwards, Patricia struggles to care for her newborn son but Lucille is heartened when her family rally round and all pull together to help her.
Can Lucille and Cyril find a way to connect with their own families so far away in Jamaica?