Does Sister Julienne Survive the ‘Call the Midwife’ Train Crash? (SPOILERS)

The penultimate episode of Call the Midwife Season 11 left American viewers on the edges of their seats last week, as a train crash left Sister Julienne’s fate in the air. So, will Sister Julienne die in the season finale, airing on PBS stations tonight, Sunday, May 8? And is actress Jenny Agutter leaving Call the Midwife?

Read on if you want to know — we have spoilers for the season finale!

Since Call the Midwife’s Season 11 finale aired in February in the period drama’s native United Kingdom, we know exactly what happened to Sister Julienne in that rail yard disaster.

In last week’s episode, Sister Julienne traveled to Chelmsford for an obstetrics conference with Nurse Nancy Corrigan (Megan Cusack) and Dr. Patrick Turner (Stephen McGann).

Calamity struck on their train ride home, however. The train conductor, Lionel Corbett (Marc Elliott) passed out, and his wayward train collided with another at Poplar and careened off its tracks. Nurse Nancy, who was in the lavatory at the time, only sustained minor injuries in the crash, but Sister Julienne and Dr. Turner were knocked unconscious.

Thanks to the Daily Express’ recap of the Season 11 finale, however, we know that both characters survive the wreck. Sister Julienne suffered broken ribs, and Dr. Turner got a nasty blow to the head, but the latter’s trainee doctor son, Timothy (Max Macmillan), help them escape the wreckage.

Timothy has Sister Julienne rushed to the hospital, thinking she’s having a heart attack, but it turns out she was just in severe shock. Both she and Dr. Turner, who emerged from the accident with a concussion and an arm injury, will be unable to work for weeks, but both are expected to make a full recovery.

Not everyone is so lucky, though. Lionel dies in the episode, as does Dorothy Carnie (Stephanie Jacob), a passenger who passes away under the care of Sister Julienne and Dr. Turner.

Need more proof that you haven’t seen the last of Sister Julienne? Call the Midwife’s Facebook account posted a photo of Jenny and costar Linda Bassett, who plays Nurse Crane, as they kicked off filming on Season 12 last month.

“We bring you this picture straight from the Nonnatus House set, where our team began filming again just a few hours ago on a brand-new Christmas special and Series 12 of Call the Midwife,” the caption reads.

“This year, Jenny Agutter (Sister Julienne) and Linda Bassett (Nurse Crane) were there to provide us with the traditional clapperboard shot that marks the beginning of the first scene of the new season. … Call the Midwife will return with a new Christmas special and Series 12 in 2023.”

And fans, predictably, were elated to hear the news. “Call the Midwife is possibly the best show ever. And I never expected to like it!” one wrote in a comment on that Facebook post. “I was hooked from the first 10 minutes of the first episode. The characters are so rich and the stories so relatable. I’m delighted to hear Season 12 is in the works!”