Call the Midwife pulls in 8 million viewers

BBC OneBBC One’s 1950s based drama Call the Midwife made an impressive debut on Sunday evening with 8 million viewers.

The six-part drama is adapted from the memoirs of Jennifer Worth and has been written by Heidi Thomas who also penned the BBC’s critically acclaimed adaptation of Cranford as well as its revival of Upstairs Downstairs. The drama’s cast includes Jenny Agutter, Pam Ferris and Jessica Raine. Call the Midwife launched on BBC One at 8pm on Sunday evening with an impressive 8 million viewers despite airing against the latter half of Dancing on Ice and the first half of Wild at Heart on ITV1.

In fact the premier of Call the Midwife rated higher for the BBC One than the season two finale of Sherlock. The modern-day updating of the sleuth, starring Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch, bowed out with 7.9 million viewers – so only just behind.