Trixie Franklin—sorry, Trixie Aylward now—has had an absolute terrible time of it on Call the Midwife season 13. And she’d already been through so much! So what might the future hold for our favorite glamorous midwife now she’s been through yet another trauma?
Trixie (Helen George) battled alcoholism, sexism, and the general stresses of midwife life before she got a seemingly happy ending via the wealthy Matthew (Olly Rix). But no, being married made poor Trixie’s life worse, not better.
Matthew seemed so nice, but he proved to be an absolute nightmare of a husband. Not only did he treat Trixie like her career was unimportant, but there was the small matter of him losing his job and all his money. And he failed to keep Trixie in the loop on all that. He even made plans to go to New York and try to regain his fortune there without consulting her. Oh Matthew. (There are plenty who think Matthew’s character was somewhat assassinated this season for the sake of drama.)
What happened to Trixie in the season 13 finale?
In the penultimate episode of Call the Midwife season 13, Matthew left for New York, but Trixie refused to go. Matthew hadn’t bothered to talk it over with her and her entire life was in Poplar; she couldn’t just give it up. So, Matthew and his infant son Jonty (Trixie’s relationship with her stepson was rather under-explored throughout this whole story arc) took off, leaving Trixie a mess.
She didn’t turn back to alcohol, but instead developed a reliance on caffeine pills. And she didn’t even realize how much they were affecting her until a horrible incident where she set her clothes on fire by accident. She was unharmed physically, for the most part, but the mental harm was a different story. Luckily her brother Geoffrey (Christopher Harper) stepped in, flushed the pills down the toilet, and helped Trixie get back on track.
Trixie called Matthew up in New York and learned things were going well. She decided she would join him and Jonty there. But can their marriage possible survive? This is, after all, the man who demanded of Trixie, “Are you a wife or a midwife?” But hey, the heart wants what it wants, and apparently Trixie’s still wants Matthew.
Will Trixie be back for season 14?
Matthew told Trixie that the move to New York didn’t have to be a permanent one, so perhaps she’ll be in New York for the first few episodes of season 14 and then make a grand return—with or without her husband. There’s also a chance she might change her mind and decide not to pursue Matthew after all. Maybe it’s his turn to do the heavy lifting in the relationship and Trixie can finally put her midwife career first.
In the real world, Helen George certainly doesn’t seem to want to leave the show. She said in 2023, “You never have complete control [of when/if you’re written out of the show]. Absolutely, it’s a genuine fear. You never know.” She’s one of only six of the original Call the Midwife cast members left, it’s worth pointing out, and she’s stuck with the show this long.
An “insider” who spoke to British newspaper The Mirror also doesn’t seem to think George is leaving. They said before the season 13 finale aired, “This series ends with the firm impression that Trixie is off to America to start a new life with her husband and young stepson. But the good news is her trip will be fleeting, and Helen will be back to carry on next year.”
So thankfully, it seems we haven’t seen the last of Trixie. She’ll almost certainly return—although whether it’ll be under the last name Aylward or Franklin is a different story.
(featured image: BBC)
