By james art Fans wonder why Charlotte Ritchie’s Barbara Gilbert to the left Call the midwife. Richie’s Gilbert, introduced in season 4, became a staple of the series by season 7, winning the love of fans and viewers through her warm and compassionate personality. As such, her departure left fans shocked and saddened.
Curious why Charlotte Ritchie’s Barbara Gilbert left the series? Here’s your answer.
Why did Charlotte Ritchie’s Barbara Gilbert leave Call the Midwife?
Charlotte Ritchie’s Barbara Gilbert left Call the Midwife as Ritchie wanted to try new acting opportunities and believed it was time to end her story.
Her character was well written and her exit made viewers cry. Barbara Gilbert sadly passed away at the end of Season 7 after contracting septicemia, also known as sepsis.
“They ask you to commit to the show quite early in the year,” she told Radiotimes. “And I’ve always wanted to do that, but I also felt like I’d done three different series in the last five years and I thought it might be good to try and branch out a little bit and try something new.”
Here, she also confirmed that she played a role in killing Barbara instead of leaving her alive, as it was her choice to leave, and that she wanted to “properly close the door” instead of leaving it open for the character’s return. Richie also opined that showrunner and writer Heidi Thomas thinks the same. However, Richie also admitted that keeping the character alive for possible future appearances would be a great idea.
Since leaving the beloved series, Charlotte Ritchie has continued to make waves in other popular projects. She appeared in the hit series Ghosts, You and Feel Good, further solidifying her acting career.
The first 13 seasons of Call the Midwife are currently streaming on Netflix in the United States and Sky in the United Kingdom.