Call the Midwife fans left distraught over Turner family dilemma

Call the Midwife left viewers in despair with its latest episode, which saw the Turner family be faced with heartbreaking incidents on several fronts.

The episode saw Shelagh (Laura Main) and Dr Patrick Turner (Stephen McGann) almost lose their adopted daughter May (April Rae Hoang) when she nearly drowned during a trip to the seaside. But her rescue and recovery wasn't the only stress that the Turners were put under because the event led to questions being raised over whether they could, or should, continue being her primary carers.

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Miss Williams, a member of the Hong Hong adoption project, asked to speak with the Turners about what had happened with May in their care, remarking how her biological mother has started to "ask questions" about whether they're fit to look after her daughter. Bringing up another incident that was said to have happened two years earlier, May's mother said via the proxy: "I thought my daughter would be more safe with them, not less."

It was revealed that May could well be taken away from the Turner family, and that an "ongoing, formal review of the environment" is now taking place in order to assess what to do. Shelagh and Dr Turner were inconsolable about it, but reassured each other that they've done their "best" for May and can now only wait to see what the final decision is.

Viewers of the BBC series were equally upset by the prospect of the pair losing their adoptive daughter, with many taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts on the matter.

One viewer shared an image of the Turners consoling one another and wrote simply "I can’t do this", and another said they were "sobbing" during the episode. Meanwhile, a fan of the show said: "I’m a mess over May in the latest episode. I’ve been that kid, left alone in the water with little attention & I have a lasting fear of deep water over it & Shelagh’s screams broke my heart."

Another fan of the show was left distraught by the storyline, writing on social media: "They did not have to do that to the Turners!! LIKE, WHYYYY???!!!"

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Reflecting on the scene in which May almost drowned, one viewer said: "i feel like may was all our baby in these moments". Another fan of the show shared their anger at the possibility that the Turner family could lose custody over May, telling show writers: "Don’t you DARE take May from them!"

And one viewer said in response to the episode's turn of events: "this actually a joke i’m fuming if may doesn’t get to stay with her FAMILY i will start a riot"

In an interview with Radio Times in December 2023, ahead of the show's Christmas special, McGann teased what was to come in series 13 and said: "There is plenty to involve the Turners as a family this year, and there are stories that come out throughout the series. Let's just say things come back to haunt the Turners and there's a lot of real drama there."

Call the Midwife airs Sundays at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Watch the trailer for Call the Midwife season 13: