23 October 2023 , 12:01
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Call The Midwife's Helen George has been seen on set for the first time since it was reported her onscreen husband has been written out of the drama.
The 39-year-old was seen wearing her usual nurses uniform amid the news that Olly Rix, who plays Matthew Aylward in the BBC series, was leaving the programme. It has been reported that other cast members have been "upset" by Olly's exit, with him allegedly only being told last week that he was being written out..
Helen, who plays Trixie Franklin in the series, was wearing a blue dress and red hat, and was seen carrying and kissing a white dog. Olly's exit will shock fans on the show as the last episode of last season saw his character Matthew finally marry nurse Trixie.
Trixie and Matthew got married last series (BBC / Neal Street Productions / Laurence Cendrowicz)A source told The Sun: "The news of Olly's departure has left the cast and crew stunned and upset. They all thought he was a mainstay on the series after his prominent wedding scenes to Helen last season. Some feel it's a bit unfair and he is well liked by everyone.
"It felt very out of the blue. There is concern now among the remaining cast about not wanting to upset production and people are keeping their heads down."
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However, it may not be as much of a shock to Olly himself as he previously said he wasn't sure if he would be staying on the show for many more series. He said: "I don't know if the show wants me until 2026. They might not want to go there. I don't know. One never really knows but as far as I'm concerned, I'm not looking for the next thing. I'm not looking to catch the next branch. I'm gripping the branch I'm on at the moment and giving it everything I've got."
The actor has been part of Call The Midwife since 2020, first appearing in series 10. He has been part of some big storylines, including falling in love and marrying Trixie. He was originally married to another woman, who was pregnant with their first child, and Trixie was their midwife.
However, Matthew's wife Fiona was diagnosed with leukaemia and passed away not long after giving birth to their son. Trixie spent time with Matthew to make sure he was okay before they grew closer and fell in love themselves. They then tied the knot.