CALL The Midwife fans have been left stunned to spot a star of The Traitors in the heart-wrenching Christmas Day Special.
The popular BBC drama returned tonight for the first of two festive episodes, set in 1969, with the second set to air tomorrow on Boxing Day.
The first of the two 60 minute specials saw the Nonnatus midwives stretched to the max delivering babies, while other characters contended with influenza and the Hong Kong flu.
There was also the looming fear of four escaped prisoners on the run and heading to the capital.
But some Call the Midwife fans were distracted within the first few minutes of the episode after spotting a familiar face.
One early seen saw a down-on-their-luck couple and their children kicked out of their home by bailiffs after failing to keep up with their payments.
With just days until Christmas, the family had to move into a dingy one-room flat, all while the mum was pregnant with another baby.
The mother, Dilys, was played by Maddy Smedley, who many recognised from her time on the first series of The Traitors.
Shocked to see her in the period drama, one wrote on X: “Is that Maddy from Traitors?”
Another added: “There she is there’s Maddy @MadelynSmedley.”
A third tweeted: “OMG Maddy from #TheTraitors is actually acting in the #CallTheMidwife Christmas special.”
Maddy concealed the fact she’s an actress for a long time during her stint on The Traitors in case it raised suspicion among her fellow Faithfuls.
She managed to make it to episode 11 before she was banished, only to leave her co-stars gutted to learn she was a Faithful, not a Traitor.
Since her time on the show, Maddy has had a baby of her own and managed to continue with her TV career.
Last year she landed the role of talent agent Faye Fuller in Channel 4 soap, Hollyoaks.
Call The Midwife first came onto the airwaves in 2012 and has been seen by millions. But what is it about?
Series one: Set in early 1957 and it explored the ‘Baby Boom generation, which included themes of poverty and post-war immigration.
Series two: Set in 1958 and it showed gas and air being introduced for pain relief for the first time. It ended with the Nonnatus House building being condemned.
Series three: Set in 1959 and it depicted gruesome conditions such as cystic fibrosis, polio and it showed the midwives in the context on prisons.
Series four: Set in 1960 under the threat of nuclear warfare and the emergency response guidelines issued by the local Civil Defence Corp. Other themes included LGBT rights, and syphilis.
Series five: Set in 1961 and it shows the care of patients with conditions such as Typhoid and strokes. We also saw the effects of thalidomide, the introduction of the contraceptive pill.
Series six: Set in 1962 and domestic violence was at the centre of the season. Other themes included FGM (female genital mutilation), mental health issues and interracial marriage. It was also notable for the introduction of Reggie, a recurring character with Down Syndrome.
Series seven: Set in 1963 and we see Nurse Lucille Anderson for the first time. We also see the show address conditions such as dementia, huntington’s disease, leprosy and meningitis
Series eight: Set in 1964 and it bravely covered the issue of abortion, which was not legal for another three years in 1967. Sickle cell disease, cleft lip, cleft palate and intersex people also featured.
Series nine: Diptheria was at the centre of the ninth instalment in 1965, and it was notable for featuring a blind expectant mother. But the role of Nonnatus House within the community also came into question.
Series ten: Set in 1966, Nonnatus House has a rival in the form of the private Lady Emily Clinic in Mayfair. PKU, diabetes and the controversy surrounding abortion were central themes.
Series eleven: Set in 1967 amid the housing crisis and a scabies epidemic. The show was rocked by a train crash right next to Nonnatus House.
She appeared in nine episodes during her guest stint.
Meanwhile Call the Midwife fans will have to wait and see what becomes of Maddy’s character and her family in the next episode.
Call the Midwife is available on BBC iPlayer, with the next festive episode airing Boxing Day on BBC One.
