Who Is Alice Brown in Finance and Media
Alice Brown is a Scottish actress best known for playing Nurse Barbara Gilbert in the BBC series Call the Midwife, a role she joined in 2018. The show is produced by BBC Studios and distributed internationally by BBC Studios Distribution, with the series filmed primarily at the BBC Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. The series is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth and is set in the East End of London in the 1950s and 1960s.
Brown has also appeared in other UK television productions, including roles in Holby City and Doctors, and she has worked with production companies such as BBC Studios and ITV Studios. Call the Midwife is one of the highest-rated drama series in the UK, regularly achieving audiences above 10 million viewers per episode on BBC One. The series is also available on streaming platforms including BritBox and BBC iPlayer, which are operated by BBC Studios and BBC respectively.
Call the Midwife Production and Distribution
Production Companies and Broadcast
Call the Midwife is produced by BBC Studios Productions and originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom. The series is commissioned by BBC Drama and distributed globally by BBC Studios Distribution, with licensing deals covering over 200 territories. In the United States, the series airs on PBS and is also available on the PBS Passport streaming service, which is operated by PBS.
The show has been renewed for multiple series, with the latest seasons continuing to air on BBC One and PBS in the US. The production budget for each episode is reported to be in the range of £1 million to £1.5 million, reflecting the period drama format and extensive location and studio filming. BBC Studios Distribution handles international sales, and the series is one of the top-performing drama exports for the UK television industry.
Streaming and International Reach
Call the Midwife is available on BritBox, a streaming service jointly operated by BBC Studios and ITV, with subscribers in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. In the US, PBS Passport provides on-demand access to full episodes and past seasons for PBS members. The series is also available on BBC iPlayer in the UK, which is the BBC's streaming platform for UK residents.
The show's international distribution is managed by BBC Studios Distribution, which licenses the series to broadcasters and streaming platforms worldwide. In Australia, the series airs on BBC First and is available on BritBox Australia. In Canada, it is available on CBC Gem and BritBox Canada, with the CBC broadcast supported by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Financial and Industry Context
BBC Studios and Revenue
BBC Studios is the commercial subsidiary of the BBC, responsible for global distribution, merchandising, and production. In the 2023/2024 financial period, BBC Studios generated revenue of approximately £1.6 billion, with Call the Midwife being one of its flagship drama titles. The series contributes to BBC Studios' international licensing revenue, which supports the BBC's public service broadcasting mission.
The BBC's total annual income includes the UK television licence fee, which was set at £169.50 per year for color televisions in the 2024/2025 fiscal year. BBC Studios operates under the BBC's commercial arm, with profits reinvested into UK content production. The company also operates the BritBox streaming service and manages the distribution of other major UK drama titles globally.
PBS and US Distribution
PBS distributes Call the Midwife in the United States, with the series airing on member stations and the PBS Passport streaming service. PBS is a nonprofit public broadcaster funded by member station dues, corporate sponsorships, and viewer donations. The PBS Passport service offers extended access to PBS content