Buckles

Fred Buckle’s tragic past has been discussed on Call the Midwife, but it should be brought to life in the forthcoming prequel series.

Call the Midwife favourite Fred Buckle has long been a cornerstone of the Poplar community yet behind his warm exterior lies a heartbreaking past.

Fred, portrayed by Cliff Parisi, has graced the BBC drama since its debut in 2012, initially introduced as the handyman at Nonnatus House, and audiences have watched him blossom into a devoted family man and cherished friend.

Ever willing to offer a listening ear, the shopkeeper has forged truly wonderful bonds with the midwives and nuns of the convent, and is perpetually on hand to tackle any practical difficulties (Chummy’s bicycle, anyone?).

Fred is contentedly wed to Councillor Violet Buckle (portrayed by Annabelle Apsion), and together they are parents to their adopted son, Reggie Jackson, played by Daniel Laurie. Fred also has two daughters from a former marriage.

Prior to finding happiness with his beloved Violet, Fred was married to Betty, and the couple welcomed two children, Dolly and Marlene, Wales Online reports.

Tragedy, however, came knocking when Betty lost her life during the Second World War as bombs fell relentlessly upon London. Under Adolf Hitler’s orders, the Luftwaffe repeatedly targeted Poplar, devastating the area during what became known as the London Blitz.

In the wake of Betty’s death, Dolly and Marlene had little choice but to stay with relatives and friends while Fred completed his army service.

Overnight, Fred became a widower and sole parent without a home during a period of social upheaval, violence, uncertainty and widespread devastation. The trauma of war and losing his wife would have profoundly affected Fred for the remainder of his days.

In Call the Midwife’s second series, Dolly, portrayed by Ella Smith, turned up in Poplar to see her father alongside her young son, Anthony, revealing that her husband worked as a merchant sailor.

While chatting with the expectant Dolly, a proud Fred recounted how he had made a baby bath for his wife, which triggered a poignant exchange about the past and Betty.

“I often think of her at bath time”, Dolly told her dad, who replied, “Yeah, happy memories.”

Dolly continued: “They’re the best ones, I’m telling you. I drove past the bombsite on me way over and it brought back the Blitz, like it was yesterday. Me and Marlene being lifted out the rubble by a policeman, still in our nighties.”

With a devastated look, Fred said, “I should have been there, Doll”, but Dolly swiftly interjected: “You were fighting a war, Dad. Trying to stop that sort of thing from happening. And it did stop happening, in the end.”

In series four, Marlene Buckle (Rosie Sanson) appeared in the East End and was instantly irritated to learn her dad was getting married again, with Violet set to become his wife.

Clearly wounded by Fred’s desire to remarry, Marlene spitefully told Violet that her father was exploiting her for commercial gain. This triggered a temporary split between Fred and Violet, but Marlene later acknowledged her error and rectified matters.

As Call the Midwife is producing a three-part prequel to the BBC programme, it would be remiss not to explore Fred’s heartbreaking backstory and introduce his wife, Betty Buckle, to the series.

While viewers are familiar with Fred’s history, witnessing it unfold on-screen would prove deeply emotional, and something loyal fans thoroughly deserve.

The three-episode mini-series, entitled Sisters in Arms, will turn back time to World War II, featuring younger versions of beloved characters Sisters Julienne, Monica Joan, and Evangelina, originally portrayed by Jenny Agutter, Judy Parfitt, and Pam Ferris, amidst the London Blitz. It is scheduled to broadcast during the forthcoming Christmas period.

Call the Midwife is available to stream on BBC iPlayer