Call The Midwife star Olly Rix makes major life change after quitting show

Olly Rix has moved to the Welsh capital of Cardiff. Following his departure from Call The Midwife, the actor – who played Matthew Aylward – left London last year, and he’s begun to forge a new path. 

Olly Rix’s new life in Cardiff

Appearing on BBC Cymru Wales this week, Olly, who currently stars as Dr Byron in Casualty, dished on the big changes in his life. Revealing that he was actually born in Cardiff and had spent the first year of his life there, Olly mused that there “was something quiet poetic” about his return to the region. 

“I feel like I’ve come home somehow,” the TV star said of his move. “It’s great, it’s such a lovely city. The sun always feels like it’s shining at the moment. The people are friendly […] It’s great. I actually relocated from London. The schedule was so busy.” 

Asked about his weekends in Cardiff, Olly replied that he spends most of his time “learning lines” but has found the time to pop into local restaurants and find his favourite coffee shops while “becoming a resident”. 

The actor’s departure from Call The Midwife

Olly, who appeared in three seasons of Call The Midwife, quickly became a fan favourite, following his character’s romance and subsequent marriage to Nurse Trixie, played by Helen George. In a surprise move, however, Olly ended his tenure on the show in 2024 and refrained from commenting on his reasons for leaving. 

Before his exit, Olly and his co-star, Helen, had reportedly supported each other through their respective breakups and were said to be close friends. 

Helen had split from her partner of seven years, Jack Ashton, with whom she shares two daughters. Meanwhile, Olly had separated from his make-up artist girlfriend Natasha Fagri, whom he’d been dating since 2016. 

Last spotted together in November 2023, Helen and Olly had been photographed leaving Olly’s West London residence. While the pair appeared to be on good terms for the next few months, by June of 2024, however, fans began speculating about a rift, especially after Olly deleted a photo of Helen from his account and unfollowed her on Instagram. 

Both parties have remained radio silent on the matter, with Olly focusing on his new role in Casualty, which has been a “great” experience” so far. 

“I’ve been filming for nine months, but I feel like I’ve been in witness protection because I’ve just been in Cardiff going into studios,” Olly explained while appearing on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch in March. 

As for whether or not he’ll return to Call The Midwife, the chances are currently slim. In an interview with Radio Times, Helen was asked if her co-star would ever reprise his role as Matthew and return to Poplar. “Who knows!” she replied. “It’ll be interesting to see what happens there. At the moment, I don’t know, and I’m excited to find out what happens.”