All Creatures Great & Small | Series 6 Preview (5)

Series 6 takes us back to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales for more heartwarming human and animal tales but, this time, we find our beloved Skeldale gang in a somewhat different situation as we join them in 1945, just as the war in Europe is coming to a close.

We arrive back in Darrowby to veterinary advancements, expanded families, and new faces as they all look ahead to a brighter and more peaceful future. This series will see Herriot's wonderful characters navigating the opportunities that a new world brings, a host of animals great and small, and of course, each other.

Nicholas Ralph reprises his role as devoted vet James Herriot, alongside Samuel West as the brilliant yet unpredictable business partner Siegfried Farnon. Anna Madeley returns as the steadfast Mrs Hall, with Rachel Shenton once again as capable Helen Herriot, and Callum Woodhouse as the mischievous Tristan Farnon, still serving with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.

Patricia Hodge delights as the elegant Mrs Pumphrey, joined by her cherished Pekingese, Tricki. Also featuring are Tony Pitts as Helen’s no-nonsense father, Richard Alderson, and Imogen Clawson as her spirited younger sister, Jenny.

In the first episode, it’s May 1945 and James visits Archie Tredwell’s farm to help with a difficult lambing, with the ever-curious young Jimmy in tow. However, the farmer’s beloved sheepdog Fly soon requires James’s attention when she has a nasty fall. Archie notes a big stray dog that’s been seen around the area, known to the locals as the ‘Barghest’.

Back at Skeldale, James realises that Fly has arthritis and might not be able to work for much longer, leaving the younger sheepdog Lad to step up. Tristan arrives home from his posting in Italy to find the house in all kinds of chaos! Tristan’s perturbed by Siegfried’s behaviour and James explains what a nightmare he’s been.

James and Tristan head out of Darrowby to find the only person who can help – Mrs Hall. James and Helen are now now living at Heston Grange with the children. Helen is concerned about the state of Skeldale and Siegfried, but doesn’t approve of James’s plan to fix it.

Joining the cast for this new chapter will also be Lucy-Jo Hudson (Hollyoaks, Wild at Heart), Gaia Wise (The Dead of Winter, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim), Jonathan Hyde (The Brutalist, Titanic), Philip Martin Brown (Waterloo Road, Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy) and Chris Gascoyne (The Feud, Patience), bringing fresh faces to the heart of the Dales alongside familiar returning guest cast Mollie Winnard, Conor Deane, Cat Simmons and Lamin Touray.

All Creatures Great & Small returns Thursday 25th September on 5.