Original subtitles

Glorious North Yorkshire,

a landscape adored by many,

but put on the map by one.

Over 50 years ago, vet Alf Wight,

under the name James Herriot, put pen to paper,

and All Creatures Great And Small was born.

People still write to my sister and I

to say how much good our father's books have done them.

That's a terrific legacy.

Little did he know,

it would become one of the most cherished book titles

and television series in the world.

We love the setting,

the writing, the characters, everything about the show.

An inspiration to many,

but perhaps no more so than Peter Wright.

And Alf Wight always said

he was 95% veterinary surgeon and 5% author,

but to me, he was my mentor

that I was lucky enough to call a friend.

Trained by the man himself,

Peter has continued this famous legacy...

We're engaged.

...along with his colleagues...

Good work, Peter. We work well as a team.

Yes, a good team.

...in the long-running series The Yorkshire Vet.

This is the story of when the two worlds meet.

Hello, Peter.

With exclusive behind-the-scenes access

to a world gone by and its future counterpart...

Hello. PETER LAUGHS

...at the most wonderful time of the year.

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

In the heart of the Yorkshire Dales,

the quaint village of Grassington is undergoing a transformation...

With it being wartime,

we've had to pull things back a lot more.

...as it steps back in time to become 1940s Darrowby...

Does it look straight? ...ready for the filming

of the much anticipated Christmas special

of All Creatures Great And Small.

You just feel an old-fashioned type of Christmas.

We always love the Christmas special.

It's magical to see that little bit of Christmas.

And Yorkshire vet Peter Wright is having a rare day off

to come and experience the magic for himself.

Skeldale House door.

You've got your work cut out, haven't you? Oh, I have, yeah.

For Christmas, it's quite warm, in't it?

It is very warm for Christmas. THEY LAUGH

Christmas may come but once a year,

but for the cast and crew of All Creatures,

the festive period begins in June.

It's quite surreal, really,

because here we are in the middle of summer,

and we're preparing for a Christmas scene in Darrowby.

And it's production designer Tom's job to turn sunny Grassington

into a 1940s winter wonderland.

It's a challenge, but hopefully, with a sprinkling of frost

we can make it look a bit of a clear, frosty morning.

There's obviously ways of doing that, then. Yeah.

So, it's like a tissue substance that we spray down,

dampen down the ground, spray that on, and it sticks.

And the Christmas episode wouldn't be complete

without a spectacular centrepiece.

Tom, whenever I come back with a tree,

my wife says it's never big enough.

Do you think you've got a big enough one there?

I get the same problem,

so this is my opportunity to put the big one in.

Obviously, you're doing it during wartime,

so there won't be lights on it, will there?

Er, no. It's quite a minimal tree to that degree.

Do you know, I will never, ever take for granted

the props behind the cast that I'm watching on the television.

Because now I'll be looking at your work

as well as what they're doing.

Thanks very much. Excellent. Thank you.

As the final touches are put to the impressive set,

the true scale of the transformation is apparent.

SWING MUSIC PLAYS

Yorkshire vet Shona is too young

to have known the real James Herriot,

but like many, she's been inspired by his tales...

Good girl. ...and can't wait to meet up

with her friend and colleague Peter to get in on the action.

Good morning. Morning. How are you?

I'm all right. How are you? Great to see you.

I'm really excited for when the actors arrive.

Yes, I am. I am, yes. Just to see them come in.

In their winter coats.

THEY LAUGH

Yeah. I don't envy them that at all. It's way too warm.

Left of frame. They're out of shot.

And you two know our parameters.

There's a bit of movement now,

and it looks like they're getting quite close

to taking the first bit of footage of the day.

Let's block off the road, Emily.

And Shona and Peter are lucky enough to have front row seats.

And... action.

Can I have a present, please? Cut there.

But the summer sun is continuing to present challenges

for director of photography, Ian, on the Christmas set.

We've got an issue with the amount of frosting.

At the moment, most of our dusting is blowing away

in the nice summer breeze that we've got.

While the crew work to fix the all important winter frosting,

Peter and Shona discover they're not the only ones

hoping to get an insider glimpse

into the magical world of James Herriot.

Hello. Hi.

Have you come to watch everything being filmed?

Yeah, from Exeter in Devon. Bloomin' 'eck.

What made you come all this way?

When we come home from a bad day at work,

we just put on All Creatures, and it makes life a bit better.

Such a nice thing to have. Yeah.

And some people have made an even longer trip

to celebrate the show.

Lauren has travelled over 5,000 miles from California

and is here with tour guide Tim.

It's like an escape from reality into a kinder world once a week.

I understand exactly what you're saying

because it was a very gentle time working with Alf Wight.

Life was much slower.

He wasn't aware until he came to Yorkshire

how beautiful Yorkshire was.

Well, I wasn't really either.

You see it on television, and you think,

"It can't be that perfect."

And then I came here today, and it is.

Enjoy the rest of your trip. I will, thank you.

And with Darrowby looking suitably festive once again,

filming can continue.

Sit down for a take, please.

1058, take one. A camera mark.

And action.

Cut there.

Isn't it fascinating to watch how they do it,

how they bring everything together? Yeah.

And with a series all about animals, it's no surprise

that Peter and Shona's day off quickly becomes a busman's holiday.

Hey, how are you?

Jordan the director is in need of advice.

We need to pick your brains. This is my editor, Lynsey.

Hiya. Nice to meet you.

Now, we've been filming with a cat. Right.

We've had problems trying to get a shot of the cat actually asleep.

All we could get was, like, one eye open, one eye shut.

Now, my question is,

say in the '40s, if you anaesthetised a cat,

would it potentially be under anaesthetic with its one eye open?

Well, they'd usually both be partially open, wouldn't they? Yeah.

Oh, OK. Wonderful.

When a cat's asleep normally, their eyes will be shut.

Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

When they're under anaesthetic, everything's relaxed.

Their eye position moves a little bit.

This is gold. Thank you.

Glad it was useful us being here today.

THEY LAUGH

A few miles west of Grassington,

one of the trickiest scenes of the Christmas special

is about to get underway.

It's not going to be easy, but yes, we should be able to get it.

Jill Clark is responsible for the training and welfare

of most of the animals for the series.

We're just setting up to do a scene

where two of the vets, Siegfried and Carmody,

get stuck in a car with a dog that doesn't want them to come out.

Carmody then gets out the car,

and the dog just takes off and chases him.

The pressure is on for Jill and Scott the dog to get this right.

While Scott gets put through his paces,

Jill lays down the treats to encourage him to perform.

Come here. Good boy.

Settle, settle.

And action.

BARKS Too late.

The timing needs to be perfect.

Will Jill and Scott be able to make

the scriptwriter's ambitions a reality?

Coming up,

the vets come face-to-face with one of the biggest stars of the show,

and Peter gets his moment in the spotlight.

There's one that says "make-up",

and you definitely need some of that.

What are you saying? What are you saying?

Playing out under the magnificent backdrop

of the Yorkshire Dales,

filming for the highly-anticipated Christmas special

of All Creatures Great And Small is underway.

Animal trainer Jill Clark is feeling the pressure.

She needs dog Scott to perform a particularly tricky scene,

and so far, the timing has been off...

Too late.

...and Scott hasn't run after Carmody as he should have.

Tensions are running high for director Jordan.

You can't predict what the dog was gonna do.

Best-laid plans don't always work.

Steady. Action.

CLATTERING

Yes!

Run, you fool! Run!

That's it. You're gonna make it.

You're gonna make it!

You're not gonna make it...

Lovely.

You read the script, didn't you? He did.

I think that particular action went absolutely brilliant.

I think we've got that one.

These dogs are uber professional, and this... He's doing really well.

Down the road in Grassington,

Samuel West is preparing for another special festive scene.

It's quite exciting to see them in real life, in't it?

Christmas in All Creatures

is traditionally a time when the community comes together.

# Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis... ♪

I shall never forget your kindness.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Merry Christmas.

Will this continue in series four?

And background action.

So, Siegfried's come out there with the turkey.

I bet Mrs Hall's cooked that.

OK, hold it there.

They did that, what, in three takes, that one?

I know. Yeah.

They have only walked about five yards.

This job isn't as easy as it appears on the surface, is it? No.

It isn't long before the vets get their opportunity

to find out first hand.

How nice to see you. Hi, Sam.

Are you boiling? Yes. Absolutely.

Well, I really admire what you do, because, having known the man,

I think you've got his character off, personally.

Siegfried Farnon is based on eccentric vet Donald Sinclair,

who Peter worked closely with in his early career.

I like the reverence of the veterinary student to you as well.

Trailing behind, as I would have done.

It's a very nice relationship.

He's new to this series. He comes in as James's assistant.

Siegfried and he have more in common.

And he's very strong in his book learning,

but he doesn't really have much experience

or ANY experience in the field.

If we could pinpoint the exact cause of the production of diacetic acid

and beta oxobutyric acid in the metabolism,

we'd be well on the way to understanding the problem.

Don't you agree? I do.

Wholeheartedly.

And having spent years with the real Siegfried,

Peter's definitely got a tale or two to tell.

I'd been out to calf a cow one morning.

I was looking a little dishevelled. He said, "Peter, where's your tie?"

I said, "It's at home."

He said, "Put it on before you come back,

"you're a disgrace to the profession without it!"

And it seems Peter's story

has even inspired a scene in a previous series.

I see my gallant crew have arrived,

clearing the decks for their captain.

Where's your tie, man?

Oh, I, er... I left it in the car.

A well-tied tie is the mark of...

A well-made man. Good to see you again, Siegfried.

There's so many people here, and they've come from so far away.

It's a privilege to film here.

We've got people coming, as you say, from all over the world.

But try not to lean on the George V postbox,

as I did in the first series, because it falls over.

I thought it was real!

It's been an absolute pleasure speaking to you,

and thank you so much. Thanks so much.

Thank you for speaking to us, Sam. Thanks for your time.

OK, cut there.

All right. Well done, everyone.

Thank you. That's a wrap.

As dawn breaks on a new day in the Dales,

anticipation is in the air.

Are you nervous? Well, I am a little bit, yeah.

I've got to say I am.

After years of working alongside James Herriot - Alf Wight -

Peter has received a special invitation

to star in the series his friend and mentor inspired.

I never thought in my wildest dreams

that I would be part of All Creatures Great And Small.

Having seen the whole thing develop,

to be here in the midst of it now is very special.

And he'll be looking down there with that wry smile on his face.

I'm sure he'll be very proud, Peter.

Well, I think he'll think I'm crackers!

THEY LAUGH

Wonder if I'll be going into one of them.

I imagine so, cos there's one over there that says "costume".

And there's one over there that says "make-up".

And you definitely need some of that!

What are you saying? What are you saying?

Hello, Peter. Good morning. Thank you very much.

Let's get you dressed.

See you in a bit.

Oh, yes. That's typical me. You could wear that now.

Well, I do wear that type of shirt now!

I'm very jealous that Peter's getting a part

on All Creatures Great And Small,

but I'm gonna be here supporting him through it.

And after a few finishing touches,

it's time to reveal his new 1940s look.

Oh, Shona. Wow!

Oh, I like the hat. Yeah. What's next on the agenda?

Well, I think I've got to go and have some powder,

some talc put on my face.

Mascara? Ooh, I don't know.

Little lippy?

I don't think I need it. But look, I have to do as I'm told.

And it turns out Peter needs more than just a touch of powder

to take him back to the wartime era.

My sideburns are just about five millimetres too long,

so I'm just having that addressed now.

Well, this doesn't happen on the Yorkshire Vet.

It's rather nice being pampered like this.

But there's no more time for pampering.

Thank you, Bex. You're very welcome.

Peter's big moment is fast approaching.

And it's not just any scene,

James Herriot is heading off to war.

Step on in, Peter. I'll find you a seat in here.

Take your seat here. As it pulls in and lands on action,

you can just have a little nod to these guys, "I'm getting off",

and then heading in that direction.

Peter's gonna need a cue. OK. Thank you. Cameras set.

And action.

Won't be the same without you.

Just be sure it's the same when I come home.

Cut there.

Peter's looking fantastic in his outfit.

I think he's enjoying his bus journey. He's getting to the age.

He's gonna have his bus pass soon, so he needs to get the practice in.

And Peter's starring role isn't over yet.

I've got to multitask because I've got to walk,

and I've got to acknowledge people at the same time

and have my newspaper under the arm.

So that's three things I've got to concentrate on.

He seems very involved and in the middle of it at the minute,

and the director keeps shouting to him,

"Peter, over here. "Peter, come over there."

The pressure is on.

Peter's walk needs to be perfectly timed

to Mrs Hall and Siegfried watching James leave on the bus.

Take one.

Oh! Hell.

Being an extra clearly isn't as easy as it looks.

OK, hold it there.

While Peter prepares for take two,

Shona has spotted one of her favourite characters, Tricki Woo...

Hello!

...or Derek, the lovable Pekingese,

who is on set with animal handler Jill.

He's one of the main characters on a lot of the Christmas scenes.

Yes, yeah, I had to train him to lie flat on the table.

This was when he was poorly on Christmas Day?

Then he just lay there while Mrs Pumphrey was stroking him.

So you think we've lost him, we've lost him, he's gone...

Tricki...

It's Christmas morning.

I'm sure Mrs P has loads of presents for you at home.

OK, Tricki. Tricki!

What's this? What's this?

Honey.

Come on.

Oh, yes!

Oh, good.

Yes. There he is! Merry Christmas, little man.

How did you train him to be so still?

Lots of food, lots of treats, and lots of cuddles.

You can't train something

that hasn't got a natural ability to do it.

No.

Across the square, Peter's hoping his natural ability as an extra

is going to shine through on the second take

after dropping his newspaper first time round.

Well done, everyone. That's a wrap!

Am I glad to see you.

How was that? It's nerve-wracking.

You've got to do so many things at once.

I don't know whether you noticed,

but I dropped my newspaper at one point.

I think it's every man to his job, you know? Yeah.

And I think I belong as a vet.

Well, I think you've done a fantastic job,

despite dropping the paper.

Thank you.

As the sun rises over North Yorkshire,

Peter and Shona are excited

for another day discovering the magical world of All Creatures.

They've received an exclusive invitation to the studios

with some rather special tour guides.

Peter.

Nick.

How are you doing? Good to see you.

Having worked at the original Skeldale House

with the real James Herriot,

being shown around by the current Herriot, Nicholas Ralph,

makes this even more poignant.

So, here we have the famous phone, often ringing off the hook,

with Mrs Pumphrey and Tricki Woo likely callers.

Mrs Pumphrey.

Of course. I'll send one of them up to you right away.

Sinclair and Wight, which was the name of the practice,

we would answer the phone like this.

Hello? Sinclair and Wight.

Hello? Sinclair and Wight.

Yes. We'll have someone out straight away.

It'll be young Peter. Thank you very much.

That was perfect.

And I'll put my feet up and have a cup of tea.

Do you know you're wasted as an actor.

You could have been a superb veterinary receptionist.

THEY LAUGH

Every single detail in the set has been considered

to make it as close to the real vet practice as possible.

Well, Peter, this is the prop store. Wow.

Which holds some brilliant things from the show, like this,

which I think you'll remember from a famous scene.

Tom is one of the production designers for this series.

The Belted Galloway. With the exploding stomach.

Scalpel, please.

Thank you.

Ready, Colonel? Oh, get on with it, Farnon.

It almost took my eyebrows off!

Oats and mayonnaise and mustard, and things like that.

How did you go about creating the stomach, then,

to get that effect?

The team come up with some nice contraptions and silicon bits.

And then once we blow them up, and we get to a...

Ah! ...an inflamed stomach.

So as we pushed it in...

From here, it's very realistic, Tom, I've got to say.

Just down the corridor,

Shona is enjoying a behind-the-scenes tour

from one of her favourite characters, Helen,

played by Rachel Shenton.

There's the doorbell. Doesn't work.

Come in.

Oh, wow.

We're actually in the Aldersons' kitchen.

It's a lot bigger than I expected. It is, isn't it?

Jacquie, who was our production designer when we first started,

has such a keen eye for detail,

so I was really excited when I came onto the set.

It feels lived in.

It feels like a proper, homely farm kitchen, doesn't it?

Just thinking back through the series,

there's so many memorable scenes played out in the kitchen.

Getting ready for the wedding. Yes.

And I'm sat with Mrs Hall. I'm sat here.

Wish my mum were here.

She is.

In you.

And in your sister.

Aye.

I absolutely love the character. I love how you play her.

Thank you for bringing me in. It's been lovely to see it.

You're very welcome. Carry on, shall we? Yes.

Coming up, Peter and Shona get an exclusive insight

into this year's Christmas special.

There'll be plenty of hijinks and things like that.

And it's time for a role reversal

when actors Anna Madeley and Samuel West

enter the world of the Yorkshire Vet.

This is doubling your fee.

The more I hear, Sam, the more I like you.

THEY LAUGH

Generations of people around the world have been gripped

by the captivating stories of All Creatures Great And Small.

Its success has inspired a modern-day documentary series,

The Yorkshire Vet,

and for the first time, the two worlds are coming together.

Wow.

Back at the studios, Peter and Shona are lucky enough

to get a sneak peek at this year's Skeldale House Christmas tree.

As veterinary surgeons, Christmas is a busy time, isn't it?

The one that springs to mind initially

is the very first one that we ever did.

And the puppies were being born.

Oh, so lovely, so tiny. Oh!

Yeah. That's the last of them.

Can you give us a clue as to what's happening this year?

There'll be plenty of hijinks and things like that.

You know, Siegfried and our new student vet, Richard Carmody,

mixing up Christmas dinner.

Wherever Siegfried is involved,

there's always a little bit of chaos.

Yeah. THEY LAUGH

The onus, once again, is very much on the community,

especially this year, with the war, you know,

really rumbling on in the background.

I certainly hope that's something that will never change

in the world of All Creatures,

the sense of community and togetherness and love.

Christmas is a time for family.

Those that are here, and especially, those who are not.

All of us are missing someone.

Most, we'll see another time.

Others, we won't.

I want to remember them

and give thanks to those who filled the hole they left behind.

So...

I guess the only thing left to say...

is Merry bloody Christmas.

Merry bloody Christmas.

Merry Christmas. Thank you for having us.

From the set of Skeldale House, to the original.

Behind this unassuming red door at 23 Kirkgate

in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, is where the story began.

And today, there are some familiar faces in town.

Thirsk was the original Darrowby, wasn't it?

Yes, Thirsk is beautiful,

but it's big, and it's modernised slightly.

So they chose Grassington

cos it's still got that slightly more village feel,

and it's much easier to turn into a 1930s set.

I have to say, your accent is very different

from what I thought it would be watching the programme.

Yeah! I'm not local. You do do a good Yorkshire accent.

Oh, thank you.

So, have you ever been in 23 Kirkgate before?

No. You know what, I haven't, so I'm really excited to see it.

The former home and veterinary practice of Alf Wight

is now standing proudly as a museum in his honour.

Here we are.

And who better to give Anna Madeley and Shona a festive welcome

than the custodian of his father's legacy, Jim Wight.

Ah, hello, you two.

Hello. Come in.

Wow, this is... So, the real Skeldale? It's gorgeous.

Does it remind you of the studio floor?

It really does, yeah. Can see where the inspiration came from.

It makes me think I should get my mop out.

So, did you have anyone here as a housekeeper?

There were several Mrs Halls.

Because Donald was a very difficult man to work for.

You, of course, have made a major character

out of a Mrs Hall who was a non-event in the Herriot books.

I think that's fantastic.

I just can't imagine living in your place of work.

We've had farmers coming through.

Just great muddy boots, straight in and out,

in a family home, which is incredible.

It just doesn't happen nowadays.

You're looking at history,

the life of the countryman, the vet, the farmer as it was.

This is why this place is timeless.

Shall we have a look round? Let's get on. I'll show you round.

Across town,

Peter's keen to show his guest of honour around, too.

Siegfried Farnon, no less.

Morning!

Samuel West plays the character

based on Peter's late friend and colleague,

the eccentric Donald Sinclair.

Oh, couldn't you have chosen something stylish

Sam, lovely to see you again.

And you, sir. How are you?

Well, I thought this was rather appropriate, Sam,

cos this was Alf Wight's first car, wasn't it, when he came to Thirsk?

That's right. Austin 7. Austin 7.

Very nice, too.

If you don't mind me saying,

you don't look like Siegfried without the beard.

So, how are the brakes on this thing?

I've had better, Sam.

It reminds me of that scene

where I take James out for a drive in the Vauxhall.

The brakes don't work.

That happens from time to time. They're consistently inconsistent.

How am I supposed to slow down?

Why would you want to? We want to go faster, Herriot.

Not slower. Faster!

Alf Wight's first car used to get punctures regularly,

and he said that gave him t'chance

to take in the wonderful views that were surrounding him.

God's own countryside.

We film for four months of the year in the Dales,

and I always get a bit itchy around Christmas thinking,

"When's it gonna be February, and we can go back?"

Yes. We're going to go see some sheep this morning. Jolly good.

Donald used to visit the farm on a regular basis as well.

Oh, that's great.

Back at the original Skeldale House,

Anna and Shona are exploring Jim's childhood home.

Did you have your Christmases in here when you were little?

Yes, it was about the only warm room in the whole house.

And of course, there's the Christmas tree,

which brings back great memories for me of Christmas in this house.

Honestly, for a man who was working all the hours that God sent,

he always had time for us at Christmas.

Whenever we film Christmas at Skeldale,

it's big on having lots of friends around, the community.

We like to have a party.

BELLS RING That could be him now.

Happy Christmas, James. Merry Christmas, Mrs Dobson.

It's an occasion for bringing everyone together.

Was it like that in your community?

Every time farmers came in there, they'd get some whisky. Yeah.

Are you on call this year?

I'll be working a few days but not Christmas Day.

Oh, nice. Yeah.

Well, as you're here, Anna, or Mrs Hall,

I should take you to the room you'll be very, very interested in.

Right...

Just a few miles up the road,

Sam is on a journey of discovery...

You're much better at changing gear in this than I am in the Rover.

...finding out about the real man his character Siegfried is based on,

vet Donald Sinclair...

Let's go and meet some sheep.

...from those who knew him well.

Hello, Peter. Hello, Clive. How are you?

Fine, thanks. How's yourself? I'm very well.

Can I introduce you to, er... a colleague, I should say.

Nice to meet you. Clive Grey. Come through.

Some of Clive's sheep are suffering from footrot,

a painful condition caused by bacteria getting into their hooves.

Well, I suppose we'd better get some work done, hadn't we?

Time is money, Peter. You farmers are all alike!

You know, I'm used to working with trained animals.

How are these gonna be?

Well, they're not trained, but we are dealing with sheep.

And there's two things about sheep,

they don't bite, and they don't kick.

I like them already! LAUGHTER

Ready?

That's got her. Excellent.

Sam, would you mind?

Thank you very much.

Yeah. That's painful.

So, what are you doing here? That needs trimming off.

It's basically like our nails, this tissue. I see, yes.

That's pretty good, I think.

And it's time for Peter's new recruit to get hands on...

Can I do this bit? Certainly. Go on.

...with some antiseptic blue spray.

Oh, look at this. You're enjoying that, aren't you?

Yeah. This is doubling your fee!

THEY LAUGH

The more I hear, Sam, the more I like you.

The other thing we need to do

is give her a shot of old-fashioned penicillin.

So this is one of the things doing the series, set in 1940,

is that you can see the antibiotics on the horizon,

and yet you can't have them yet.

So, did you know Donald?

And was he as eccentric as everyone said he was?

Donald, come to a calf, pneumonia.

"Get it wrapped up. Keep it warm. Get some bags over it."

"I'll be back tomorrow." Right.

So, yes, tomorrow came round. Donald appeared.

"What you trying to do with this bloody thing?

"Suffocate it or what?! Get the bags off.

"Get the door open. Get some air into it!"

Just totally contradict his previous...

Absolutely.

Yup.

There's just another one here, Peter.

Right. Can I do this?

Yeah, of course you can.

That's painful, I think, as well there.

Yeah, I can feel it in the middle.

Spray man.

You know what Donald would have said?

"Don't put too much on it.

"You nearly used half a bloody bottle there!"

And after a quick dose of antibiotics

to keep any infection at bay...

Well done, Sam. That's perfect. Pop this into a thigh muscle.

...Peter is very happy with his new intern.

That was expertly held. Good job. Thank you.

And I know what Donald would say at this time,

"Do you think Elizabeth will have the kettle on?"

We'd better go and see, then. Lead on!

PETER LAUGHS

Back at 23 Kirkgate, Jim's got the same idea.

Aww, this is home from home.

Yeah, this is definitely Mrs Hall territory.

Oh, look, we've got a fresh pot of tea.

Oh, lovely.

Shall I do the honours? Yeah.

Many of Mrs Hall's words of wisdom

are over a cup of tea in the series, aren't they?

Yeah, I make quite a lot of pots of tea.

Sort out everyone's problems.

Don't dwell on what's done when there's things need doing.

It'll blow over...

till the next storm comes rolling in.

It's not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.

You can sort out a lot over a pot of tea, can't you? You certainly can.

Jim, we know quite a lot about your dad,

but tell us a little bit about your mum.

Well, my mum was a very supportive wife.

A terrific mother as well. She had plenty of time for us kids.

So, did she do a lot of the things that we see Mrs Hall doing?

It's interesting you say that, Anna,

because she was a Mrs Hall, in a way, really.

Was she? She held the place together.

She scrubbed all these floors. She was a terrific cook.

The roast beef gravy was always fantastic.

The Yorkshire puddings were second to none.

She was everything.

It's really interesting that your mum was actually a very good cook

because in the current series,

Helen is notoriously not a good cook.

Mm-mm... GIGGLING

Delicious.

They're not too terrible?

Quite a unique flavour.

They're awful, aren't they?

Honestly?

Some of the worst I've ever had. LAUGHTER

Now, are you taking off the Mrs Hall hat this Christmas,

will you be cooking at home?

Oh, gosh. I've never been trusted with Christmas dinner, so...

I doubt it. I probably should give it a go, shouldn't I?

I'll help with the cranberry sauce or something.

Across town, Peter and Sam

are also enjoying a cup of Yorkshire's finest

with Clive, and his wife Libby.

Would you like a piece of Christmas cake?

I certainly would. That looks amazing.

Thank you. Peter?

Mr Sinclair liked his Christmas cake.

I'm completely with Donald. This is astounding.

Thank you very much. It's really delicious.

Every year, before Christmas trees were grown commercially,

like they are nowadays, he grew Christmas trees.

There was always a Christmas tree on the lawn for us at Christmas.

I didn't know that he grew Christmas trees. That's interesting.

He got a bit forgetful at times.

One year, we ended up with three Christmas trees

because he'd forgotten that he'd dropped them off!

You know, Donald died unexpectedly.

And that morning, I remember the phone going,

Jim Wight rang me to say Donald's died.

Jim said, "It's going to be a duller world without Donald Sinclair."

By gosh, it was. It has been.

Thank you very much.

We'd like to wish you a very happy Christmas.

Thank you very much. Happy Christmas.

And in true All Creatures spirit, the day wouldn't be complete

without a trip to Alf Wight's inspiration for the Drovers Arms.

Cheers. Cheers, Sam.

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

I just want to raise a glass to...

Well, not just to Donald

for being such a larger-than-life character,

but to Alf, for having the clarity and wit and...

And skills. ..skill to put him into the book so beautifully.

Cos Donald might have been an amazing character,

but he would never have written about himself.

No, he wouldn't.

And, you know, they're so well drawn, these people in the books,

that it's sometimes quite hard to remember that...

they were real.

Yes.

And you knew them.

What they have instilled in me will stay with me till my dying day.

And, of course, Christmas is a time for remembering

people who are no longer with us

and being thankful for their life and their inspiration.

I'd like to raise a glass to that. Indeed.

Coming up...

Sam continues to learn about the real man

behind his eccentric character, Siegfried.

If a bird appeared, you know, Donald had this sixth sense.

And Anna reveals even more

about the highly-anticipated Christmas special.

Mrs Hall decides to have a Christmas dinner in the pub.

In Thirsk, All Creatures star Samuel West

is experiencing life as a Yorkshire vet

and discovering even more about Donald Sinclair,

the real man behind his character Siegfried.

I'm very excited about this next bit because I'm a big bird fan.

Well, that's something else you have in common with Donald Sinclair

because he too was a big bird fan.

There is a bird of prey

in the All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special.

Really? Yeah.

But more than that, I cannot say. Oh, you swine!

Peter's nephew David works at the Thirsk Bird of Prey Centre,

and today, he needs Peter and Sam's help with a red kite called Sue.

She isn't handled regularly...

If you want to grab that, Sam.

...and wrapping her in a towel will prevent damage to her feathers.

When Sue came here,

we noticed that there was a bit of a problem with her eye.

She was struggling to judge distances.

Yeah, let's have a look.

The eyelids are functional, but the eye itself is,

I've got to say, useless. And do you think she's in any pain?

No, none whatsoever. No.

Sue won't be able to take part in the flying displays,

but she will be used in the centre's breeding programme.

Right, those talons.

Peter, would birds of prey have ever come into the practice

in Donald's day?

Yes, they did.

If a bird appeared, you know, Donald had this sixth sense.

That's another thing I have in common with him.

I'm collecting these things.

In his later life, he became a very, very well-known pigeon racer.

He took it very, very seriously.

So much so that when I got married, Donald didn't appear.

And I learned afterwards the reason he didn't appear

was one of the biggest racing events in the pigeon calendar

was occurring.

Any jury would acquit him.

Well, you would say that, wouldn't you? I would!

THEY CHUCKLE

Jolly good. I think that's fine.

So now we know that you're a keen bird enthusiast,

how would you fancy flying a bird here?

That would be amazing! Right, follow me.

Back in the centre of Thirsk,

Sam's co-star Anna Madeley and Yorkshire vet Shona

are discovering more about the real man

behind the much-loved stories.

Jim, obviously, your dad's real name was Alf Wight,

but when he first wrote the books, he used the name James Herriot.

Where did that come from?

Vets had a professional etiquette,

which meant that we could not advertise.

And if his real name was on his book,

he could be struck off.

Every time he thought of a name, there was a vet called that name.

And he was watching a football match one night,

and in goal was a guy called Jim Herriot,

and he reached again for the veterinary record.

"No Herriots! That's my name."

And when his first book was going to be published,

he said, "Don't tell anybody."

His book had been out for about a week,

a fella came up to me in Thirsk Market Place.

"I've just read a book by a vet called Herriot.

"It's your dad, isn't it?

"Come on! Siegfried? That's Donald Sinclair.

"He jumps out of the pages!"

He'd written too well.

Everyone can read it and relate to it in some way, can't they?

Our show is sold worldwide now, and it's extraordinary.

You just think there's something unifying in it.

One of his greatest legacies is the people that wrote to him,

that still write to my sister and I to say

how much good our father's books have done them in bad times.

You must be very proud of him. Oh, yes.

Everybody says, "What's it like having a famous vet as a father?"

I said, "We never looked upon him as James Herriot. He was Alf Wight."

He was the father, not the author.

Despite being known for his books,

Alf's main passion was always the animals he looked after,

something keen bird-watcher Sam shares with him.

Right, so we're going to meet Winston.

He's actually only 16 weeks old, and we would really like it

if you could be the first person to ever fly Winston here.

Hopefully, if he's confident enough, he's going to come down and see us.

WINSTON SCREECHES

Well done.

What a way to start his career.

Yeah. Absolutely.

I hope we work together later.

Listen, Peter, it's been absolutely amazing being with you

and learning more about the character that I'm playing

through your memories of him and other people's memories of him.

It's been a real privilege.

The way you portray him,

it's almost as if I'm standing in front of the great Donald Sinclair.

As Sam bids a fond farewell to North Yorkshire,

Peter can't resist popping back to his old workplace.

Anna, is it? Hello, Peter. Nice to meet you.

We have met before, haven't we? You were my co-star in episode five.

Proud of you, James.

We all are.

To actually appear on All Creatures Great And Small

was something I could have only dreamed of.

Oh, he did it beautifully. Thanks for joining us.

Mrs Hall looks after everybody else.

Still plenty left.

So it's time the tables were turned.

Wow. Is that how we're travelling? Your carriage awaits.

If you don't mind me saying, Anna, you don't sound much like Mrs Hall.

Is that better? Much better.

And before Anna says goodbye to Yorkshire vet country,

Peter's taking her for a festive afternoon tea.

This is such a treat to get out in this countryside.

Just can't believe you get to do this every day.

Do you know, aren't I lucky?

And Peter couldn't have chosen a more fitting spot to show off

North Yorkshire.

My mother and father used to come here to Betty's

every Thursday afternoon.

Alf and Joan Wight started coming here in the mid-1940s

when Alf returned from 12 months serving in the RAF.

Did your dad talk about the war, Jim?

Yes. It was 20 months before he was called up.

By that time, he'd got married, a baby was on the way - me.

So he had responsibilities, and he didn't really want to join then.

So, when James goes to war,

it's really emotional, isn't it, on the programme?

Yeah, that was a really tough one.

Seeing them go through that as a couple when she's pregnant,

and he's having to go off, it's heartbreaking.

I'm only a few counties away, remember.

Five. I counted.

I'll write. And I'll try to call.

As often as you can, please.

I have here an excerpt of a letter that my father wrote to my mother

when he was in the Royal Air Force.

"I thought that it was the cold that was making me feel so rotten.

"It wasn't.

"It was leaving my little wife that did it.

"Honestly, Joan, I've never felt so completely lousy in my life.

"And believe me, it has been a lesson to me.

"I'll never leave my wife again."

With James and Tristan away at war,

it's likely to be a very different Christmas special this year.

Mrs Hall decides to have a Christmas dinner in the pub.

It's that sense of bringing everyone together

and make sure everyone gets a good Christmas dinner.

And of course, Helen's heavily pregnant

and doesn't know if James is gonna be able to get back or not.

So that's... Quite poignant. Yeah, it is. Very.

I think if my dad had been alive,

he definitely would have approved of this series.

That's really great to hear. Yeah.

I'm glad. I'm sure he would.

Jim, there is no doubt that your father's name will never, ever die.

It never will. It's a great legacy that he's left.

Well, here's to Alf Wight, James Herriot,

All Creatures Great And Small and The Yorkshire Vet.

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.