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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.