EXCLUSIVE: The All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special ‘Comfort and Joy’ sees Siegfried Farnon’s old love interest return.
All Creatures Great and Small is coming back to Channel 5 for its festive special following a heartbreaking season six finale and fans are excited to see the beloved cast return. The festive special takes place during the first peacetime Christmas after the war and everyone is keen to make it the best Christmas ever.
However, it will not be easy as James Herriot (played by Nicholas Ralph) has been left the chaotic task of managing Darrowby’s nativity play. He is also struggling to admit to Mrs Pumphrey (Patricia Hodge) he fears it’s the end of the road for Tricki’s hopes of fatherhood.
The Christmas special, which also stars Siegfried actor Sam West’s real children, sees Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley) enter the darts competition. The star previously spoke to Reach titles and other press about some of the best moments from filming the special episode.
She also opened up about the return of a pivotal character, Dorothy (Maimie McCoy), who has not been seen since the show’s first ever season. Dorothy was introduced as a friend of Mrs Hall’s who caught the attention of Siegfried Farnon, leading to some awkward but charming moments.
Actress Madeley said of McCoy’s return: “It was brilliant because she is wonderful and we hadn’t seen her, she has been off doing Van der Valk and things. It was amazing having her come back because she’s gorgeous and it was an echo in the show because there was that buzz of ‘How have you been?’.
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Dorothy and Siegfried in All Creatures Great and Small
“For Mrs Hall having her oldest, dearest friend rocking up at the back door out of the blue is just extraordinary. You always think about how hard it was not having communication with one another, having to be patient and wait to find out how people are.
“Obviously she has been in Malta which was really heavily bombed so all of that and suddenly having your friends back home and their families back here, and it’s going to be a long term stay, is really lovely and exciting and a relief I imagine.
“It’s a lovely thing to think forwards of having your mate nearby, those old friends are special aren’t they, they are precious.” McCoy was not the only star lucky to return as Rachel Shenton came back to film some scenes as Helen Herriot, following the birth of her first child, Orson, in April.
On being able to have Shenton back for the special, Madeley said: “It was gorgeous, we really missed her. Hats off to her, coming back [that soon], but she was brilliant and it was wonderful to see her.” Her on-screen husband Ralph added: “What a trouper.”
Rachel Shenton was able to return as Helen
Shenton explained her limited role in the special, adding: “Helen is a bit poorly, so she spends a lot of it in bed. James steps up, which is really nice. It shows how strong they are as a couple.
“She’s stressing about all the things she’s meant to be doing – icing Jimmy’s birthday cake, wrapping presents – and James just tells her to rest and takes care of everything. She comes down to support the nativity, which was great fun to shoot.
“Kids, animals, tea towels on heads – all the chaos you want from a nativity and a Christmas special. The nativity was great fun and I think it sums up everything we love about the show.”
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Elsewhere in the Christmas special, Siegfried is back at Mrs Stokes’ (Susan Hilton) farm to see Hilda the goat, who’s been causing more trouble and, true to form, gives Siegfried the run-around. Christmas dinner is in very short supply, so Mrs Hall is keen to enter the darts competition and win the fresh turkey, which is the top prize.
Maggie (Mollie Winnard) reminds Tristan (Callum Woodhouse) he’s supposed to be supplying the Christmas tree and so Tristan and Charlotte Beauvoir (Gaia Wise) visit the Christmas Tree Farm and Charlotte learns what’s been bothering Tristan. The pair open up and admit their true feelings.
The All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special airs on Channel 5 on Christmas Eve at 9pm