‘All Creatures Great and Small’ cast are ‘so excited’ to begin filming Season 2

The cast of All Creatures Great and Small are raring to go on the new season.

Based on author James Herriot’s much-loved collection of stories, the revived period drama series from the executive producer of Downton Abbey has been airing on Sunday nights on PBS.

All Creatures Great and Small chronicles the heartwarming and humorous adventures of a young country vet in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s.

The show was a huge hit for Channel 5 in the UK last autumn and a second season was swiftly commissioned.

Six new episodes and another Christmas special are set to begin filming in the Yorkshire Dales in England very soon.

Anna Madeley (Patrick Melrose), who plays housekeeper Mrs Audrey Hall, told PBS: “Oh gosh, it’s just going to be so lovely to see everybody. I mean, one of the real pleasures of the job was we got on brilliantly as a cast; we all really gelled. Nick and Callum are like brothers on set, it’s hilarious and really sweet.

“It’ll be wonderful to get back out into the Dales, and to be able to see it at that time of year. And a lot of the same crew are coming back, I think, which is very exciting, and Brian Percival is coming back, which I’m really thrilled about because he’s a wonderful director, very wise and brilliant.

“But mostly it’s having all those people, being allowed to be back in the same room with each other. As actors, you play together, it’s what you do, you bounce ideas of each other. So being able to do that again is, yeah, really exciting. It’ll be a breath of fresh air.”

Discussing what he’s most looking forward to, James Herriot actor Nicholas Ralph said: “Well, it would just be seeing everyone again and I’ve heard a lot of the crew are coming back as well.

“Of course, the cast will be back of course and just seeing everyone because it’s been such a fun time doing it. We’re such a great group but also, we haven’t seen each other since we finished now, really. I think I saw Cal once because of everything that’s gone on. So, it would just be such a joy to be back with everyone up in the Dales doing number two.”

Rachel Shenton (White Gold), who plays Helen, added: “…being up in that lovely fresh Dales air, being around the animals. Ah, it just fills me with so much joy to think about going back. We’re so lucky we get to do it again.”

Samuel West (Mr Selfridge), who plays veterinary surgeon Siegfried Farnon, commented: “We’ve had a totally distanced year. I saw Anna across an empty foyer when we were dubbing, and we sort of waved to each other. We all zoomed Nick on his birthday in March, but I haven’t seen him in person at all, and I haven’t seen Callum or Rachel.

“I just think they’re a great bunch of people. And Brian Percival, our lead director, who I adored, will be returning as well. So it will be a proper reunion.”

The Durrells star Callum Woodhouse, who’ll be back as Siegfried’s younger brother Tristan, added: “I really genuinely do get on with all those people, so to go a whole year without getting to hang around with them, other than the Zoom things, which have been great…

“I’ve just missed having a bit of banter with them, and having a meal, and being in a pub with them. I’m obviously excited to get back on set, and continue telling the stories of these characters that I’ve definitely fallen in love with, and hopefully everyone else will. But I’m just so excited to see them all again. I really am.”

Season 2 is expected to premiere in the UK this autumn on Channel 5, and in the US on PBS in early 2022.

In the meantime, you can watch an entertaining behind the scenes tour of the set here!

All Creatures Great and Small is available on DVD on Amazon.