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All Creatures Great and Small festive special is "very Christmassy despite heavy overtones"

Tristan star Callum Woodhouse spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com.

The cast of All Creatures Great and Small, sat around the dinner table and raising glasses, looking at the camera. There is a green RT Exclusive banner in the bottom right corner

Helen Williams / Channel 5 / Playground

Published: Monday, 9 December 2024 at 9:00 pm

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This year's All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special is once again set during the Second World War, and with Tristan continuing to deal with what he saw while fighting, and Mrs Hall set to be "shaken by unexpected news", fans could expect it to be a somewhat sombre affair.

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Now, though, Tristan star Callum Woodhouse has stressed that this is not the case, saying that while the episode does have "very heavy overtones", it is still "heartwarming", "uplifting" and "Christmassy".

Speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com, Woodhouse said: "It's just a really clever bit of storytelling that with All Creatures, we can still make a really heartwarming and uplifting episode, even in the midst of such uncertainty and tragedy, for want of a better word.

"It's still about family coming together and being there for one another. And I think it is still a very Christmassy episode despite the very heavy overtones that it has."

Anna Madeley, Samuel West, Nicholas Ralph and Imogen Clawson in All Creatures Great and Small. Madeley and West are stood up, the others are sat around the dinner table

Anna Madeley, Samuel West, Nicholas Ralph and Imogen Clawson in All Creatures Great and Small. Helen Williams / Channel 5 / Playground

This year's Christmas special is the fifth in the show's history, and it will be set in December 1941. A sixth season of the show has also been confirmed for next year.

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The show's cast recently spoke about why they think it means so much to people, especially at Christmastime, with Helen star Rachel Shenton saying: "Because I think it’s an annual reminder of what’s important. All Creatures just always does it so well. It’s always so rich in its simplicity. It’s always about the things that matter, which is love, community, support.

"Those things never stop being relevant. And, you know, as humans, we never stop needing a reminder, unfortunately. So, yeah, I think that’s probably why it’s so popular. Amongst other things, the beautiful dales are gorgeous - all of it!"

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Meanwhile, James star Nicholas Ralph added: "I was stopped on the street the other day by someone who was saying how much they love the show, that they watch it with their mother, and they watch it with their kids.

"It’s just about nice people looking after animals and looking after each other. I said that it’s an interesting show, because there’s no baddie in it.

"There’re no villains. It’s just about making your way in the world and looking after people, and being nice to people, putting kindness out there and expecting kindness back, and usually always getting it back.

"And it’s just a nice message, really – and one that the people who watch the show take on board and take into their own lives, especially at Christmas."

The All Creatures Great and Small 2024 Christmas special will air on Monday 23rd December at 9pm. Seasons 1-5 are available to watch on My5. You can order James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small from Amazon.

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If you're looking for something else to watch, visit our TV Guide or take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of James Hibbs, smiling against a lime green background.

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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