Next week's episode of All Creatures Great and Small is set to introduce a brand new character: Cedric the farting dog.

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The new arrival – who will be portrayed by a Boxer called Libby – is adopted by Mrs Pumphrey (Patricia Hodge) and is based on a real story from James Herriot's 1987 book Dog Stories.

Speaking about Cedric in the press notes for the Channel 5 drama's ongoing fourth season, Hodge teased that he had "a somewhat anti-social problem".

"This storyline has quite a humorous element which was fun to film," she said. "It’s quite amusing from that point of view that she takes him in and we see her discomfort."

Meanwhile, in a recent Q&A with Radio Times magazine, star Nicholas Ralph was a little more clear about exactly what that anti-social problem was...

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"There’s Cedric, a big farting boxer dog," he said. "Libby, the dog who plays him, was so sweet that we had to play with her to make her a bit more boisterous.

"There was a scene where she was supposed to jump on me but every time she did, she would catch me in the crotch, which really hurt! And we’d have to go again and again…"

Nicholas Ralph and Rachel Shenton in All Creatures Great and Small, standing together, smiling into camera
Nicholas Ralph and Rachel Shenton in All Creatures Great and Small. Channel 5

The synopsis for episode three reveals that the latest instalment will also see James hiring a new trainee vet, while a beloved horse will need some expert help from the staff at Skeldale House.

It reads in full: "Busy and exhausted from lambing, James and Helen can’t get any time together. James thinks he’s found a solution as he’s hired a new trainee vet, Richard Carmody, but things don’t quite work out as he expects.

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"Mrs Pumphrey also has a new canine member of her household, Cedric, who has an antisocial problem that she needs addressed urgently. Tensions come to a head at Mrs Pumphrey’s Community Tea Party, and Mrs Hall takes a big step forward in her relationship with Gerald.

"Beloved horse, Teasel, needs expert help from the Skeldale House vets and Helen realises that life happens while you’re busy making plans."

All Creatures Great and Small season 4 continues at 9pm on Thursday 19th October on Channel 5 and My5. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.

You can order James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small from Amazon.

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