All Creatures Great and Small guest star has a very famous mum
"She looked so like her mum."
There's been plenty of change to speak of in season 6 of All Creatures Great and Small. The latest instalment opens with Mrs Hall's absence from Skeldale House; Helen and James, who have since welcomed another child, are now living at Heston; and the war has officially been declared over.
But one thing that never changes is Siegfried and Tristan's inability to go more than a few minutes without squabbling.
In the latest episode, the pair both race to offer their equine insight to the daughter of General Beauvoir, "society beauty" Charlotte Beauvoir, who Anna Madeley described as "exuberant and proactive".
Charlotte is expecting "Captain Farnon", but her dad failed to specify which one, hence both of them turning up.
"Impressive," she says, on greeting the siblings. "You ask for one and they provide a spare."
What then ensues is a battle of wills as they seek to prove that they are the "marvel with horses" that the general was thinking of, before the next competition inevitably arrives, whatever that will be.
But in the midst of all of that, Tristan and Charlotte discover that it's not just horses that they're passionate about.
"Charlotte Beauvoir is a great addition," said Callum Woodhouse. "Tristan is maturing, becoming more independent, and taking on more responsibility. I think he's past that stage now where he’s jumping from girl to girl.
"So, is he ready for something more serious? It's been really fun to play."
Eagle-eyed viewers might remember Gaia Wise, the actor who plays Charlotte, from crime dramas The Chelsea Detective and Silent Witness, in which she had guest roles.
Her other credits include the films A Walk in the Woods – based on Bill Bryson's book of the same name – and the suspense thriller Dead of Winter, both of which also star her mum, none other than Dame Emma Thompson. Her father is actor Greg Wise (Sense and Sensibility, The Crown).
Read more:
- All Creatures Great and Small star predicts show's future and whether it will end any time soon
- All Creatures Great and Small welcomes new addition to Skeldale House – but it's not smooth sailing
"Gaia Wise... is terrific," said Samuel West. "There was one scene where I was walking alongside her, talking, and she looked so like her mum. I did two films with Emma in the early '90s [Howards End and Carrington], so that was really weird. It was like suddenly being 30 or 35 years younger.
"And because Gaia's really terrific – her mannerisms, or something she did, or some look she gave the ground – just took me back. It was very odd indeed. She's terrific, and I hope we stick with her."
Tristan will no doubt be hoping for just that...
All Creatures Great and Small continues on Thursdays at 9pm. You can order James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small from Amazon.
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 TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
