All Creatures Great and Small star says Rachel Shenton's return for Christmas special was uncertain

All Creatures Great and Small was a couple of characters short for the second half of season 6.

After Jenny Alderson received a letter confirming she'd been successful in her nursing college application, she left the Dales for London – with her big sister Helen in tow, who planned to stay for a few weeks to help her get settled.

But while viewers and cast alike were sad to say goodbye to Helen, even if it was a temporary exit, Rachel Shenton had the very important matter of her pregnancy to focus on, welcoming her son Orson, in April — which also meant she wasn't guaranteed to film the Christmas special.

"We had wind of it," Callum Woodhouse told RadioTimes.com. "There was talk of it, but it was never definite because you just don't know. You don't know if it's going to work out.

"But we had her for about a week in the end and it was a really glorious week. We all got to see the baby, who's absolutely adorable. And we had some family dinners, which Patricia [Hodge, who plays Mrs Pumphrey] and Gaia [Wise, who plays Tristan's new girlfriend Charlotte] came to as well. So it was like an extended family dinner. It was a really good week."

Anna Madeley also acknowledged it was a "huge ask" for Shenton to join them on set given that they filmed the Christmas special in July, just weeks after she had given birth. But Madeley did reveal they had shot a couple of scenes "really early on in the series, just in case".

"And then it was a case of just seeing how everything was. But we missed her [when she wasn't here], so it was really lovely [to have her back]."

Read more:

• All Creatures Great and Small gets major update on its future - with special bonus for fans of "unforgettable" show
• All Creatures Great and Small star teases “joyful carnage” for Christmas special with nativity twist and Helen’s return

This year's festive episode, which arrives on Wednesday 24th December at 9pm, marks "the first peacetime Christmas after the war", which sees the community rally together, as they always do, "and hold space for one another", added Madeley.

"Some people are suffering, and some people are relieved, and some people are very happy, so they all have a space and have some support with what they need. That's what communities are there for, what those friendships are there for, and that's a big part of the episode."

Woodhouse echoed those comments, adding that while Tristan is quick to sneer at the mock turkey – nicknamed a 'murkey' – "what matters is who's sat around the table".

"And it's a very full table in terms of attendees for Skeldale, which is really special and important. It emphasises the importance of that, rather than any material things."

So, what can you expect in the upcoming special?

With Helen in bed with the lurgy, it falls to James to make sure the Darrowby Nativity play goes off without a hitch, which is no small feat, while Tristan and Charlotte's relationship continues to go from strength to strength.

Elsewhere, Mrs Hall is determined to win The Drovers' darts competition and take home the top prize: a turkey, which are in short supply due to the war, while Siegfried is back at Mrs Stokes' Farm, where a familiar face, Hilda the goat, is "up to more mischief".

But it's not just Hilda who is keeping Siegfried on his toes...

The vet and Mrs Hall are also caught off guard when an "old friend turns up" out of the blue.

And, if that's not quite enough to keep you entertained, a special hour-long, behind-the-scenes documentary, All Creatures Great and Small: Behind the Magic, will also be airing this Christmas, featuring all of the regular cast.

"As the cast look back over six years of making 5's most popular drama series, [Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly presenter and professional dog trainer] Graeme [Hall] enjoys becoming one of the family and appreciating all the detail that goes into the making of one of his favourite shows," reads the synopsis.

"This joyful festive treat is the perfect way to find out how the All Creatures magic is really made."

All Creatures Great and Small seasons 1-6 are available to watch on 5. You can order James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small from Amazon.

All Creatures Great and Small Complete Series 1 – 6 Box Set arrives on DVD and digital 1 December from Acorn Media International.

Add All Creatures Great and Small to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

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.