All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special 2024 sees young Yorkshire actor Owen Phillips play pivotal role alongside Anna Madeley

In the festive episode, which airs on Channel 5 on Monday, December 23, at 9pm, Owen Phillips, 13, from Rotherham, plays Christopher Taylor, a young lad who arrives at the vets’ surgery at Skeldale House with an abandoned fox cub. When Mrs Hall receives news that leaves her reeling with anxiety and fear, she forms a connection with the fox as she struggles to make sense of her newly upturned world.

Owen, who is represented by Articulate Agency, based in West Yorkshire, says he is thrilled to be part of such an iconic series, especially the Christmas special, adding: “It’s been a joy to work with the cast and crew to bring this story to life, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.

“One of my best memories on All Creatures Great and Small is when Samuel West came into the break room and we talked about the show and work and his family and his dad. He said, let’s go through our lines together, and he showed me some acting techniques - that was unbelievable.

“At the end the director Andy Hay gave a speech about me to the cast when we wrapped. It was very humbling - all the behind-the-scenes staff and my chaperones were amazing.”

Articulate Agency has represented many children on the show to date, including babies playing the part of baby Jimmy Herriot.

It specialises in securing acting roles in TV, film, commercials, and radio, in particular representing children (4-15) and young adults (16-25), working with UK and US casting directors, producers and show runners to secure roles across all TV networks including Netflix, Sky, ITV, Channel the 5 and BBC, and in UK and US film studios including Disney, Universal, and Fox. The Articulate Drama School offers younger clients training in screen acting and accent skills.

Owen’s recent credits include a recurring role as Wes Oldfield in CBBC’s The Dumping Ground, as well as parts in Casualty, Gentleman Jack, and Sherwood. He has also appeared in adverts for brands including Asda.

Stacey Burrows, director of Articulate Agency, says: “Owen attended our drama classes from a young age and has secured acting roles in TV commercials to much-loved dramas. He hasn’t looked back. We are so proud of him and can’t wait to see what 2025 brings for him.”

The Christmas special will also star Nicholas Ralph, Rachel Shenton and Callum Woodhouse. Callum, who plays Tristan Farnon, says that the fox was also a favourite on set during the filming, which took place in June in Grassington, which is used for Darrowby and the exterior of Skeldale House.

“I think we all arranged a time and date for us to meet this fox, because it's not every day that you get to go and hold a little fox in your arms and give him strokes,” he says.

Series six of All Creatures Great and Small has already been commissioned and filming is expected to begin next February on location in the Yorkshire Dales.