Hopes raised for All Creatures Great and Small series 5 as TV presenter Jules Hudson posts awards photo with Nicholas Ralph

Hopes lifted today when TV presenter Jules Hudson took to Instagram to post a photograph of himself with Nicholas Ralph at the TV Choice Awards, with the accompanying words: “Always love catching up with this lovely guy, @nicholasralph_ AKA James Herriot. And thrilled to hear there’s even more All Creatures Great and Small to come. Can’t wait!”

Jules Hudson’s programme, Channel 5’s Winter On The Farm, won Best Factual Show.

As yet there has been no official announcement regarding an All Creatures Great and Small season five from Channel 5, which broadcasts the series in the UK, or from PBS, which is currently broadcasting the fourth series in the US on MASTERPIECE, airing Sunday evenings until February 18.

Since the Channel 5 reboot of All Creatures launched in 2020, there has been a seasonal run, launched in autumn each year, of six episodes plus a Christmas Special. Assuming there is to be a fifth series this year, news that All Creatures Great and Small has been renewed ought to be imminent to allow time for production to begin in the Yorkshire Dales this spring.

Made by Playground and based on the novels by real-life Yorkshire vet Alf Wight, under the pen name James Herriot, the popular drama has been charming viewers across the world, drawn in not least by the landscape of the Yorkshire Dales.

The first season saw James land at Skeldale House in Darrowby (filmed in Grassington) in 1937. Each of the following three seasons has been set a year later, with the Christmas episode of series four set in 1940, leading to expectations that season five will pick up in 1941, with James still away with the RAF.

Tristan Farnon (Callum Woodhouse) will presumably also still be away at war (many fans were disappointed that he did not return for Christmas).

Nicholas Ralph would be expected to return as James, as would Rachel Shenton as his wife, Helen. Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley) would also be expected to return, especially after she gave up on the idea of moving to the Lake District with Gerald, and we would expect to see her still at Skeldale alongside Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West). Mrs Pumphrey, played by Patricia Hodge, would hopefully return, as would young vet Carmody, played by James Anthony-Rose.

Fans desperate for news have pointed out that the joint commissioning of seasons three and four was announced in early January 2022, and that no similar announcement has yet been made, even though filming for a fifth series would be expected as soon as later this month.

Signs are hopeful for a green light, however. There has been significant investment, seen in the form of a new set built at the Summerbridge studios for The Drovers. This featured prominently in the Christmas Special 2023 when the Darrowby villagers gathered to celebrate the festive season.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire-set drama The Hardacres is currently in production in Ireland, also made by Playground PBS and to be aired on Channel 5.

All Creatures Great and Small can be seen in the UK on My5.