Intense operation for Julian Norton as The Yorkshire Vet returns to Channel 5 this week

The eighth series of The Yorkshire Vet on Channel 5 starts tomorrow at 9pm, featuring veterinarians Julian Norton and Peter Wright.

Viewers can expect new and familiar characters and testing scenarios as camera crews from Leeds-based Daisybeck Studios document the real working lives of Mr Norton in Boroughbridge and Mr Wright at Skeldale Veterinary Centre in Thirsk.

In the first episode, Mr Norton must perform a tricky operation alongside his wife Anne, who also works as a vet, to remove a huge tumour from a West Highland Terrier called Duffy.

“What made it difficult was the tumour was attached to his liver. It was pretty intense,” said Mr Norton, who is a columnist for The Yorkshire Post every Saturday.

Almost two million viewers tuned into the last series of the show each week and asked what fans can look forward to this time around, Mr Norton said: “There is plenty more to come, some interesting cases and new characters coming in, particularly from Boroughbridge.”

Regular viewers of the hit show will no doubt delight in the news that a number of special episodes of the programme are also set to be broadcast in the coming weeks.

One special episode will focus on Jeanie and Steve Green and their family, while another will see Mr Norton meet and introduce a new generation of young farmers.

Asked what he made of the success of the show which debuted on Channel 5 in 2015, Mr Norton said: “Right at the beginning I thought they’d be a few series and that was that.

“As well as the animals they are the personal stories behind the cases and I think that’s what makes it more accessible for people.”