First look at All Creatures Great and Small remake
The countryside drama All Creatures Great and Small is returning for a second season, after the first season of the beloved BBC series was newly remade last year.
With the new adaptation’s first season bringing in five million viewers, the second season is expected to be as much of a success.
Based loosely on a series of books written by veterinary surgeon Alf Wright, under the pen name James Herriot, the second season is expected to pick up right where season one ended.
After Helen (played by Rachel Shenton) calls off her relationship with Hugh (played by Matthew Lewis) in season one, the second instalment is expected to start with Helen coming to terms with her decision and considers her feelings for James, who himself has to decide between duty and love.
Image: Channel 5 / Instagram
“As Helen and James navigate their feelings for one another, Siegfried, Tristan, and Mrs Hall are also forced to consider the places in the world,” writes Hello magazine, “while James must ultimately decide between duty and love.”
Like many shows filmed over the last two years, the creators of All Creatures Great and Small had to adapt their filming schedule around the COVID-19 pandemic.
But, The Daily Mail has reported that production of the series started in early 2021, with filming wrapping up in Yorkshire a few months ago.
One of our beautiful period motorcars, behind the scenes on #ACGAS Series 2! pic.twitter.com/XfYlABqApu
— All Creatures Great and Small (@AllCreaturesTV) August 15, 2021
As for the cast, it remains the same from season one, with Nicholas Ralph returning as leading man James Herriot, along with Samuel West as Siegfried Farnon, and Rachel Shenton as Helen Alderson.
The only change is the addition of Patricia Hodge, star of Miranda and A Very British Scandal, playing Mrs Pumphrey, replacing Diana Rigg.
Rigg played Mrs Pumphrey throughout season one, but passed away from cancer in September last year.
A first look at Hodge as Mrs Pumphrey in series two.
Image: Channel 5 / Instagram
Though the remake comes 30 years after the original series ended, executive producer Colin Callender said it was something people needed to see once again.
“Even before COVID, I felt the audience wanted the sort of show that you could watch and revel in and not be beaten by,” he told Deadline.
“There was something about All Creatures Great and Small with its themes of community and family, harking back to a kinder, gentler world, compared to the divided, complex, and rather brutal one that we’re now living in.”
Watch the first trailer here.
Image: Channel 5 / Instagram