All Creatures Great and Small has returned. Airing a festive special on Monday night, the residents of Skeldale House prepare for a stripped-back Christmas.
As Mrs Hall contended with a worrying phone call, and James and Helen planned for little Jimmy's first birthday, the surgery welcomed an abandoned fox cub, too. Debuting on Channel 5, the episode was certainly an emotional one, with actress Anna Madeley noting that Mrs Hall, in particular, had a "difficult" Christmas in store.
© Helen Williams / Channel 5 / Playground"It's a horrendous time for Mrs. Hall. It's every mother's worst nightmare. She receives the news that [her son] Edward's ship has been struck [...].
"I think Mrs. Hall copes by staying busy and focusing on what little she does know. Initially, she tells herself, 'Let's deal with the facts we have'. But as the story progresses, it becomes harder and harder to hold on to that strategy."
Following the episode's debut, fans have taken to X to deliver their verdict. "It isn't Christmas until I've sobbed my way through the All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special. What a gorgeous episode," tweeted one.
"All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special - absolutely brilliant TV. Brilliant story and brilliantly acted!" raved a second.
© Channel 5A common thread, fans have also heaped praise on Anna Madeley, and her character's storyline. "Anna Madeley is simply wonderful in All Creatures Great and Small. She delivers one of her strongest and most moving performances in tonight's Christmas special," declared a fan.
"Oh, Mrs. Hall, you've truly stolen our hearts once again! What a perfect ending to the #AllCreaturesGreatAndSmall Christmas Special," agreed another.
© ShutterstockIn the run-up to the episode, Anna's co-stars, Callum Woodhouse and Rachel Shenton had weighed in on her portrayal of Mrs Hall, teasing big things. "Her performance in this episode is just nothing short of masterful," Tristan told the Yorkshire Post.
"It's a weird thing as well, it sort of makes you a better actor, being in a team with someone who's delivering that strong a performance." Hailing Anna as the "star of the episode," Callum noted that Anna made him feel 'in the moment" and like he wasn't even acting.
© Helen Williams / Channel 5 / PlaygroundMeanwhile, Rachel – aka Helen – said that Anna's performance "had such poignancy and weight to it."
"Anna did it beautifully. You couldn't help but be on that journey with Mrs Hall," she added.
© PBS / Channel 5 Television / Jay BrooksFollowing the Christmas special, fans will likely return to Skeldale House in 2025. The programme was recently renewed for a sixth season, with Callum Woodhouse telling Radio Times: "It's usually the end of February [when we start filming].
"But I think it'll be a while before we get scripts. We usually get them at the start of the year. So, get Christmas out of the way, and then we'll get to see what we're doing next."
