All Creatures Great and Small

All Creatures Great and Small was a franchised series of popular books by the Yorkshire vet turned author James Herriot.

These stories formed the basis of a popular BBC TV drama series (pictured above) starring Christopher Timothy, Peter Davison, Carol Drinkwater and Robert Hardy which originally aired in the UK from 1978 to 1990. The dales village of Askrigg in Wensleydale. was used as the fictional "Darrowby" of the books, which opening shots for the titles filmed at Langthwaite in Arkengarthdale.

There were also film versions of the books titled "All Creatures Great and Small" starring Simon Ward and "It Shouldn't happen to a Vet" starring John Alderton in 1975 and 1976 respectively.

In 2020 a new TV series (pictured above) was made for UK Channel 5, this time starring Nicholas Ralph, Callum Woodhouse, Rachel Shenton and Samuel West with the village of Grassington being used as Darrowby. The production also featured the late Dame Diana Rigg in what was to be one of her last TV appearances. Her cameo role as Mrs Pumphrey saw her entrusting her pampered pooch "Tricky Woo" to the Herriot veterinary practice, who prescribed a healthier diet for the overweight Pekingese!


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