New series of all creatures great and small

All Creatures Great and Small returned to screens on Thursday evening with the first episode of series three – and it seems fans were more than delighted to see James Herriot, Siegfried Farnon and more back in action.

MORE: Where is All Creatures Great and Small filmed?

Taking to social media during the airing on Channel 5, plenty were quick to share how pleased they were that the drama was back with new episodes, adding how the timing of its return was welcomed.

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WATCH: All Creatures Great and Small returns for series three

One person said: "Thank goodness for #AllCreaturesGreatAndSmall last night, such a gentle programme. Just what the world needs now."

Another echoed this, writing on Twitter: "Welcome back @AllCreaturesTV sometimes all you need is simple heartwarming and funny TV and this hits the spot every time! Perfect timing for the autumn! Need to read the books again! #allcreaturesgreatandsmall."

MORE: All Creatures Great and Small star warns of 'really tough' moments for beloved characters

MORE: All Creatures Great and Small season 3 trailer teases wedding as WWII looms

The Channel 5 programme is back

A third added further: "So, so, so good to finally have this show back after waiting 'patiently' for a year. It's really just so soft and adorable and the writing and acting is ON POINT. These two have gotten soooo much closer, it sets them up perfectly for future episodes."

The show sees Nicholas Ralph, Samuel West, Anna Madeley and Rachel Shenton all back on screens to reprise their roles. So, what can fans expect from series three?

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The official synopsis reads: "Series three begins in spring 1939. Some big changes are happening at Skeldale and everyone has to learn how to adjust. James enters into a new stage of his life with Helen and at the practice, where Tristan is now also a qualified vet.

"After being made joint business partner by Siegfried, James pushes to take on more responsibility via the Ministry of Agriculture’s new bovine TB testing scheme, but its unexpected challenges risk pushing him to breaking point. As a potential Second World War looms, all of our Skeldale family have to consider their purpose in Darrowby and beyond."

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Don’t panic though, as it’s already been confirmed that Channel 5’s popular period drama will be back for a fourth run!

Based on author James Herriot’s much-loved collection of stories, All Creatures Great and Small follows the heartwarming and humorous adventures of a young country vet in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s.

Watch the Season 3 trailer:

The show launched in the autumn of 2020 and became an instant hit as viewers looked for escapism from the pandemic.

American fans still have a couple of months to wait until they can see the latest season on PBS.

However, British audiences will already be eagerly anticipating the next chapter following Thursday’s emotional finale.

Luckily, we already know that All Creatures Great and Small will return on UK screens before the end of 2022 with its third annual Christmas special.

The previous festive episodes aired on 22nd December in 2020 and 24th December in 2021, so a similar date on Channel 5 is likely this year.

(In the US, the special will air the week after Season 3’s finale in February, so you can keep your tree up until then!)

Beyond that, the double-commission announcement back in February tells us that we’ve then got Season 4 and a further Christmas special on the way in 2023.

Executive producer Sir Colin Callender commented earlier this year: “We want to thank the audience who have so fully embraced the new series. It is their vocal and loyal support that has resulted in this ongoing commitment to the series and we couldn’t be more delighted.”

The fourth season will once again consist of six episodes.

Filming is expected to begin on location in Yorkshire, England next spring.

All three seasons of All Creatures Great and Small so far have launched in the first two weeks of September in the UK, so we can presume that Season 4 will premiere on Channel 5 in September 2023.

Similarly, all three seasons have had a January release date in the US on PBS, so January 2024 looks like the month for American fans to pop in their diary.

There’s no news yet on a possible fifth season, but if the show’s huge success continues, we’d be very surprised if it doesn’t happen.

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