Hodge took on the role of Mrs Pumphrey after Diana Rigg’s death last year.
Following a heartwarming Christmas special, All Creatures Great and Small is set to return to our screens later this year – and now we have a first-look at what’s in store for Glaswegian vet James Herriot and the inhabitants of the Yorkshire village he practices in.
Channel 5 released three pictures, including one of Miranda star Patricia Hodge as the owner of the village’s most pampered Pekingese, Mrs Pumphrey. Hodge was cast in the role after news of Diana Rigg’s death back in September last year.
We also have our first look at James (Nicholas Ralph) and Helen (Rachel Shenton) having what looks like quite an intense conversation surrounded by the Yorkshire Dales.
Fans who were hoping the pair would get together straight away after Helen called off her wedding might be in for a shock, however, as writer Ben Vanstone told Salon: “There’s an intention to earn that relationship in a way between James and Helen.
“I think it’d be easy just to let them sort of fall together if people knowing the books understand where they end up, but we want to explore why they’re together and and why they work with one another.”
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And of course, there’s also a snap of the whole gang by the practice, including Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West), matriarch of Skeldale House Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley) and Siegfried’s errant brother Tristan (Callum Woodhouse).
!["FRONT]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/08/All-Creatures-Great-and-Small-Series-2_MS_07.04.21_PORTRAIT_0809-61bbc04.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"All")
The second series will consist of six episodes, as well as another Christmas special. Along with the pictures, Channel 5 also released a synopsis: “Three months have passed since the events of series one. A trip back home to Glasgow presents James with a dilemma that will mean choosing between the people he loves. As Helen and James navigate their feelings for one another, Siegfried, Tristan, and Mrs Hall are also forced to consider their places in the world, while James must ultimately decide between duty and love.”
The series is based on the beloved books by James Herriot (real name Alf Wight), which have been previously adapted into a movie and a BBC television series.
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