SHOWBIZ Christmas TV All Creatures All Creatures Great and Small’s Nicholas Ralph talks Christmas special: ‘Being grateful is also important, especially in a world with so much turmoil’
By Rachael Davis, PA Entertainment Features Writer
Christmas has rolled around once again, and the beloved characters in All Creatures Great and Small are decking the halls and getting ready for a festive celebration in this December’s special episode. It’ll be a scaled-back Christmas this year, as the war rages on and belts are being tightened – but since the big day also coincides with baby Jimmy’s first birthday, James, Helen, Siegfried, Mrs Hall and the rest of the veterinary family will still be scrabbling together as much festive joy as they can.
“Oh, well, there’s a plan! There’s always a plan,” smiles Rachel Shenton, 36, who plays Jimmy’s mum, and James’ wife, Helen.
“Yes, there’s a plan for a bit of a party up at Heston Grange on Christmas Eve. Obviously, baby Jimmy’s birthday is on Christmas Day, so Helen wanted to have something on a different day to separate it, so he’d sort of got his own day and party.And one or two things happen in Skeldale where not everybody can be present. But they do still have a sort of small party for him, with [Helen’s sister and father] Jenny and Richard Alderson, and James and Helen, where he opens presents and he has his own thing. So that was very sweet. “And then on Christmas Day at Skeldale, it’s not forgotten that it’s Jimmy’s birthday, but there’s a lot of other emotions that are at play on Christmas Day.And I think it’s one of those moments where everyone’s just really thankful that we’re together and we’re okay.”
Christmas during wartime is never going to be quite the same, not least because of the limited food available.
“All we’ve got to eat is mashed potato for Christmas dinner!” says Samuel West, 58, who plays Siegfried.
“I thought that was a really nice touch. I get slightly concerned when our Christmas dinner is a bit posh, particularly in wartime. So the fact that all we’ve got is sprouts and mashed potatoes – and not enough butter, of course, as butter was always the hardest thing to get – I think that does tell a good story.” There is also, worryingly, the looming threat of harm to loved ones, particularly those who are overseas contributing to the war effort. No one feels that more keenly than Mrs Hall in this Christmas episode, as amidst all of her preparations for delivering the best Christmas she can, her world is rocked by some worrying news.
Hall.
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