All Creatures Great and Small has returned to Channel 5 for a seventh season, with Skeldale House boss Siegfried Farnon, played by Samuel West, exploring a new romance with Dorothy, portrayed by Maimie McCoy. After finally coming to terms with the death of his first wife, Evelyn, Siegfried has allowed himself to experience love once more.
A character rooted in a tragic true story
The character is based on the real-life Donald Sinclair, who worked alongside vet Alf Wight, the author of the All Creatures Great and Small books, writing under the pen name James Herriot. Like his real-life counterpart, Siegfried is an eccentric standout character in the Channel 5 adaptation, but his past is deeply unsettling.
Sinclair married his first wife, Evelyn, in 1930, but she tragically died of tuberculosis six years later. He married his second wife, Audrey, in 1943, and they remained together for 53 years until her death in 1995. The couple had two children, a son and a daughter, but their love story ended tragically.
A devastating loss and a new beginning
Sinclair died by suicide following an overdose in June 1995, just two weeks after the death of his wife. Speaking to Masterpiece, actor West said he was pleased the series had told Donald's true story, sharing: "In the original books, Siegfried is a bachelor, but I was very pleased that they decided to go with what happened to the real Donald Sinclair, which was that his wife had died."
West added: "I thought that was a proper piece of homework that made it much more interesting, for Siegfried to have that history, that backstory. He's felt a bit blocked ever since. He's still in love with his wife, and she's only four years dead. None of that really appears in the series- I'm talking about two things that happened four years, or 19 years, before the series begins- but it is all underneath."
As the series has progressed, Siegfried has finally been able to close the book on his previous relationship and is ready to experience companionship again.
The real man behind the character
The real Donald Sinclair loved horses and did, in fact, become the resident horse vet at Thirsk Racecourse, a side job he held for 50 years, as depicted in the series. He was known to be unpredictable and capricious, but was also charming and "truly likeable" according to Wight. The pair worked together in their practice in Thirsk for 50 years and remained friends for the rest of their lives.
Ahead of the new season, West opened up about what was in store for Siegfried, sharing his character's relationship with Dorothy: "I think we're in the honeymoon period. We're dating, we're walking out and it's lovely. We don't have exactly similar tastes, but we're willing to indulge one another."
He continued: "Even when she dismisses Gilbert and Sullivan, I'm going, 'Well, that's interesting.' I think it's all great until I start taking her for granted. I don't think that's a function of Siegfried's thoughtlessness, and it's certainly not a function of his malice. I think something subconscious makes itself felt in his behaviour towards Dorothy, which brings on a really honest appraisal of what's going on."
All Creatures Great and Small airs on Channel 5 on Thursdays at 9pm. If you have been affected by any of the content in this article, contact Samaritans any time on 116 123.
