All Creatures Great and Small season seven will introduce a rival vet to Darrowby when it returns to Channel 5 this September. Caolan McCarthy, an Irish actor, joins the cast as Granville Bennett, a newly arrived vet whose presence is set to shake things up at Skeldale House.
First-look images show the returning cast, including Nicholas Ralph as James Herriot, Anna Madeley as Mrs Hall, Samuel West as Siegfried Farnon, Rachel Shenton as Helen Herriot and Callum Woodhouse as Tristan Farnon. Also reprising their roles are Patricia Hodge as Mrs Pumphrey, Tony Pitts as Richard, Imogen Clawson as Jenny, Maimie McCoy as Dorothy, Gaia Wise as Charlotte and Mollie Winnard as Maggie.
New rival arrives in 1946 Yorkshire Dales
Channel 5 set the scene for the new season: "Series seven of All Creatures Great and Small returns viewers to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales in 1946. With the war finally over, Skeldale House is full once again and livelier than ever as our beloved characters reunite under one roof and look ahead to a hopeful new chapter."
James is excited about new developments in veterinary medicine, but a new vet in the area threatens the status quo. The world at large may be changing, but inside this slice of Yorkshire, the Dales will always offer the same perfect escapism. Packed with warmth, humour and community spirit, the series brings more heartwarming tales of people and animals alike.
Cast and creative team react to renewal
McCarthy, from Tyrone in Ireland, previously starred in the 2021 film Belfast and is also a Grammy-nominated musician. He graduated from RADA in 2015, with one of his first roles in the short film Art of Invisible.
Upon the season seven renewal, Greg Barnett, commissioning editor for 5, said: "All Creatures Great and Small is a jewel in 5's drama crown and continues to delight viewers year after year. Its warmth, humour, and heart, set against the beauty of Yorkshire, have made it a firm audience favourite." He added: "We're thrilled to extend its future with two more series, with many new stories still to tell and more unforgettable adventures ahead for our Skeldale family."
The series is inspired by James Herriot's timeless books, which have sold over 60 million copies globally. Melissa Gallant and Sharon Moran, joint executive producers for Playground Productions, added: "We frequently receive letters from viewers about how the show has brought joy, comfort and relief in challenging times. Making television that has that effect and is beloved around the world year after year is the greatest privilege, and we're thrilled to be continuing the All Creatures journey."
Return date and episode details
The new series will consist of six episodes as usual, plus a Christmas Special. In the UK, the show will return to 5 this September with an exact date to be announced soon. Season seven was announced as part of a double series commission along with season eight, back in November 2025.
All Creatures Great and Small continues to be 5's most successful drama series to date and remains one of the top performing programmes on the channel year after year. First airing in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Yorkshire-based series was met with critical acclaim and holds a 99% approval rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
