All Creatures Great and Small stars Samuel West and Nicholas Ralph guest at The World of James Herriot 25th anniversary dinner – and see Sam West play the theme tune on the piano
Article by Stephanie Smith / Yorkshire Post
All Creatures Great and Small actors Samuel West and Nicholas Ralph paid a moving tribute to Jim Wight and Rosie Page – the children of James Herriot – when they attended a gala dinner to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the World of James Herriot visitor attraction in Thirsk, North Yorkshire.
More than 200 guests attended the black-tie celebration, held at The Garden Rooms at Tennants, Leyburn, on Saturday night to mark the opening in 1999 of The World of James Herriot museum, which is based in the real-life home and surgery of Thirsk vet Alf Wight, who wrote his beloved stories using the pen name James Herriot.
Speaking at the dinner, Samuel West, whose character Siegfried was inspired by Wight’s friend and colleague Donald Sinclair, said: “I have to say, going round The World of James Herriot with Rosie and Jim was one of the most important days of my professional life – or of my life, actually.
“It was extraordinary. There’s just a sound and a sense to the place for them, because of course they lived there – and the things that I do now that they told me that Donald did, I just wish I’d had the conversation earlier.
Nicholas Ralph and Samuel West on stage at The World of James Herriot gala dinner at Tennants in Leyburn. Photograph by Paul Griffiths @Myfavebench
“Also they know the books so well that occasionally we miss things, very occasionally, and they will go, ‘Don’t cut that line, that’s funny. That was really popular 45 years ago.’”
Nicholas Ralph said: “To have their seal of approval, you can’t ask for anything more, it’s just a treat.”
Nicholas told the dining audience about the life-changing effect of winning the role of James Herriot just 18 months after graduating drama school, explaining that he only began to realise how extraordinary both the vet and his books were once he started to research for the part. “I’m glad I didn’t know at the start,” he said. “I would have been a lot more nervous. It’s been an incredible journey and an absolute joy. And yes, five seasons.”
Nicholas also praised the Yorkshire fans of All Creatures Great and Small and the people of Grassington, which is used for filming Darrowby.
Alf Wight’s children Rosie Page and Jim Wight with the actor Nicholas Ralph, who plays their “father” James Herriot in the popular Channel 5 adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small. Photograph by Paul Griffiths @Myfavebench
“When we were up in Grassington, they have to close down streets and it’s a nuisance being there but they are just so wonderful, and people come out and watch, from all over the world,” he said.
Samuel added: “I don’t think any of us are in any doubt that the two things that are really above the title are the animals and the Dales, and so I’d always give top billing to them.”
There was a special treat in store when Samuel took to the piano with another special guest, Alexandra Harwood, composer of the All Creatures Great and Small theme music, which they played together as a four-hander. The performance was captured by guest Linda Renfrew, who has kindly allowed The Yorkshire Post to broadcast her video with this story.
Before taking his seat at the piano, Samuel said: “This is the first time I have played in public for 45 years. We are about to discover why.”
Samuel West plays the All Creatures Great and Small theme with its creator Alexandra Harwood. Photograph by Paul Griffiths @Myfavebench
However, the pair played beautifully, and then also played a version of Ding Dong Merrily on High that Alexandra had created especially for Samuel and Patricia Hodge to play in the Christmas episode at the end of series two.
Alexandra told the audience that she had spent two months in the Yorkshire Dales when she was coming up with the theme tune for the hugely popular Channel 5 adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small, which launched in 2020 and is now on its fifth series, currently airing at 9pm on Thursdays. She added that it was decided that the new theme would be quite different from the one used for the BBC series starring Christopher Timothy, which ran 1978-1990, as it was soon clear that the Channel 5 adaptation was also going to be a very different version of the James Herriot original stories. Samuel pointed out that, as a tribute to the original BBC series, its theme tune was played at the end of the very first episode of the first series.
Ian Ashton, managing director of The World of James Herriot, said it was a super night and was also attended by Yorkshire vet Peter Wright, and Paul Stead, CEO of Daisybeck Studios, which makes The Yorkshire Vet Channel 5 TV series, and has also just made a new film celebrating 25 years of The World of James Herriot, which can be seen on the museum’s website. He said that Daisybeck had done a great deal to support the museum, thanks to the interest brought to its doors from The Yorkshire Vet.
Melissa Gallant and Sharon Moran, executive producers of Playground, which makes All Creatures Great and Small, also attended.
Nicholas Ralph and gala dinner guest Ros Clarke.
Linda Renfrew said it was an amazing event. “The setting, the meal, the guests and entertainment, all fabulous,” she told The Yorkshire Post. “The highlights of the evening for me would be Sam West and Alexandra Harwood playing the piano together, and the special guests being so accessible to the attendees to chat and take pictures.
“More importantly, and perhaps getting a bit less attention until Rosie Page gave her speech, the event was not just a celebration of James Herriot, his stories and the museum, but also a fundraiser for his continuing legacy with the Herriot Hospice Homecare charity. The charity provides hospice care at home, and also now, in-patient care at The Lambert in Thirsk.”
Fellow guest Ros Clarke, said: “It was a fantastic evening, and such a treat that Nick and Sam were there. Great that they made time for everyone wanting to meet them and get photos taken.”
