All Creatures Great and Small's Mrs Hall faces heart-wrenching turmoil in Christmas special
"It's a horrendous time."
The All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special will soon be upon us and this year, Mrs Hall is put through the wringer.
She receives news that the HMS Repulse, the ship her son Edward was serving on, is sunk by Japanese enemy fire off the east coast of Malaysia.
Initially, details are scarce, but it's then reported that around half the crew have been lost, leaving Skeldale Houses's trusty housekeeper fearing the worst.
"It's a horrendous time for Mrs Hall," said Anna Madeley. "It's every mother’s worst nightmare... and this happens right before Christmas, when Jimmy's birthday is also coming up – a time when you desperately want good news and for everyone to be together."
Initially, Mrs Hall "copes by staying busy and focusing on what little she does know", added Madeley. "She tells herself, 'Let's deal with the facts we have.'
"But as the story progresses, it becomes harder and harder to hold on to that strategy. She even seeks out information on her own, meeting a young lad named Paddy, who had been with Edward on the ship.
"It's a difficult journey for her, and even though she tries to stay strong, that uncertainty starts to take its toll."
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Rachel Shenton (Helen) praised Madeley's "beautiful" performance, adding: "You couldn’t help but be on that journey with Mrs Hall. All the characters were going through that with her.
"It was at the forefront of everyone's mind because it was so big. We knew that the stakes were really high."
Nicholas Ralph (James) echoed those comments, describing Mrs Hall as "the mother of this surrogate family".
"She's the middle point, and we all revolve around her," he said. "She helps everyone, fixes people's problems, and looks after everybody. So, when she's going through something very painful and emotional, you can't help but empathise and want to do anything you can to take away some of that pain or burden.
"Sometimes, though, that means doing nothing and just really listening to what the other person needs. The whole family is affected, and you just want everything to be alright for her."
The official synopsis for this year's Christmas special is as follows: "Beloved vet James Herriot is balancing the excitement of their son Jimmy’s first birthday with the festive season alongside Helen, while the capricious Siegfried Farnon is guiding Tristan in the right direction as he embarks on an important wartime mission.
"Meanwhile, Mrs Hall is busy preparing for Christmas when she is shaken by unexpected news."
The episode also features a "vibrant cast of farmers, animals, and townsfolk, set against the charming backdrop of 1940s Yorkshire".
All Creatures Great and Small seasons 1-5 are available to watch on My5. You can order James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small from Amazon.
If you're looking for something else to watch, visit our TV Guide or take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
