All Creatures Great and Small star explains impact of Tristan’s absence

Tristan Farnon (Callum Woodhouse) will not appear in season 4 after he was called up to serve in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in the emotional Christmas special last year.

Talking about Tristan's absence in the new season, actor Nicholas Ralph chatted to RadioTimes.com about what it means for the cast and this season's plot lines.

He explained: "Tristan's away at war, so he doesn't feature this year. And within the world of All Creatures Great and Small, we miss Tristan a lot.

"And James in particular, he's his best friend. He's his brother in the surrogate family, so he's hugely proud of him for becoming his own man, spreading his wings and getting out from underneath Siegfried's watchful eye."

But Tristan's departure also means that season 4 will see some new characters coming in to fill in for him. As Ralph says: "He really misses him, and practically they feel the strain as well because James is having to do a lot more of the things that Justin would normally help.

"And that leads him to this idea of getting in a new vet, an intern to come in and help them out. So James gets in Richard Carmody, another character from the books."

Speaking about Woodhouse's absence on set on a personal level, Ralph added: "The character James misses Tris, but also we missed Cal on set and hanging out. He's a wonderful, wonderful actor."

Similarly, Rachel Shenton, who plays Helen Alderson, said: "He's still in the WhatsApp group sending pictures of the the dogs [laughs]."

Read more:

• All Creatures Great and Small's James tries to help where he's not wanted
• All Creatures Great and Small star: "James is feeling broody in season 4"

The new season is full of many a change for our beloved cast, as the backdrop of time means that Winston Churchill is in office as prime minister amid the growing threat from Nazi Germany.

As per the synopsis for season 4: "James and Helen wonder when the right time might be to start a family, not knowing whether or not James will be called up to serve in the RAF. Tristan's absence is felt by all, but no one more than Siegfried who attempts to hold the growing household, and himself, together as he braves this new world.

"Mrs Hall and Helen’s friendship blossoms as they look to the future and new trainee veterinary student Richard Carmody arrives, causing complications in the house."

All Creatures Great and Small starts on Thursday 5th October at 9pm on Channel 5. It is also available on My5. If you're looking for something else to watch, visit our TV Guide or take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage.

You can order James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small from Amazon.

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