All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special release date and festive plot unveiled

Channel 5 is set to delight viewers with the All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special, All God's Creatures, hot on the heels of its fifth season's resounding success. The Skeldale House family is gearing up for festive cheer and baby Jimmys first Christmas, but unexpected news puts a damper on their plans.

In the midst of Christmas preparations, Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley), is thrown into disarray by unsettling developments. Concurrently, Tristan Farnon (Callum Woodhouse), embarks on an unusual Royal Army Veterinary Corps assignment that involves a flock of carrier pigeons and an encounter with the stubborn Enoch Sykes (Duncan Preston).

Amidst family frictions, Helen (played by Rachel Shenton) and James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) are caught up in planning for little Jimmy's birthday celebration. Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) finds himself pulled between aiding an injured fox and supporting Mrs Hall in her time of need.

As for the ethos of the episode, Nicholas Ralph remarked: "I think something that's run through our show from the beginning is the idea of being kind."

On the special's emphasis on empathy, he further added: "You don't know what people are going through. That's a theme of the show, and it's particularly strong in this year's Christmas special - to be kind and to appreciate the people you have around you, your friends and family." Here is all you need to know about when the episode airs.

Fans eager for the special should mark their calendars. The holiday episode airs at 9pm on Monday, December 23, exclusively on Channel 5, continuing the tradition of heartwarming, hour-long instalments.

Anna Madeley takes centre stage in the latest episode, and the actress has revealed the intense emotional struggle her character endures after her son Edward's ship is targeted by enemy fire.

Discussing the harrowing ordeal, she shared: "It's a horrendous time for Mrs Hall. It's every mother's worst nightmare. She receives the news that Edward's ship has been struck, 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."

On coping mechanisms, Madeley explained: "I think Mrs Hall copes by staying busy and focusing on what little she does know," adding, "Initially, 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 further delved into Mrs Hall's proactive approach: "She even seeks out information on her own, meeting a young lad named Paddy, who had been with Edward on the ship."

Detailing the character's resilience, Madeley said: "It's a difficult journey for her, and even though she tries to stay strong, that uncertainty starts to take its toll."

The fate of Edward will be revealed in the festive special. 

The All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special airs on Channel 5 on December 23