All Creatures Great and Small Series 6 set in postwar May 1945

Channel 5’s adaptation of James Herriot’s novels returns to television tonight, with the first episode of All Creatures Great and Small series six scheduled to begin at 9pm on September 25 and run until about 10.05pm. The new run, set in May 1945 in the Yorkshire Dales, follows familiar characters as the series jumps forward to the immediate aftermath of the Second World War.

A preview published in television listings describes Skeldale House as a place transformed, with James Herriot confronting a "wild and chaotic" Siegfried Farnon. The preview says Tristan Farnon returns from the war and, shocked by the change in his brother, joins James in attempting to intervene. The episode synopsis also hints at some welcome developments for the household as the community adjusts to post-war life.

Channel 5 confirmed the broadcast time, and the programme will air weekly on Thursday nights. Based on the structure of recent seasons, the sixth series is expected to comprise six episodes, with the next instalment due on October 3 at 9pm. The show has regularly produced a Christmas special each December since its 2020 revival, and a further special is planned for 2025 following the conclusion...