All Creatures Great and Small season 2 vet Tristan Farnon is trying his best to impress his demanding big brother as the second season of the Channel 5 drama continues.
This week, as Tristan, played by Callum Woodhouse, celebrates his birthday, Siegfried (Samuel West) thinks it’s high time his laidback younger sibling showed some responsibility and got out and about more on his veterinary rounds, but some big surprises await.
We caught up with Callum Woodhouse to tell us more...
'All Creatures Great and Small' has seen Tristan trying to grow up a bit this season hasn’t it?
“Yes, he started off very lazy but Siegfried wants him to do more work with the animals and go on calls. And Tristan has emotional intelligence, he's able to really connect with the animals’ owners.”
Tristan still doesn't know that he didn’t pass his veterinary exams as Siegfried has kept it a secret. How do you think he will react if he finds out?
“It's certainly on the cards. But whether it blows up in both or just one of their faces remains to be seen... I've enjoyed deepening that relationship with Siegfried. Sam and I spent a lot of time talking about the characters. To be working with him is a real treat.”
This episode sees Tristan driving about a lot in the Dales, how do you find the 1930s cars?
“The Rover is so much fun. We have drone shots of the Dales and then I come over the hill. It’s a dream to drive. But I hate the Vauxhall. You slam your foot on the brake and five minutes later, it trundles to a stop. You never think it'll make it uphill and going downhill, you think, ‘I'm about to die’!”
Viewers have really fallen in love with the show, do they come to watch you filming?
“Yes, when we’re in Grassington [the Yorkshire town where the show is filmed], it’s like doing live theatre because you've got an audience. The reception has been incredible. Before series one, a lot of the comments were, ‘Don't mess it up!’ because it was very dear to people. But our version has found its way into people's hearts.”
Are you an animal lover?
“I got a dog last year. He’s a Cavapoochon [a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, poodle and Bichon Frise cross] called Ralph – I named him after the star of our show [Nicholas Ralph, who plays Tristan’s colleague James]! I was broaching the possibility of him being an extra and someone made the point that Cavapoochons didn’t exist in the 1930s! But I was hoping that, as Tristan is a trendsetter with his Fair Isle sweaters, maybe he had the first Cavapoochon way before its time!”
Do you still enjoy wearing Tristan’s snazzy outfits?!
“Yes! This series, I wore a tank top that’s my favourite outfit I've worn in any job. It was an amazing pattern with oranges, blues and greens. But with his ties, for continuity, wardrobe have to get the pattern looking the same each time, so they fiddle with it for about half an hour. It looks good though, especially with a tank top, so I can't complain!”
All Creatures Great and Small continues weekly on Thursdays on Channel 5 at 9pm in the UK and will air on PBS Masterpiece in the US at a later date.
