All Creatures Great and Small says goodbye (for now) to two long-running characters

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The theme of All Creatures Great and Small season 6 has undoubtedly been transition.

The last few years have brought big changes for everyone. Tristan has especially struggled to adjust to life after the war, and Skeldale House has been chaotic since Mrs. Hall left. With Helen and James now raising two children and exciting new developments in veterinary medicine, all the characters have had to adapt and be flexible.

Jenny Alderson is now independent and leaving home, which is a particularly touching moment for her father, Richard, and Helen, who stepped in as a mother figure after Jenny’s mother passed away.

The newest episode showed Jenny getting the acceptance letter she’d hoped for – a spot in nursing school in London! Helen was thrilled and gave her a big hug, while their dad watched with a smile.

Richard was definitely proud of his daughter, but he couldn’t help feeling anxious about her moving away from home for the first time, especially to a big city like London.

He became even more worried when he found out Jenny’s signup deadline was only three weeks away. However, Helen stayed calm and organized, immediately starting a list to make sure Jenny was prepared.

Helen didn’t stay calm for long. When she realized Jenny might not come back to Yorkshire after college – that she might stay in London or move away – Helen became worried. She quickly started to believe her sister wasn’t ready to handle life on her own.

“She’s nowhere near ready,” she told James quietly, her face showing how serious she was.

After talking with her husband, who wisely pointed out that it’s impossible to feel fully prepared to leave home, but that doing so can open the door to incredible experiences, Helen slowly began to consider the possibility.

After Jenny gave a stunning performance with the horses, Helen persuaded her increasingly anxious sister that she needed to seize this chance.

She admitted she was completely unfamiliar with London, saying she didn’t know the city’s layout or anyone who lived there.

“Well, that’s what adventures are for, isn’t it? Discovering all them things,” replied Helen.

Before the new season began, Rachel Shenton explained that Helen and Jenny’s storyline in the sixth season would bring “another period of upheaval and development.”

She explained that Jenny had been showing signs of wanting a change – she’d been talking about exploring other cities and having new experiences.

When Doris joined the team last season, she became distracted and started considering other options. Helen had always suspected this might happen.

However, I don’t believe she’s handling things as well as she expected. Seeing this makes Helen reflect on her own life, the things she didn’t accomplish, and the chances she might have missed.

She’s moved on from that phase of her life, especially now that she has two children. It’s a little sad to see it end, but it’s also wonderful to see how their relationship has grown and changed.

It’s great that Helen will be able to join Jenny in London to help her get settled, and experience something new herself – Richard Alderson came up with the idea.

Helen initially hesitated, but after some encouragement from James, she agreed to spend a few weeks with her sister. Now, James will need to take on extra responsibilities while his wife is away.

Nicholas Ralph noted that the set felt noticeably different without Rachel Shenton, who was on maternity leave. He said her absence was definitely felt.

“We all really missed her – but of course, she had far more important things going on than we did

James and Helen have a truly supportive relationship. They complete each other – she’s his rock, offering encouragement and guidance whenever he needs it, and he provides the same for her.

Her departure was noticeable both in front of and behind the camera. James was deeply affected, and the rest of us as a cast really felt her absence. We all missed her a lot.

Season 6 of All Creatures Great and Small is broadcast on Thursdays on Channel 5. You can purchase James Herriot’s book, All Creatures Great and Small, from Amazon.

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2025-10-17 00:35