All Creatures Great And Small: The Early Years

[Bob The Skutter]

BBC have just announced a new series Young James based on the early life of James Herriot and his student days in Glasgow.

Young James is a 3x60' drama inspired by the true story of how the world's most famous vet, "James Herriot", came to learn his trade in Scotland. Drawing on an amazing archive and exclusive access to the diaries and case notes he kept during his student days in Glasgow, as well as the biography written by his son.
Jay Hunt continues: "The chance to bring the story of the real James Herriot alive for a BBC One audience that grew up with All Creatures Great And Small was irresistible."
Co-created by Johnny Byrne and Kate Croft, Johnny sadly died two years ago but it was their shared dream to bring this show to the screen. Filmed and set in Glasgow and made by Koco Drama, this is the first commission for Shed Media's new drama company.

 

[Pingfah]

I used to love the original show when I was a kid.

Davison's best work. Easily.

 

[Mistral]

Fell in love with the books in the 70s/80s-never got to see the shows, though. Maybe the Beeb America will run this?

 

[ClayinCA]

As a fan of both the original Herriot books as well as the TV series, I'm guardedly optimistic about this. Doing a follow-up to the classic TV show is a risky proposition as they've got big shoes to fill...

 

[auntiehill]

I loved the show so much that I went and read all the books when I was still in my late teens.

I hope BBCA will run this, but I'm also a bit reluctant, since I had such affection for the original series.

 

[ITL]

I'll give it watch.

The original series is currently being rerun almost daily on a digital channel over here, so I've re-watched plenty of classic episodes recently. And it's still great after all these years.

 

[diankra]

I'd imagine that it['ll be very different to what we expect: possibly closer to the real life of Alf Wright, and of course, all set before he moves from Scotland to Yorkshire and meets Siegfried/Donald, Tristan/Brian and Helen.
Mind you, the original series took major liberties with Wright/Herriot's original books, which in turn took major liberties with Wright's actual life, as his son's biography of him reveals.

 

[stoneroses]

Maybe since it's his real life they can use his real name 'James Alfred Wight'.