All Creatures star Anna Madeley on 'genius' act that was never caught on camera

All Creatures Great and Small returns with a much-awaited festive special on Christmas Eve, following the emotional conclusion of series six, with the episode entitled Comfort and Joy.

The story unfolds during Christmas 1945, marking the first peacetime festive season following the war, as everyone strives to create the most memorable Christmas celebration possible, complete with a rather chaotic nativity performance.

Christmas fare remains scarce, prompting Mrs Hall (portrayed by Anna Madeley) to eagerly participate in the Drovers' darts tournament, hoping to secure a coveted fresh turkey as the prize.

As captain of the Skeldale darts team, she encourages everyone to hone their skills, though an unexpected visit from an old acquaintance catches both her and Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) off guard.

In conversation with Reach and other media outlets, actress Madeley revealed details about shooting the darts sequences whilst fans eagerly anticipate fresh episodes, offering glimpses into her own background with the sport.

When questioned about her darts expertise, she confessed: "I was pretty terrible, we had a dart board when I was a kid.

"It was like the back door of the house, I don't know why, our parents were really tolerant of us throwing the darts. We used to throw them at the door by accident so we had a door that was just speckled with dart holes. I was amazed they let us do that."

Fortunately, she experienced a moment of triumph during filming. She shared: "I had a genius moment on set that was just really exciting where we had one rehearsal where I got every single dart in exactly the right place, which was great but we never got it on shot."

Nicholas Ralph, who portrays James Herriot and was also part of the interview, revealed that the entire cast erupted in cheers at her success, adding: "It was so good because then when we were rolling, we knew how we would react."

In other scenes from the festive special, James is left to oversee the Darrowby nativity play as Helen (Rachel Shenton) falls ill. Meanwhile, Siegfried finds himself back at Mrs Stokes' (Susan Hilton) farm dealing with Hilda the goat's antics once more.

James not only has the nativity to worry about but also fears that Tricki's chances of becoming a father are dwindling, and he dreads breaking the news to Mrs Pumphrey (Patricia Hodge). However, the chaotic nativity doesn't leave him much time to dwell on anything else.

Tristan Farnon (Callum Woodhouse) and Charlotte Beauvoir (Gaia Wise) pay a visit to the Christmas Tree Farm for Tristan to carry out an important task for Maggie (Mollie Winnard). It's here that Charlotte finally uncovers what's been troubling Tristan since his return from the war.

In some poignant moments, the pair bare their hearts to each other, confessing their true feelings. Later, James delivers the unfortunate news about Tricki to Mrs Pumphrey and seeks her assistance with his festive challenge.

Fortunately, Mrs Pumphrey recognises the importance of continuing and the group rallies to stage a nativity that raises everyone's morale. 

The All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special airs on Channel 5 on Christmas Eve at 9pm