The idea of Tristan leaving All Creatures Great and Small was unimaginable, right up until the moment he finally bid farewell to his beloved brother. Now fans might be wondering why the character left and whether or not to expect him back in season 5.
It’s not long now until All Creatures Great and Small returns to our screens for season 5 and we can’t wait to see what lies in store for our favourite Yorkshire vets and their community. However, as fans anticipate what is yet to come, reflecting upon what has gone before is just as important and the absence of Tristan was deeply felt in season 4. He’s vet Siegfried Farnon’s younger brother and after watching Tristan leaving All Creatures Great and Small in the 2022 Christmas special many people couldn’t help hoping it wouldn’t be the last we saw of him. After all, the show - which is based upon Alf Wright’s memoirs written under his pen-name James Herriot - wouldn’t be the same without the loveable characters at the heart of it.
*Warning: Spoilers Ahead*
Why did Tristan leave All Creatures Great and Small?
Since the reboot of the original 70s show started in 2020, All Creatures Great and Small has been edging its way timeline-wise closer to the start of World War II. At the end of season 3, war had been declared and Tristan left in the 2022 Christmas special to go and do his bit for the war effort. He revealed he wanted to go and fight despite vets technically being exempt from serving, as it’s a reserved occupation. Tristan’s decision was also a source of great sadness for Siegfried, Mrs Hall, James and Helen in All Creatures Great and Small and he ended up confronting his older brother and accusing him of trying to hold back his enlistment.
"You’ve never believed in me!" he exclaimed and their argument soon escalated, with Siegfried confessing that he had "resented" Tristan for years because he was their parents’ favourite as their "miracle child" that came later in life for them.
However, after being left to look out for Tristan after their parents died he came to view things in a more mature way.
"If anything happened to you it would be the end for me," he told his little brother. "I’d die if I let anything happen to you."
He then handed Tristan an envelope that had come that morning, reminding him that he didn’t have to go to war, but Tristan assured him that he "need[s]" to go.
After the household's Christmas celebration, Tristan was later given a lift to the train station by Siegfried, who had recently been reminded that despite being a "grown-up" he was still allowed to cry. The vet had admitted to a young girl that he was very upset at the thought of his brother going and the final moments between them saw Siegfried with his eyes full of tears as he asked Tristan to promise him he wouldn’t do anything "stupid".
"And break the habit of a lifetime?" Tristan responded jokingly, holding out his hand for a goodbye handshake, only to be surprised by a tight hug from Siegfried instead. The shock on his face made this moment all the more poignant, and after asking if they were "huggers now", he was told by his big brother that he was "so damn proud" of him.
It was at this point, with the music swelling impressively in the background, that Tristan finally hugged his brother back, burying his head into his shoulder. As the train horn sounded again, Tristan Farnon hopped abroad and smiled at Siegfried out of the window. The final scene of the All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special was Tristan lying down inside the carriage, tears in his eyes and a smile on his face as he looked out of the window, thinking of the wonderful people who loved him at home and the new life that lay ahead for him.
Will Tristan be back in All Creatures Great and Small season 5?
Thankfully, the Farnons will not be parted forever by war as Tristan will be back in All Creatures Great and Small season 5. This news will no doubt come as a relief to many fans and it was announced in February by Channel 5 that Tristan Farnon would be in the season 5 cast, with Callum Woodhouse reprising this much-loved role. It seems like Tristan’s return might not come immediately, though, as the broadcaster said that Siegfried’s "mischievous brother" would make an "unexpected return later in the series".
Tristan Farnon has been serving in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and according to Siegfried’s actor Samuel West, what he’s seen has had a profound effect on him. The star explained to RadioTimes.com that he believes Tristan has "obviously changed" as a result of his experience.
"He's obviously changed," he said. "And he's changed in ways that I don't fully understand. He's obviously seen some horrible things which he's not talking about. And he's obviously masking with drink and good humour."
It will also be interesting to see how the newly settled in vet at the surgery, Richard Carmody, reacts to Siegfried’s brother being back. The two characters have very different personalities and Tristan has also missed a lot of big moments since being away, including the birth of Helen and James’s son Jimmy.
Reflecting upon what it was like to return to All Creatures Great and Small for season 5, Callum Woodhouse told RadioTimes that he had been a little worried about feeling "a bit out of the loop".
"But my first day back was a full day in The Drovers, which is probably the best place to film Tristan's first scenes back," he shared. "We did the morning and warmed into it, and then coming back after our lunch break it didn't feel like I'd been away at all to be honest. I just slotted back in so comfortably and so well and was having all of the same banter and jokes with all of the same cast and crew that's still with us from series one. It was just really lovely."
Watching Tristan leave All Creatures Great and Small wasn’t easy, but we’re delighted that he’ll be back at Skeldale House soon.
Who plays Tristan in All Creatures Great and Small?
Tristan Farnon is played by Callum Woodhouse in All Creatures Great and Small and you might recognise the star from the popular ITV series The Durrells, in which he played Leslie Durrell. Callum has also appeared in an episode of Father Brown and in episodes of Cold Feet.
All Creatures Great and Small season 5 starts on Channel 5 at 9pm on 19th September.
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