Doggone it! Vet Herriot steals the show again ...29 years on
TV actor reprises Games success
All Creatures Great And Small star Nicholas Ralph had a starring role at the annual Highland Games in his home town of Nairn yesterday.
Nicholas, an honorary guest, marched with pipe bands, spoke to fans and presented prizes at the event, which is in its 144th year.
It’s a far cry from his performing debut at the games at the tender age of four – when he took the floor to dance to a pipe band.
Nicholas, 33, who plays vet James Herriot in the hit Channel 5 remake of the classic series, previously recalled how he stole the show as a youngster and even featured in a local newspaper.
“I remember it was the mid-1990s. I was about four years old, there was a band playing and I sneaked through a fence,” he said. “I started doing what I thought was Highland dancing. I was a show-off and people took pictures of me, which ended up in the paper. I’ve always had a thing for performing.”
Nicholas has just completed filming series four of All Creatures – Channel 5’s most watched programme – with series three averaging 3.8 million viewers. He admits that securing the part of the famous vet, after being longlisted with 60 other actors, has been “life-changing”. But he never forgets his roots.
“I’m back in Scotland a lot,” he said.“I normally head up to Nairn for the Highland Games to catch up with friends and family. But I’m delighted to be an honorary guest this year.”
Nicholas grew up in Nairn and was a promising footballer with Ross County and then Nairn County under-19s before studying acting, first at Inverness College. He graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2017 and James Herriot, two years later, was his first TV role.
All Creatures also features Samuel West as Siegfried Farnon, Rachel Shenton as James’s wife Helen Herriot and Anna Madeley as housekeeper Mrs Hall.
Nicholas’s film credits include playing a young CS Lewis in The Most Reluctant Convert and appearing as Father Raymond in horror movie Prey For The Devil.
“The support I’ve had from the town of Nairn and the people is brilliant,” he said. “My pals and my family absolutely love the fact I am on TV.”
“It’s lovely to have Nicholas here,” said Games convener Hugh Allison. “We’re delighted to welcome him to share in the celebrations.
“Nairn Highland Games has always been a celebration of what’s best about the town so it’s marvellous to have one of our sons, a local success story, attend as our special guest. Games day is the time when all the expats come back to town.”
The games, run by an army of volunteers and a year in the planning, are one of the oldest in Scotland. Track and field events include athletics, tossing the caber, throwing the Scots hammer, putting the shot and putting the Nairn stone. Locals flock to the “Showies”, the travelling funfair that has been coming to the town every year since the early-1900s.
“We’re big on tradition,” added Hugh. “The Nairn stone dates from the 1800s. It’s a rounded river boulder, weighing about 16½lb, and it’s brought out every year.”
Series four of All Creatures Great and Small will air on Channel 5 in the autumn, with the transmission date to be confirmed. The first three series are available now to stream via My5