#002 – Nicholas Ralph: Perseverance, Purpose & the Long Road to All Creatures Great and Small

In this festive episode, we sit down with Nicholas Ralph, best known for playing James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small on Channel 5 and PBS Masterpiece.

What unfolds is not an “overnight success” story (Nick laughs at that headline), but a deeply human conversation about perseverance, patience, and following a calling when the path isn’t obvious — especially when you grow up somewhere that doesn’t quite show you the map.

We talk about Nick’s Highland upbringing, discovering acting almost by accident, being told it was a “terrible career choice,” and finding his way from Eden Court Theatre to drama school, to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and eventually onto one of the most beloved TV shows of recent years.

Along the way, Nick opens up about:

• The unseen years behind success
• Why theatre was the best training ground for television
• What it’s really like on a TV set (hint: not glamorous, very muddy)
• The importance of teamwork and kindness on long, freezing shoot days
• How playing James Herriot has quietly shaped his own values
• Why community, compassion, and doing things “with a smile” still matter

We also get festive - from joyful behind-the-scenes chaos filming the Christmas episode, to favourite Christmas films, to what Nick is taking into 2026 (and what he’s happily leaving behind).

It’s an honest, generous, quietly inspiring conversation about craft, character, and keeping your feet on the ground — with a lot of laughter along the way.

Chapters:
00:00 Christmas Special intro & welcome
02:08 “An Overnight Success, Ten Years in the Making”
05:27 Growing up in the Highlands & finding acting
09:38 “You’ll End Up Living Out of the Back of Your Car”
13:52 Discovering drama school & The Royal Conservatoire
19:34 The showcase, agents & getting signed
23:58 Auditioning for All Creatures Great and Small
29:12 Theatre vs TV (and birthing a calf to nothing)
34:06 What life on a TV set is really like
38:42 Where the love of performing began
43:26 Perseverance, passion & self-belief
48:11 What playing James Herriot has taught Nick
53:02 Christmas episodes, traditions & favourite films
56:48 Looking ahead to 2026
58:32 Final thoughts & Christmas wishes

From all of us at The Nairnshire Community Newspaper - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - and thank you for listening. Here’s to more meaningful stories in 2026.