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Schoolboy 'thrilled' to star in Channel 5 show

Playground/Channel 5 A photograph of Owen on set, wearing a brown jacket and scarf, knee-length trousers and long socks. He walks across a pebbled square, a sign that reads "Drovers Arms" can be seen on the wall in the background, partially obscured by a pine tree on the left. Three people are looking at produce on the right.Playground/Channel 5
Owen Phillips stars as Christopher Taylor in All Creatures Great and Small

A 13-year-old boy from South Yorkshire has said he is "thrilled" to star in the Christmas special of hit TV series All Creatures Great and Small.

Owen Phillips, from Rotherham, will appear alongside actors Samuel West, Nicholas Ralph and Rachel Shenton when the episode airs on 23 December.

The teenager, whose previous on-screen appearances have included shows such as Casualty and Gentleman Jack, said he was "thrilled" to have been cast.

Despite his extensive TV experience, Owen said he still got "butterflies" when auditioning for the show.

All Creatures Great and Small, an adaptation of the famous novels by real life veterinarian Alf Wight, follows the early career of veterinary surgeon James Herriot in the Yorkshire Dales during the 1930s.

Playground/Channel 5 A boy sits in front of a door, next to a woman holding a fox cub in her arms. His left arm rests on the animal's head. The woman has her brown hair tied up and looks into the distance.Playground/Channel 5
Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley) and Christopher Taylor (Owen Phillips) -plus a fox - star in the All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special

Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, Owen said even though he was nervous at his audition for the Channel 5 show, it was still "fun" - and he even got to "meet an actual fox".

The animal is integral to Christopher, Owen's on-screen character, who arrives at the vets' surgery at Skeldale House with an abandoned fox cub.

Speaking about his character, Owen said: "He doesn't come from the best background, but he's really kind and loves his family and he loves animals.

"He doesn't have many friends and the fox is his best friend."

Owen said he loved his time on set, which had left him with some wonderful memories, including the chance to get to know lead star Samuel West.

"We talked about the show, work and his family," Owen recalled.

"He said, let's go through our lines together, and he showed me some acting techniques. That was unbelievable."

Rachel Russell/BBC All Creatures Great and Small museum in ThirskRachel Russell/BBC
The real house and surgery in Thirsk where Alf Wight, the author of the James Herriot novels, lived and worked is now a museum dedicated to the stories

At only 13, Owen already has a number of TV credits under his belt, including a recurring role as Wes Oldfield in CBBC series The Dumping Ground, while also diligently keeping up with his schoolwork.

His talent for acting was discovered by chance, his family said, after they responded to a casting call for the Judge Rinder court show while visiting London.

The teenager's dad, Nick, said: "I think Owen's amazing. He is so good and so natural as an actor.

"It's tearful to watch him sometimes."

The original BBC adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small ran in the 1970s and 1980s, while the recent Channel 5 series started in 2020.

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