With the Season 7 premiere of All Creatures Great and Small just a stone’s throw away, it is time to revisit some of the biggest questions viewers have been asking since the Christmas special altered the emotional landscape at Skeldale: What does Dorothy’s return mean for the deepening bond between Siegfried and Mrs Hall? Will the romantic potential that Season 6 so carefully and beautifully established remain largely unacknowledged? And can this new dynamic, with Dorothy in the picture, unfold while remaining true to all the characters involved?
Season 6 ended with one of the show’s most moving and – according to IMDb – highest-rated episodes. With the Second World War finally over, the whole village came together to celebrate, Tristan eventually opened up about the horrors he went through and Siegfried decided to finally voice just how indispensable Mrs Hall is not just to Skeldale but to him in particular. He told her outright that he would always need her and that to him, irrespective of the question, the answer would always be her. The episode closed with the Skeldale family and much of Darrowby gathered around a beacon, looking towards the future with renewed hope.
For some viewers, that hope was severely unsettled by the following Christmas special (currently the show’s lowest-rated episode on IMDb). The emotional groundwork Season 6 had laid so beautifully up to this point appeared to be put aside when Mrs Hall’s friend Dorothy returned after being absent and barely spoken about for the past five seasons. She quickly became a romantic prospect for Siegfried, something that felt somewhat out of step with the episodes that led up to the Christmas special.
What was perhaps most surprising was that Audrey herself encouraged Siegfried and Dorothy to spend time together. Siegfried initially appeared rather hesitant, speaking wistfully about the kind of love Aristophanes describes in Plato’s Symposium: the idea that each human being is only one half of what used to be one entity. We were divided in two, leaving each person to search for the missing half of their soul. The two separated halves have a bond so profound that, once reunited, they never wish to be apart again. His soft voice and gaze towards Audrey led many viewers to wonder whether she was the person he had in mind when delivering his speech. Mrs Hall, however, showing little outward reaction, redirected his attention towards Dorothy, suggesting that he might miss what was directly under his nose while searching for something that likely did not even exist.
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| “Comfort & Joy” – ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, Pictured: Anna Madeley & Samuel West / © Playground Television UK Ltd. 2025 / © 5 Broadcasting Limited. All Rights Reserved |
Perhaps taking Audrey’s words as a rejection of that possibility between them, Siegfried eventually decided to give things a try with Dorothy. But there may also be another reason why he follows Mrs Hall’s lead: throughout the series Siegfried has repeatedly relied on Mrs Hall to guide and advise him. He puts an enormous amount of faith in her judgement and trusts that she knows what’s best for him. So, when she pushes him towards Dorothy, who is he to question it? After all, Audrey has not given him any reason to believe that the growing closeness between them is going anywhere. Yet, when Audrey later witnessed the pair sharing an intimate moment, the reality of what she had set in motion with her meddling appeared to strike home. Her shocked reaction upon seeing them together led many viewers to wonder whether the sight of Siegfried showing affection to another woman had awakened feelings she had not previously allowed herself to confront. The episode never confirms either character’s thoughts, so this remains an interpretation rather than fact. However, if that reading proves correct, what initially appeared to be emotional discontinuity with the rest of Season 6 may ultimately reveal itself as denial – something we will hopefully learn more about once Season 7 premieres.
“A Prospect of Happiness on the Horizon”?
The way it looks right now, Dorothy will be a significant presence throughout the upcoming season. Although it was Mrs Hall who first encouraged Siegfried and Dorothy to explore their connection further, Siegfried now appears to embrace the possibility for himself, genuinely investing in their relationship and finding that he actually enjoys spending time with her.
Actor Samuel West, whose masterful portrayal consistently captures both Siegfried’s formidable temperament and underlying vulnerability, confirms that Dorothy has a positive effect on his character while also acknowledging their differences:
Samuel West: “He’s rediscovered a bit of his pep, his joie de vivre, and a beautiful, intelligent, stylish, funny woman likes him. I think there’s a prospect of happiness on the horizon.”
“I think we’re in the honeymoon period. We’re dating, we’re walking out and it’s lovely. We don’t have exactly similar tastes, but we’re willing to indulge one another. Even when she dismisses Gilbert and Sullivan, I’m going, ‘Well, that’s interesting.’ I think it’s all great until I start taking her for granted.”
But is enjoyment of each other’s company and a bit of “joie de vivre” really enough to turn an old spark into a lasting partnership? And is being well matched in terms of background and social standing enough to create the kind of profound, inseparable bond Siegfried described to Audrey in the Christmas special? West’s final “until” certainly suggests the answer may not be straightforward.
“She Slightly Takes Herself Out of the Equation”
An even bigger question is how Siegfried and Dorothy’s relationship will change the dynamic at Skeldale, particularly if Dorothy starts spending more time there. And how will it influence not only the friendship between Audrey and Siegfried, but also the friendship between the two women?
When asked how Mrs Hall feels about Siegfried and Dorothy’s courtship, Anna Madeley, whose brilliant, understated yet deeply expressive portrayal has made Skeldale’s matriarch the irreplaceable emotional cornerstone of the series, reveals that her character continues to support the growing connection between her friends:
Anna Madeley: “She knows they’ve liked each other in the past and sees there is still a spark between the two of them. She sees these two people who she cares deeply about in different ways and sees that there is something that might make them both happy, so does her best to serve that. If they are happy together, that makes her happy. She slightly takes herself out of the equation and allows them to have their time.”
The way Siegfried and Dorothy’s relationship is described very much suggests that Mrs Hall is an integral part of it, even as she decides to take a step back. At first glance, this might simply mean that she wants to give her friends the space to explore their newfound companionship. However, there may be another way to interpret it. Considering the direction Season 6 was heading in, as well as Audrey’s reaction in the Christmas special, her decision to step back may suggest that she needs some distance for her own sake. Perhaps it is not only about giving Siegfried and Dorothy the time and space to work out how to be together, but also about Audrey once again placing the happiness of those she loves ahead of her own – and ahead of feelings she may not yet have allowed herself to examine.
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| ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, Pictured: Maimie McCoy, Samuel West & Anna Madeley 2026 / ©5 Broadcasting Limited / © Playground Television UK Ltd. 2026 / Photographer: Helen Williams. All Rights Reserved |
“Something Subconscious Makes Itself Felt”
But as the honeymoon phase starts to wear off and Siegfried and Dorothy have to face the realities of everyday life, Audrey may find herself drawn back into the very equation she tried to leave, particularly when Siegfried’s behaviour towards Dorothy starts to change.
West suggests that the problems which eventually arise between his character and Dorothy are not just caused by Siegfried’s occasional lack of awareness:
Samuel West: “I don’t think that’s a function of Siegfried’s thoughtlessness, and it’s certainly not a function of his malice. I think something subconscious makes itself felt in his behaviour towards Dorothy, which brings on a really honest appraisal of what’s going on.”
What or who this subconscious influence may be, West does not specify, but continues by saying that Siegfried may not figure it out himself for quite some time as “he’s almost always behind in his emotions. He very rarely knows what he feels about things and sometimes discovers it weeks, and series, after the audience.”
But it is not only Siegfried who struggles to see the relationship clearly. According to Madeley, Dorothy herself has “a little blind spot about Siegfried’s behaviour and how he conducts himself,” while Mrs Hall “sees the relationship from both sides in a way she hasn’t before.”
Both Siegfried and Dorothy seem to need someone to help them understand one another. And both of them find that there is no one better to guide them than the woman who knows both of them best: Skeldale’s Patron Saint of Lost Causes, Mrs Audrey Hall.
Samuel West: “Mrs Hall is Dorothy’s dear friend and she introduced us, so she wants the relationship to work for her own reasons. When I’m neglectful of Dorothy, she’s annoyed, as she would be and as she should be. That puts a strain on our relationship, but it should. It leaves me disappointing her, which I don’t like, obviously.”
But is it really Siegfried’s neglect of Dorothy that strains his relationship with Mrs Hall? Or is it more the enormous weight Audrey’s disappointment carries for him? And is she angry solely because he is hurting her friend, or also because he appears ready to sabotage the happiness she has so carefully tried to secure for him, perhaps even at the expense of her own?
Some viewers may understandably worry that Mrs Hall’s role in this upcoming season will be limited to serving as an adviser and problem-solver for Siegfried and Dorothy’s increasingly complicated courtship. Many fans have also expressed disappointment that Dorothy appeared to have been brought back primarily as a love interest for Siegfried, rather than to explore and develop her friendship with Audrey. After all, Dorothy is Audrey’s longest-standing friend who helped her leave her husband (whom the series implies was abusive) and who served with her in the Wrens during the First World War. But so far all of their history together remains largely unexplored, as does Audrey’s backstory in general.
Season 7 now has the opportunity to reveal more about Mrs Hall’s past. The fantastic Maimie McCoy, who portrays Dorothy, suggests that viewers might even get to see a glimpse of Mrs Hall’s more carefree side:
Maimie McCoy: “They are incredibly fond of each other, and I always wanted their friendship to be the main focus, regardless of a potential romance with Siegfried. When you think about their back story and how they met in the Wrens, something about that particular experience ties them together, making them reliant on each other while also being really joyful. And I love seeing that side of Mrs Hall’s character come out, which is why it is important for them. An offer of a trip to the cinema, or a cheeky slice of parkin and a chat, I think Audrey really delights in that. I definitely see Dorothy as really grabbing life by the horns and saying, ‘We’ve lived through a lot: through the wars, losing partners, having children and grandchildren.‘“
McCoy’s comments should therefore offer some reassurance that Dorothy’s return will not revolve entirely around her romance with Siegfried, and that her long-standing friendship with Audrey will receive at least some attention. Beyond that, Audrey will also become more involved with the Women’s Institute, working with the beloved Mrs Pumphrey to support the wider Darrowby community in the aftermath of the war.
Anna Madeley describes the partnership between Mrs Hall and Mrs Pumphrey as one built on shared values despite their very different backgrounds:
Anna Madeley: “From a selfish perspective it gives Mrs Hall another purpose, she is good at organising so this is another area to do that and it is fun working alongside Mrs Pumphrey – their relationship is lovely, coming from different places but with a shared value of how important community is to support one another.”
While the cast’s comments may not offer the answers we are looking for, they make one thing clear: Mrs Hall remains very much part of the emotional equation, for Siegfried as well as for Dorothy. The possibility of a romantic relationship developing between Siegfried and Audrey may appear stalled for the time being, but the profound bond between them remains. After everything Season 6 established and built so beautifully, it would be difficult for the series to simply cast that development aside.
Where all of this is leading remains uncertain, but perhaps, in trying so hard to guide Siegfried towards the happiness she believes he deserves, Audrey has overlooked the very thing they may both have been searching for, right under their noses all along.
The new season of All Creatures Great and Small is set to premiere on Thursday 17 September at 9pm (GMT+1) on UK’s Channel 5.