All Creatures Great and Small fans convinced a new romance is on the horizon after season four premiere

All Creatures Great and Small still from series four
All Creatures Great and Small will return in the autumn (Channel 5)

The first episode of All Creatures Great and Small series four aired on Thursday evening and viewers were overjoyed to have their favourite period drama return. Season four welcomed back familiar faces such as James Herriot (played by Nicholas Ralph) and Helen Herriot (played by Rachel Shenton).

But fans also took to social media to respond to seeing beloved characters Siegfried Farnon, played by Samuel West, and Mrs Hall's, played by Anna Madeley, heartwarming bond on screens once again, and many are hoping a romance will blossom between them.

The official account for the show posted a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing Siegfried and Mrs Hall engaging in a sweet conversation which you can see in the video below.

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Fans responded underneath, with one writing: "Friendship often leads to love. We can but hope." Another echoed this, adding: "They are far closer than friends, they need each other and know each other so well."

MORE: All you need to know ahead of All Creatures Great and Small series four – cast changes, plot and more

MORE: Why did the original Helen Alderson leave All Creatures Great and Small?

Samuel West in All Creatures Great and Small
Samuel West in All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5)

A third commented: "Friendship? Hmm, I think there is more than that." A fourth agreed: "Besties, start looking for a new term to describe them because 'friendship' isn't enough anymore."

The potential romance between the characters is not necessarily a new concept but fans are hoping this series could be the time that a relationship forms.

Rachel Shenton and Nicholas Ralph as Helen and James in All Creatures Great and Small
Rachel Shenton and Nicholas Ralph as Helen and James in All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5)

Anna Madeley even opened up about the prospect of the two characters getting together in an interview with Masterpiece PBS. After being asked whether she thinks it'll happen, she explained: "I hope so, but I don't completely know. Ultimately, that’s a Ben Vanstone [head writer and Executive Producer] question and he probably wouldn't give us the answer, would he?

"The relationship with Mr Farnon is so complex because there's so many layers to it, in that he employs her in the house, as well as that they have a real fondness for each other, and they are very good friends to one another."

All Creatures Great and Small stars Anna Madeley, Callum Woodhouse, Nicholas Ralph, Rachel Shenton and Samuel West
All Creatures Great and Small stars Anna Madeley, Callum Woodhouse, Nicholas Ralph, Rachel Shenton and Samuel West (Channel 5)

She continued: "We can't forget that Mrs. Hall is technically still married, so that complicates her world enormously. This is a tricky time for that. But it was only in 1937 that, legally, Mrs Hall would've been able to get divorced without having to go down the 'let's pretend one of us has been unfaithful' route. It's a very new idea.

"I think the cultural move to thinking about getting divorced is absolutely huge. So, whether Mrs. Hall's in a place to consider doing that is a big question, again, for Ben Vanstone. I don’t know what he'll do with that."