All Creatures Great and Small's 'heartbreaking' finale leaves fans in tears

Viewers of All Creatures Great and Small were left in tears as the series concluded with an emotional episode featuring Tristan's harrowing account of his wartime experiences.

The Channel 5 period drama, which follows the life of Yorkshire veterinarian James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph), returned for its sixth series last month and it finished on Thursday (October 30) with a poignant instalment in which Tristan (Callum Woodhouse) finally opened up about his time during the war and the circumstances surrounding his Military Cross.

The scenes left audiences deeply moved, with numerous viewers taking to X (formerly Twitter) to say they were "devastated" and "sobbing" over the emotional moments.

During the episode, Tristan seemed to become distressed whilst treating an unwell horse, running away as his brother Siegfried (Samuel West) watched. Siegfried and Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley) subsequently discovered him sitting alone in the church, reports the Manchester Evening News.

He revealed to his elder brother: "We were moving camp when we came under fire. I was with Billy. I was always with Billy. We'd been inseparable since training.

"There was this noise. Billy just goes up, seems like he'd been hit, he was in a bad way. I didn't fully grasp what had happened so I went to help him and he screamed at me, he screamed not to move an inch."

When Siegfried asked if it was a mine, Tristan confirmed it was the entire field.

"There was no medic, so I did what I could to help," he said.

"It was a mine right next to me. If Billy hadn't screamed, then... I got a medal because I managed to save a few chaps but Billy wasn't one of them. He saved me, but I couldn't save him."

One emotional viewer posted on X: "Am fully sobbing my eyes out, my poor boy."

Another concurred: "I can't stop crying. Tristan's story was so heartbreaking. Callum was out of this world with his acting, my God."

A third remarked: "He portrayed the struggle of people returning from war so well!"

Another confessed: "This show has officially broketh me."

"Can't stop crying," admitted someone else, as one fan commented: "What a beautiful, heartbreaking scene that was."

A further fan observed: "You're breaking my heart I'm crying so much I can't see the screen."

"Perhaps the most moving scene in the entirety of this beautiful show," mused another impressed viewer.

The current series of the beloved programme has featured James and his colleagues treating various animal conditions, whilst Tristan has been developing a relationship with Charlotte Beauvoir (Gaia Wise).

Meanwhile, the gradual potential romance between Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley) and Siegfried has continued to develop.

All Creatures Great and Small airs on Channel 5.