The Real James Herriot: Jonathon Van Maren interviews Jim Wight 

I was introduced to this story in 1976 while serving in the US Army. I had just arrived in Okinawa and was hanging around the barracks. It was a rainy Saturday and I had not made any friends at that point. I saw a bookcase and selected “All Creatures Great and Small” and was hooked. I grew up in the country and really connected to these stories. I’ve read the series numerous times and my kids grew up hearing about these stories. I’ve watched the first TV series several times and am enjoying the PBS series.

James herriot⭐ made this world a better place 💖 with his excellent books📚 he was like charles dickens his work will Last forever🖋🖋🖋

From California: Saw him once in Thirsk when he was walking through the book store. His picture was right behind him and I was bold enough to ask if he was James Herriot because he looked just like him. He modestly replied, “No, we’re just very close friends!”

As a young girl 78 years ago, my dad often took me to stay with various friends on farms. I remember those gates. It soon became my job to open them and swing on them to open and close. I wanted to become a town vet as I knew I wasn’t strong enough to work with large animals. Sadly I would have had to move countries and I wasn’t ready to do that. My mother used to say I should marry a farmer but I knew how hard those wives worked cooking and baking for often many people at shearing time. I made up for being allowed many varieties of small animals. Now I am unable to physically care for them and I miss that so much. Thanks to James Herriot I watch the movies and they are so wonderful. Thanks for this interview Jim.n❤

Love the books. You don't want them to end.

I love the collection of Alfs books All Creatures Great and Small. They have made me cry with laughter. Alfs description of his son Jim, soon after birth was priceless. Apologies Jim but it was so funny. An excellent series of books.

What a joy this interview was to hear! Marvelous ❤

What a great interview, I now really like the updated 'All Creatures great and Small' series and of course this radio broadcast, thank you very much, I hope to get to meet Alf someday.

Read them to feel good, so true. For years after I'd read them all in the daytime, I used them round robin at night in bed to go off to sleep in a good mood. But one night I was laughing so hard at the brucellosis story I was thinking this is crazy I'm supposed to be nodding off soon.

Thank you for the interview! I have read all the books. What always struck me was the generosity of the farming families to the Vet. James Heriott called them the “salt of the earth”. In my opinion he was right.

I love all of his books. Incredible reading.

Thank you so much for this interview! Here in Canada I discovered James Herriot in the mid 80's. I've since read every book at leaat twice a year. Being a farmer's daughter from the 1960's-70's, his stories take me right back to the smell of our little barn with our 6 milk cows, then onto the pig pasture full of beautiful squealing pigs. I've recently discovered the television series on RU-vid, and rewatch it over and over. I wish I could have personally thanked Alf Wight for all of the joy he's brought me ❤ I'll definitely be buying his sons book!

What a brilliant interview. I have just finished this ( signed) book and its so very well written,so like Alfs. It was good to hear Jims voice.

This makes my heart so happy i love this interwie fantastic ❤❤❤ I Adore James Herriot ❤

Very enjoyable interview. I particularly appreciate learning more about the real Granville.

Actually Alf's daughter, Rosie became a doctor- only his son Jim became a vet.

That you Alf for giving me the books, films and tv series x