Peter Wright, a cherished figure from the Channel 5 hit show The Yorkshire Vet, has gained fame thanks to the docu-series. As a long-serving vet and apprentice of the legendary James Herriot, he is highly respected in his field.
Throughout the series, he collaborates with Julian Norton and the veterinary team to save animal lives and aid their recovery. Despite leaving Skeldale Veterinary Centre for new ventures, Peter continues to feature on the Channel 5 series.
With the return of The Yorkshire Vet on Channel 5, many viewers are curious about Peter Wright’s life off-camera, especially his romantic relationship with his wife Lin.
Peter Wright’s early life and career
The Yorkshire Vet’s Peter Wright left Skeldale after 40 years (Image: CHANNEL 5)
Born and raised in Thirkleby, North Yorkshire, Peter always had a passion for caring for animals. He studied veterinary science at Liverpool University, graduating in 1982, and joined a veterinary practice the following year, reports .
Discussing his love for animals, Peter once told The Yorkshire Post: “My grandad was a farm manager and I used to go to the farm with him and I would befriend some of the animals being reared particularly the cattle.
“I always had a big interest in them and enjoyed feeding them. Being around farms and farmers felt very natural to me.”
The vet then moved to Skeldale Veterinary Centre in 1996, where he worked with Alf White and Donald Sinclair who were the inspirations behind James Herriot and Siegfried Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small.
How did The Yorkshire Vet star Peter Wright first meet his wife Lin?
Yorkshire Vet star Peter Wright and his wife of almost 40 years Lin (Image: (Image: X/TWITTER))
The story of how Peter first met his wife Lin is quite unusual. According to Lin, they met at a joint work event where her dentist’s office mingled with the local vets on the same street.
“There was a spark straight away but, oddly for our first date, he took me to an abattoir. An old cow who couldn’t be used for meat was being slaughtered,” she told The Mail Online.
Lin recalled to The Mail Online he “drove an old Ford Escort that stank of animals” and he tried to mask the foul smell of animals with aftershave.
Despite this unconventional start, their relationship quickly progressed. They moved in together after just six weeks, soon followed by the birth of their first child Emily, their wedding, and then the arrival of their second child Andrew.
This year, they are celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary, almost as long as Peter’s career as a vet. Before her retirement, Lin worked alongside Peter at Skeldale as a receptionist, managing emergency calls.
The couple have two children, Emily, 37, a criminologist, and Andrew, 38, an electrician, as well as a grandson, Archie, 19.
Change of vets after decades of work
The Yorkshire Vet’s Peter Wright is a beloved figure on the Channel 5 show (Image: (Image: CHANNEL 5))
In recent years, Peter bid farewell to Skeldale Veterinary Centre, marking what he described as the “end of an era”.
He had dedicated 40 years of his career at Skeldale, initially under the guidance of All Creatures Great And Small creator Alf Wright, before deciding it was time for a change.
In a previous interview with Express.co.uk, Peter Wright revealed that his decision to leave Skeldale was prompted by the takeover of the practice by Medivet.
Starting as a junior and eventually becoming a partner at the Yorkshire-based practice, Peter felt the company’s transition hindered him from doing the work he loved.
“I was there from being the new boy and then I gradually became (a) partner,” he shared. “I then became senior partner. I ran the practice for almost 20 years, and I have lots of happy memories of working there.”
“But, at the same time, I am what is called a mixed practitioner. In other words, I deal with all creatures, all shapes and sizes.”
“From cows and horses down to hamsters. And to take the farm side away from me, you know, it had to stop because it wasn’t economically viable anymore and I couldn’t do that work anymore. But I had to continue what I loved and that is being a mixed practised vet.”
He now lends his expertise to Grace Lane Vets in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, while also making appearances on The Yorkshire Vet.