He may now be one of the most recognisable faces on Channel 5, but The Yorkshire Vet star Peter Wright says his life has been profoundly shaped by a lifelong connection to the outdoors and nature. Peter grew up in a tight knit village community a few miles south of Thirsk, a town nestled between the North Yorkshire Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks.

Of his upbringing in the 1960s, he told Toyota: "My father was a farm manager and I spent many hours playing and befriending animals, a passion that has stayed with me to the present day. My life was shaped by the outdoors and nature. Together with my school and village friends, we embraced all that the countryside had to offer; it was a far cry from the digital and computer game-led culture of today."

He has worked as a veterinary surgeon for nearly 40 years and in the early years of his career, worked for Alf Wight, better known by his pen name James Herriot.

He worked at Skeldale Veterinary Centre from 1982 until 2021. During that time, in 2014, Wright was approached by a small TV production company based in Leeds who were hoping to make a documentary series exploring a country Yorkshire vet.

The show was eventually commissioned and has now become a Channel 5 staple. It follows Peter and his co-star Julian Norton as they tend to animals in need at their practices in North Yorkshire.

However, Peter confessed he initially rejected the idea.

When he was first approached for the job, Peter recalled: "I thought, ‘Well, no’ and deleted the email. I didn’t even really look at it."

When another email came through weeks later, he ignored that too. Thankfully, the producers were persistent and managed to get Peter on board.

But even after a face-to-face meeting with the managing director, an unconvinced Peter told his wife Lin that nobody would watch it.

But Lin responded: "It’s not about you, it’s about the patients."

Fast forward 11 years, there have been more than 200 episodes across 22 seasons.

In an interview with Express.co.uk, Peter opened up about his decision to leave the practice after 40 years. He explained the main reason behind his decision to leave was because Skeldale was taken over by Medivet, which meant he could no longer do the work he loved.

He said: "I was there from being the new boy and then I gradually became (a) partner. 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."

The TV personality added: "But I had to continue what I loved and that is being a mixed practised vet."

The Yorkshire Vet is now filmed at his new practice, Grace Lane Vets in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire.

Behind the scenes, there's one person and that's Lin. The couple have been married for decades and will celebrate their 39th anniversary this year,

Recounting the first time they crossed paths, Lin said: "We met at a joint work do, where my dentist's office mixed with the local vet's on the same street. There was an immediate connection but, peculiarly for our first date, he took me to an abattoir.

"An old cow who couldn't be used for meat was being slaughtered. Peter wanted to observe and work out what was wrong with the cow. I waited for him outside. It didn't get much better as it went on, really!"

They moved in together just weeks after meeting and welcomed their first child, Emily. After getting married, Lin gave birth to their son, Andrew.

Before retiring, Lin worked as a receptionist, handling emergency calls at Skeldale.

As a vet, it's hardly a surprise that Peter has a love for animals – especially dogs. In an interview with K9 Magazine last year, explained how dogs have been a deeply important part of his life and highlighted how important they were during the Covid pandemic when many people felt isolated.

He said: "Dogs as well as most domestic animals have been a part of my life for as long as I can recall. It is hard for me to comprehend that any human can go through life without experiencing the love and individual devotion that a canine friend has to offer.

"It reinforced my feelings during the Covid Pandemic the power our four-legged friends have over us and the sheer joy and support they give us every single day."

Peter added: "During the pandemic, I witnessed the utter isolation, frustration, and mental anguish people suffered and I genuinely believe some people’s mental wellbeing was saved by having the companionship of a dog particularly when living alone."

He also acknowledged the impact dogs had on people in a care home, including his mother, who had Alzheimer's disease.

He went on: "Sadly, my mother suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and for the last 2 years of her life had to live in a home with others similarly affected.

"Latterly there was little meaningful human interaction but when a dog visited the happiness seen on the faces of the residents was a joy to behold."