Even away from the Yorkshire Dales, vet Peter Wright finds distressed animals to save
Over the past 10 years and 20 hit series, we’ve got to know Peter Wright as an affable vet with a natural screen presence. He doesn’t seem at all interested in the cameras, which is always a bonus when it comes to a show where the human component is just a small part of the appeal. And like James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small, from which it takes its inspiration, The Yorkshire Vet‘s joy has as much to do with its classically English rural setting: all those rolling dales and picturesque sheep.
The obvious question posed, then, by Passage to India: A Yorkshire Vet Special was whether Wright’s trademark affability and the programme’s bucolic charm would endure a travel show twist, as the vet and his regular co-star Rohin Aojula visit the latter’s family home in Northern India’s Punjab region. You can take the vet out of Yorkshire – but can you take The Yorkshire Vet out of its natural habitat?
The answer is, thankfully, yes. A Passage to India avoids the usual TV tropes about the sub-continent – in particular, the familiar cliché of presenting this vast, diverse country as existing solely to provide spiritual refuge to world-weary westerners. And, of course, there are also lots of poignant scenes involving animals.
The journey is a trip into the unknown for Wright. But for Aojula, it is a deep dive into his family history: his dad came to the UK from his native village of Garhi Kanugoan as a 12-year-old with his now-late father (Aojula’s grandfather), leaving his uncle behind.
This uncle continues to farm the area, and when his nephew and great-nephew return, he’s visibly emotional. Aojula is equally moved, and the episode is a powerful reminder of how the bonds of family can endure decades – and thousands of miles – of separation. “Words cannot describe the love he has for our family,” says Aojula during the teary meet-up. “It is quite emotional to be honest.”
While Aojula holds back the sobs, Wright offers some light relief by trying his best not to lose his composure amidst the manic traffic. “I haven’t worked out which side of the road they drive on yet!” he exclaims, as he and Aojula negotiate roads crammed with cars, bikes and tuk tuks.
Alongside the stunning landscapes and the chaotic traffic, India has its share of suffering animals, as they quickly discover. At the “Pawsitive Sanctuary” in the nearby metropolis of Amritsar, they meet dog rescuer Amita Seth, who accompanies Wright on a patrol for injured animals. India has a lot going for it, but does not rate highly for canine welfare. “There are some animal welfare laws. But there are not serious consequences [for flouting them],” Seth explains.
As they traverse the dusty roads around the city, they come upon a street dog in danger of losing an eye, and back at the sanctuary Wright gets to work saving its sight. He later visits vets specialising in India’s distinctive buffalo – a sort of moodier version of the domestic cow. As chance would have it, a lame animal requires his expertise, so he tends to its injured ligament, and all is well again.
As you may have gathered, there isn’t much to A Passage to India – but that is truly one of its strengths. Wright doesn’t pretend that going to India changes his life in some profound way, he simply appreciates speaking to fellow animal lovers half the world away.
Back in Yorkshire, the pair reminisce about their adventures over a pint, and Aojula reveals that one of the stray dogs has been named “Peter” in honour of his travelling companion – a heart-warming conclusion to an episode that makes no great claims about itself, but is all the richer for serving a slice of slow TV from the fast-paced streets of India.
‘Passage to India: A Yorkshire Vet Special’ is streaming on 5
