STICKY ENCOUNTER WITH BROTHERS WHO INSPIRED THE SHOW

ONE Sunday we were invited to tea with Donald Sinclair — the real-life inspiration for Siegfried — at his house, a splendid property at the edge of the North York Moors. Both Alf Wight, who had written the books, based on himself, as James Herriot, and Donald’s infamous younger brother Brian, my alter ego, were there.

Robert Hardy had already told me the story of the two brothers individually giving him their view of the TV series. Donald had said to him: ‘Good stuff, but of course I was nowhere near as awful as you made me out to be.’ This was followed a couple of days later by Brian also congratulating him, but adding: ‘You did let Donald off the hook. He was so much worse than you portrayed him.’

It was as though the Sinclairs were acting out their lives for our amusement. Along with our tea, Donald’s wife offered us jam or honey with our crumpets. Brian asked for honey, at which Donald exclaimed: ‘Honey? No one has honey with tea. Honey is for breakfast time. Never heard anything so ridiculous in my life.’

That pretty much ended the jam or honey conversation, and we moved on to other topics. Donald, I noticed, seemed oddly discomfited as though something else was on his mind.

I was glancing in his direction when he rose from his chair and quickly left the room, returning a few minutes later with a freshly toasted crumpet on his plate, spread liberally with what looked suspiciously liked honey.

I looked at Brian, who raised his eyes to the ceiling with a long-suffering expression, as if to indicate that this had been the story of his life.