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Yorkshire Vet's Peter Wright says 'I'm beyond those days' in career admission
Reach Daily Express | May 16, 2026 2:39 AM CST

The Yorkshire Vet star Peter Wright has spoken candidly about his career in a new admission. The 69-year-old has been a much-loved presence on Channel 5's The Yorkshire Vet since the show first aired in 2015.

The popular series follows Peter and fellow vet Julian Norton as they tend to animals at their respective practices across North Yorkshire.

The documentary returned to screens with a special episode this week (Thursday, May 14), which focused on the night shift staff at a Huddersfield veterinary practice. Peter no longer works night shifts, so featured only briefly, making a short appearance at the start of the episode.

After handing over to the night shift team at Grace Lane Vets in Kirkbymoorside, Peter shared: "I must admit, night work is something I used to enjoy, because, you know, people don't call you out late at night or during the night, unless they have an emergency," reports the Mirror.

"So, it was always going to be something that would test you. And I think I'm beyond those days now really. It's always better left to the younger ones. They [have] far more energy than I have these days. So, on that note, I think I'm going home for my tea."

This admission comes after Peter made the significant decision to leave Skeldale Veterinary Centre in Thirsk back in 2021. Having spent 40 years at the practice, he relocated to Grace Lane Vets, with one particular reason driving his departure.

He had previously revealed to the Express that the decision was triggered by Skeldale's takeover by Medivet. Peter had started out at the Yorkshire practice as a junior before rising to become a partner, yet the corporate acquisition fundamentally changed things for him, leaving him unable to carry on with the work he truly loved.

"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," Peter said, adding: "Skeldale was the love of my life, but it became uneconomical to continue doing farm work."

Elsewhere on The Yorkshire Vet: Night Shift, a spaniel was rushed in with a serious injury following a freak accident during a woodland walk, as well as an aggressive fighting cat that had sustained injuries in a late-night altercation.

Meanwhile, Julian lent a hand to a group of volunteers in Thirsk, working to safeguard a colony of ducks that make their nightly journey from the riverbank into the bustling town centre.

That's not all, as farm vet David Melleney also received an urgent call-out to a challenging lambing. David successfully delivered a healthy lamb, but tragically, the second newborn did not survive following a breech birth.

Discussing the demanding reality of working through the night, the vet said: "You never really get used to it. You do adapt, but getting called out of the house or out of bed is a big tax on your lifestyle and your sleep. But emergencies can happen at any time. Farming's a 24/7 gig and so is being a vet, I'm afraid."

The Yorkshire Vet and The Yorkshire Vet: Night Shift are both available to stream on Channel 5


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