All Creatures Great and Small's Rachel Shenton addresses show exit as she speaks out on series future

However, following the events of season three and the time that has passed between it and the upcoming instalment, the drama is set to ramp up a gear when the new episodes air.

James and Helen's romance is tipped to hit the rocks after a series of obstacles and there's the looming danger of war.

The fourth season is set to transport viewers back to 1930s Yorkshire and given the show's ever-increasing popularity, it's likely more eyeballs than ever will be watching real-life author James Herriot's story brought to life.

With the BAFTA-nominated series now soaring in popularity and with still plenty of Herriot's books still to draw from, the future looks bright for the series - although two of its leading stars had rather cryptic responses when asked about their spots among the ensemble in a recent interview.

Shenton and Ralph are two of just four actors - alongside Anna Madeley and Samuel West - to have appeared in every episode of the Channel 5 hit.

So to imagine ACGAS without them would be a daunting thought for diehard fans.

But Shenton was unable to provide a concrete verdict on whether or not there is still plenty of scope to see her play Helen for many years to come.

"I don’t think we’re the people to ask," she said when quizzed on whether she and her co-star Ralph were open to staying for the long haul.

She added to Radio Times: "We absolutely love making it, we’re having a good time and we’d love to do more but – unfortunately – we don’t make those decisions."

Ralph similarly echoed his co-star's words as he added to the publication: "We’d love to do more, so we’ll see.

"It’s a home away from home now," Ralph added, showing his love for the job but failing to offer news of a concrete commitment.

Their respective roles in ACGAS are undoubtedly the ones the pair are most recognisable for, with Ralph only boasting a handful of credits prior to his tenure on the series.

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Shenton, on the other hand, has enjoyed small-screen success as part of the ensemble of the BBC's White Gold.

She did also enjoy a three-year stint on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks in the early 2010s and has even bagged an Oscar for her work on the short film, The Silent Child.

Meanwhile, Channel 5 viewers' love for Yorkshire has also transcended to other shows on the network including Our Yorkshire Farm.

So much so, many were dismayed to discover leading star Amanda Owen had closed Ravenseat earlier this year, although she has broken her month-long silence on social since shutting its doors recently.