Beeb announce Worzel Gummidge casting

Casting has been announced for ‘modern adaptation’ of Worzel Gummidge.

“Mackenzie’s widely adored and multi-Bafta award winning Detectorists was a grown up love letter to bucolic England and with Worzel he takes a similar approach to English folklore, rural rites and the magic of childhood. His visionary and fundamental reinterpretation of this classic is that rare and special achievement – a BBC One family friendly comedy.” – Shane Allen, Controller Comedy Commissioning at the BBC

Set to broadcast in two one-hour films, this family drama is inspired by the classic books of Barbara Euphan Todd and is hoped to be the ‘television event’ of the year. Mackenzie Crook has taken Scatterbrook farm and the infamous characters of this well-loved tale and injected them with a tender and authentic charm. 

Mackenzie Crook who has written, directed and stars as Worzel Gummidge, has gathered a host of actors who are set to appear in this adaptation for the Beeb. Playing The Green Man, creator of the scarecrows, who arrives to Scatterbrook in episode two, is Michael Palin. Zoë Wanamaker will play the eccentric local aristocrat, Lady Bloomsbury Barton in episode two.

Vicki Pepperdine takes on the role of the formidable Aunt Sally in episode one. Steve Pemberton will play Mr Braithwaite, the farmer. Rosie Cavaliero play Mrs Braithwaite while India Brown and Thierry Wickens will play Susan and John, two city children spending their summer at Scatterbrook farm who quickly befriend Worzel and begin a summer of adventures.

The first episode, The Scarecrow Of Scatterbrook, sees two young strangers arrive in the village of Scatterbrook. It’s not long before Susan and John encounter Worzel Gummidge, the Scarecrow of Ten Acre Field. Their world is sent spinning into confusion when they realise Gummidge comes to life. The only person more shocked is Worzel, when he discovers that the children are not in fact fellow scarecrows but humans.

Their worlds should never commune but fate has conspired to create an extraordinary union. The seasons have stopped and the harvest hasn’t arrived. The rhythm of the natural world is out of kilter and this unlikely trio must try to put it right. Magic, mystery and mayhem unfurl.

The second episode, The Green Man, welcomes another mysterious arrival to Scatterbrook. The Green Man is the creator of scarecrows and keeper of scarecrow lore. He isn’t at all happy that Worzel is consorting with humans. Elsewhere, local aristocrat, Lady Bloomsbury Barton is holding a fete, with a Scarecrow competition that Worzel is determined to win. What will The Green Man and Worzel’s most competitive rival, Soggy Bogart make of it all?

Worzel Gummidge is written and directed by Mackenzie Crook and is a Leopard Pictures, Treasure Trove Productions and Lola Entertainment production for BBC One. It is Executive Produced by Kristian Smith for Leopard Pictures, Lisa Thomas for Lola Entertainment, Mackenzie Crook for Treasure Trove Productions, with rights holders Patrick D. Pidgeon and Eric S. Rollman executive producers for Pidgeon Entertainment, Inc. It is produced by Georgie Fallon and Alex Moody is the Commissioning Editor for the BBC.

The ‘modern adaptation’ will invariably be compared to the ITV version of the 1970s which remains a fondly remembered production from Southern Television and starring Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee in the title role. Other actors who appeared in the classic series included Una Stubbs and guest performers such as Barbara Windsor, John Le Mesurier and Joan Sims. However, it isn’t the first time the BBC has produced the story.

In 1953 BBC Television aired Worzel Gummidge Turns Detective featuring Frank Atkinson in the lead role. Other adaptions have included several of the stories illustrated for BBC storytelling series Jackanory in the 1960s. While Jon Pertwee’s interpretation will unlikely be beaten, the Beeb have wisely opted not to take any inspiration from his portrayal which was first seen in 1979 and last broadcast with new episodes in 1989, instead producing an entirely new version taken directly from the novels.

“I’m thrilled to be back working with the BBC and many members of the Detectorists team to bring Worzel Gummidge to a new generation of viewers and reintroduce him to old friends. Adapting Barbara Euphan Todd’s books into these two films has been a joy and I’ve completely fallen for her charming, irreverent scarecrow. Fingers crossed for a glorious English summer as we head out to Scatterbrook Farm and Worzel’s Ten Acre Field.” – Mackenzie Crook