Set to broadcast in two onehour films, this family treat is inspired by the classic books of Barbara Euphan Todd and is pegged to be the TV版 event of the season Mackenzie Crook has taken Scatterbrook farm and the infamous characters of this wellloved tale and injected them with a tender and authentic charm This is the perfect family adventure, packed with a fun, mischievous spirit and delivered with an environmental message
Mackenzie Crook, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Detectorists who has written, directed and stars as Worzel Gummidge, has gathered a host of both accomplished and brilliant actors who are set to appear in this eagerly anticipated adaptation
Playing The Green Man, creator of the scarecrows, who arrives to Scatterbrook in episode two, is comedy legend Sir Michael Palin He says It’s a lovely part for me, but the whole script is very memorable and touching, and very funny too It quite skillfully weaves in something for everybody all the time
Zoë Wanamaker My Family, Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone will play the eccentric local aristocrat, Lady Bloomsbury Barton in episode two She says The whole thing is so charming and inventive It’s the sort of thing I’d watch I’m sure it will be a huge success I know it will it’s divine
Vicki Pepperdine Getting On, The Windsors takes on the role of the formidable Aunt Sally in episode one She says There’s something for everybody It’s got this heart to it, and you’d be hard pushed as an adult not to engage with it
Steve Pemberton League Of Gentleman, Benidorm will play Mr Braithwaite, the farmer He says This is the kind of show the whole family can enjoy together It has a lot of humour, a lot of visual humour too, and I think kids will enjoy watching the children being central to the story
Rosie Cavaliero Gentleman Jack, Cleaning Up will play Mrs Braithwaite, she added It’s a story about the imagination, and children escaping into this different world Mackenzie’s version is totally contemporary
Ones to watch India Brown Hetty Feather and Thierry Wickens making his TV版 debut 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#39s 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
Further casting
Francesca Mills Earthy Mangold
Tim Plester Clarty
Colin Michael Carmichael Soggy Bogart
Andrew James Spooner Flat Alistair
Phil Hulford Hannah Harrow
Tom Meeten HMS Odney
ChristopherRobert Barlow Rag Bag
Kiran Shah Chopper and Root Bound
Charlie Mayhew Rustle Sprouter
Lucy Montgomery Jackie Pudding
Gus Brown Oswald Pollypop
Malik Ibheis Trike
Ben Langley Driver
Mariam Haque Receptionist
