Michael Palin has joined the cast of ‘Worzel Gummidge’.
The Monty Python legend will play the Green Man – the creator of scarecrows – in the upcoming BBC One revival of the classic children’s show, with ‘My Family’ actress Zoe Wanamaker and ‘Inside No. 9’ creator Steve Pemberton portraying aristocrat Lady Bloomsbury Barton and farmer Mr. Braithwaiste respectively.
Palin said: "It’s a lovely part for me, but the whole script is very memorable and touching, and very funny too. It quite skilfully weaves in something for everybody all the time."
Wanamaker added she is confident the highly anticipated reboot will prove popular with viewers.
She explained: "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."
Vicki Pepperdine and Rosie Cavaliero have also joined the cast as Aunt Ally and Mrs. Braithwaite, while Mackenzie Crook – who has also written and directed the project – will take on the title role of the beloved talking scarecrow.
They will be joined by youngsters India Brown and Thierry Wickens as two city kids spending their summer at Scatterbrook farm.
Like the classic ITV series – which ran from 1979 to 1981 – the new episodes are adapted from Barbara Euphan Todd’s classic books.
Meanwhile, Mike Berry – who played Mr. Peters alongside original star Jon Pertwee – suggested Mackenzie could find his predecessor’s performance "impossible" to match.
He previously said: "They don’t come much better than that for this sort of thing. I think the remake is going to be up against it.
"I’m wary of the Worzel remake for their own benefit because Jon Pertwee could be extremely hard, if not impossible, to match, let alone top."
Michael Palin joins Worzel Gummidge cast
