‘Worzel Gummidge’ has been toned down for the new BBC version.
The 1979 ITV children’s show – starring the late Jon Pertwee as the title scarecrow on the show until it ran its course in 1981 – is set to make a Christmas comeback starring Mackenzie Crook.
The original appeared on screens for a further two years on Channel 4 in the UK. But in 1995, Worzel bid farewell in a one-off special for ITV, celebrating 40 years of the channel.
However, the revamped series – featuring the much-loved talking scarecrow who got into mischief on Scatterbrook Farm with interchangeable heads, with each one giving him a special skill – has been made more family-friendly following the previous frightening characters and stories.
‘Inside No. 9’ star Steve Pemberton, who plays Farmer Braithewaite in the new series, told RadioTimes: "I was attracted to the fact this was family-friendly and funny. The original had quite scary and dark bits in it. I remember Jon Pertwee twisting his head off and being on trial – they were quite nightmarish!
"I don’t think this reincarnation is as scary. It’s a really interesting tale, which will resonate with families. But above all it’s great fun."
The new series will include CGI to make Worzel’s interchangeable head really look like a turnip and to give him butterflies in his beard, as well as to help deal with topical green issues in the story lines.
Zoe Wanamarker, who stars as Lady Bloomsbury Barton, added: "Too much television is violent and nasty. We’ve got that surrounding us in the world, so why should we have it on our television screens all the time as well?"
Meanwhile, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star Mackenzie has admitted he never watched the original, despite writing and directing the new series.
He said: "I came from one of those BBC-centric households that frowned upon commercial TV, so I didn’t watch it. It wasn’t part of my childhood."
Worzel Gummidge dark story line has been toned down
