Mackenzie Crook to Write, Direct and Star in Worzel Gummidge BBC Specials

blog

Mackenzie Crook will write and direct the BBC’s upcoming “Worzel Gummidge” dramas. He will also star as the lead character – a walking, talking scarecrow – in Worzel’s return to British screens in two hour-long specials. They are expected to bow at the end of the year.

Barbara Euphan Todd wrote the Worzel Gummidge books, which were the foundation for a classic British series starring Jon Pertwee in the title role in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Leopard Pictures, part of the Argonon Group, has partnered with Treasure Trove Productions and Lola Entertainment for the new adaptation.

The first episode in the new run, “The Scarecrow of Scatterbrook,” sees two youngsters, Susan and John, encounter Worzel Gummidge, the Scarecrow of Ten Acre Field. Their world is sent spinning into confusion when they realize Gummidge comes to life. The only person more shocked is Worzel when he discovers that the children are not in fact fellow scarecrows.

Related Stories

The YouTube logo wrapped inbetween the Netflix logo VIP+

How YouTube and Netflix Copied Each Other’s Homework

Colin Farrell in "The Penguin"

Colin Farrell Wore a Penis Prosthetic for 'The Penguin' Premiere's Torture Scene: 'They Were Kind Enough to Make Oz Anatomically Correct'

The second installment, “The Green Man,” sees the creator of scarecrows and keeper of scarecrow lore come to town. He is not happy that Worzel is consorting with humans.

Popular on Variety

Crook, who starred in “The Office,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Detectorists,” said he was excited to bring “Worzel Gummidge to a new generation of viewers and reintroduce him to old friends.”

As a first-look image of him as Worzel was released, he added: “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’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,” said Shane Allen, the BBC’s controller of comedy.

Kristian Smith will exec produce for Leopard. “There was nobody other than Mackenzie that I wanted to work with on this,” he said. “The vision and creativity of this man is awesome. He has written two beautiful scripts that are clever, warm and funny.”

Read More About:

Jump to Comments

More from Variety

Most Popular

Must Read

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXKFjq2taKaVrMBwucCcop6mqp6ybq%2FRqKakZZGoeri70bOcpWWXqrqutcOgnGaakph6pbHTnpqtp6KewLW%2FjGppaWtiaIF3fpBo