Settobroadcastintwoone-hourfilms,thisfamilytreatisinspiredbytheclassicbooksofBarbaraEuphanToddandispeggedtobetheTVeventoftheseason.MackenzieCrookhastakenScatterbrookfarmandtheinfamouscharactersofthiswell-lovedtaleandinjectedthemwithatenderandauthenticcharm.Thisistheperfectfamilyadventure,packedwithafun,mischievousspiritanddeliveredwithanenvironmentalmessage. MackenzieCrook,(PiratesOfTheCaribbean,Detectorists)whohaswritten,directedandstarsasWorzelGummidge,hasgatheredahostofbothaccomplishedandbrilliantactorswhoaresettoappearinthiseagerlyanticipatedadaptation. PlayingTheGreenMan,creatorofthescarecrows,whoarrivestoScatterbrookinepisodetwo,iscomedylegendSirMichaelPalin.Hesays:“It’salovelypartforme,butthewholescriptisverymemorableandtouching,andveryfunnytoo.Itquiteskillfullyweavesinsomethingforeverybodyallthetime.” ZoëWanamaker(MyFamily,HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone)willplaytheeccentriclocalaristocrat,LadyBloomsburyBartoninepisodetwo.Shesays:“Thewholethingissocharmingandinventive.It’sthesortofthingI’dwatch.I’msureitwillbeahugesuccess.Iknowitwill-it’sdivine.” VickiPepperdine(GettingOn,TheWindsors)takesontheroleoftheformidableAuntSallyinepisodeone.Shesays:“There’ssomethingforeverybody.It’sgotthishearttoit,andyou’dbehardpushedasanadultnottoengagewithit.” StevePemberton(LeagueOfGentleman,Benidorm)willplayMrBraithwaite,thefarmer.Hesays:“Thisisthekindofshowthewholefamilycanenjoytogether.Ithasalotofhumour,alotofvisualhumourtoo,andIthinkkidswillenjoywatchingthechildrenbeingcentraltothestory.” RosieCavaliero(GentlemanJack,CleaningUp)willplayMrsBraithwaite,sheadded:“It’sastoryabouttheimagination,andchildrenescapingintothisdifferentworld.Mackenzie’sversionistotallycontemporary.” OnestowatchIndiaBrown(HettyFeather)andThierryWickens(makinghisTVdebut)willplaySusanandJohn,twocitychildrenspendingtheirsummeratScatterbrookfarmwhoquicklybefriendWorzelandbeginasummerofadventures. Thefirstepisode,TheScarecrowOfScatterbrook,seestwoyoungstrangersarriveinthevillageofScatterbrook.It’snotlongbeforeSusanandJohnencounterWorzelGummidge,theScarecrowofTenAcreField.TheirworldissentspinningintoconfusionwhentheyrealiseGummidgecomestolife.TheonlypersonmoreshockedisWorzel,whenhediscoversthatthechildrenarenotinfactfellowscarecrowsbuthumans. Theirworldsshouldnevercommunebutfatehasconspiredtocreateanextraordinaryunion.Theseasonshavestoppedandtheharvesthasn’tarrived.Therhythmofthenaturalworldisoutofkilterandthisunlikelytriomusttrytoputitright.Magic,mysteryandmayhemunfurl. Thesecondepisode,TheGreenMan,welcomesanothermysteriousarrivaltoScatterbrook.TheGreenManisthecreatorofscarecrowsandkeeperofscarecrowlore.Heisn’tatallhappythatWorzelisconsortingwithhumans.Elsewhere,localaristocratLadyBloomsburyBartonisholdingafete,withaScarecrowcompetitionthatWorzelisdeterminedtowin.WhatwillTheGreenManandWorzel'smostcompetitiverival,SoggyBogartmakeofitall? WorzelGummidgeiswrittenanddirectedbyMackenzieCrookandisaLeopardPictures,TreasureTroveProductionsandLolaEntertainmentproductionforBBCOne.ItisExecutiveProducedbyKristianSmithforLeopardPictures,LisaThomasforLolaEntertainment,MackenzieCrookforTreasureTroveProductions,withrightsholdersPatrickD.PidgeonandEricS.RollmanexecutiveproducersforPidgeonEntertainment,Inc.ItisproducedbyGeorgieFallonandAlexMoodyistheCommissioningEditorfortheBBC. Furthercasting: FrancescaMills-EarthyMangold TimPlester-Clarty ColinMichaelCarmichael-SoggyBogart AndrewJamesSpooner-FlatAlistair PhilHulford-HannahHarrow TomMeeten-HMSOdney Christopher-RobertBarlow-RagBag KiranShah-ChopperandRootBound CharlieMayhew-RustleSprouter LucyMontgomery-JackiePudding GusBrown-OswaldPollypop MalikIbheis-Trike BenLangley-Driver MariamHaque-Receptionist
