Crook brings back Worzel Gummidge for BBC

Mackenzie Crook stars in, writes and directs Worzel Gummidge

BBC1 in the UK has commissioned a modern adaptation of children’s classic Worzel Gummidge, with The Office star Mackenzie Crook at the helm.

Argonon Group’s Leopard Pictures is partnering with Treasure Trove Productions and Lola Entertainment on two hour-long films inspired by the classic children’s books by British author Barbara Euphan Todd.

Crook (Detectorists, Britannia) stars as the titular character and also writes, directs and exec produces the series for Treasure Trove. Kristian Smith exec produces for Leopard Pictures, while Lisa Thomas takes on the same role for Lola Entertainment.

“I’m thrilled to be back working with the BBC and many members of the Detectorists team to bring Worzel Gummidge to a new generation of viewers and reintroduce him to old friends,” said Crook.

BBC controller of comedy commissioning Shane Allen added: “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.

The Worzel Gummidge book series, which ran from 1930s to the 1960s, tells the story of a scarecrow. It was made into a TV series, produced by Southern Television for ITV, which ran from 1979 to 1981. It was then reprised on Channel 4 from 1987 to 1989 in a series set in New Zealand.