Worzel Gummidge 2020 cast: Who plays the new scarecrow and who were the original stars?
KIDS’ telly favourite Worzel Gummidge has been thrilling generations of kids for years.
The show will be back for a reboot Christmas Eve 2020 with a festive special called Saucy Nancy.
Who's in the Worzel Gummidge 2020 cast?
The Sun exclusively revealed back in 2018 that Worzel Gummidge was getting a reboot on the BBC with Mackenzie Crook in the lead role.
The Bafta-winning actor, 49, is playing the famous scarecrow.
The show will air at 5.55pm on Christmas Eve and brings with it a star cast.
Mackenzie Crook as Worzel Gummidge
Mackenzie was born on September 29, 1971 in Maidstone, Kent.
He is a is an English actor, director, comedian and BAFTA-winning writer.
The actor is best know for starring in The Office alongside Ricky Gervais.
He has also appeared in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
India Brown as Susan
India is just starting out in her career.
However, she has starred in other high profile shows like Silent Witness and The Stranger.
Zoë Wanamaker as Lady Bloomsbury Barton
Zoe, CBE, 71, is a British actress of American descent.
She was born in New York City but her family moved to England when she was young.
Zoe is best known for playing the eccentric Susan Harper in the long-running sitcom My Family (2000–2011).
Other TV shows include Love Hurts, Agatha Christie's Poirot and Mr Selfridge.
She has returned to TV in new ITV show Girlfriends, which started on January 3, 2018.
Zoe has also starred in many films including Wilde (1997), Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), and My Week with Marilyn (2011).
Shirley Henderson as Saucy Nancy
Shirley plays the title role of Saucy Nancy, a carved wooden ship’s figurehead, foul-mouthed and frustrated, discovered by Worzel.
Her film roles include Gail in Trainspotting, Jude in the three Bridget Jones films, and Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
She takes over the role from the late Dame Barbara Windsor who played the role originally.
Vanessa Redgrave as Peg
Legendary star Vanessa was once called the "Greatest Actress of our Time" by Tennessee Williams.
These days she is known as the narrator on Call The Midwife.
Over the years she has starred in high profile films like Atonement and Letters To Juliet.
Rosie Cavaliero as Mrs Braithwaite
Esteemed actress Rosie has seen her star soar in recent years.
She has starred in many big TV dramas.
This includes Death In Paradise, Gentleman Jack and The Unforgotten.
Steve Pemberton as Mr Braithwaite
Steve is an English actor and writer, who is best known as a member of The League of Gentlemen with Reece Shearsmith and Mark Gatiss.
He also co-wrote and appeared in the sitcom Psychoville and the comedy-drama Inside No. 9.
Other shows he's appeared in include Doctor Who, Blackpool, Shameless, Whitechapel, Happy Valley and Mapp and Lucia.
Who was in the original cast of Worzel Gummidge?
Worzel Gummidge came from a series of books by the English novelist Barbara Euphan Todd.
The books were adapted for radio and television a number of times.
- Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee played Worzel Gummidge.
- Aunt Sally was played by Una Stubbs.
- Barbara Windsor as Saucy Susan.
- Norman Bird as Mr Braithwaite.
What is Worzel Gummidge about?
Worzel Gummidge was a scarecrow that would come to life on Scatterbrook Farm.
He befriended children John and Susan who came to stay during the school holidays on the Braithwaites' Farm.
Worzel would normally land John and Susan into trouble when he was being mischievous, as he would go into a sulk and become a normal lifeless scarecrow - this would lead others to blame the two children for the trouble Worzel caused.
The Worzel Gummidge books differ from the television series.
One difference being that in the books Worzel was married to Earthy Mangold.
Also in the book, Aunt Sally is only mentioned in one chapter, but she was a full-time character in the TV show.
Aunt Sally, who was famed for her rosy cheeks, is a life-size fairground doll and Worzel's femme fatale.
What Worzel Gummidge books were released?
- Worzel Gummidge (1936)
- Worzel Gummidge Again (1937)
- More About Worzel Gummidge (1938)
- Worzel Gummidge And Saucy Nancy (1947)
- Worzel Gummidge Takes A Holiday (1949)
- Earthy Mangold And Worzel Gummidge (1954)
- Worzel Gummidge And The Railway Scarecrows (1955)
- Worzel Gummidge At The Circus (1956)
- Worzel Gummidge And The Treasure Ship (1958)
- Detective Worzel Gummidge (1963)