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The Worst Witch (2017 TV series)

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This article is about the 2017 television series. For other series, books and film in The Worst Witch franchise, see The Worst Witch (disambiguation).

The Worst Witch
The Worst Witch
GenreFantasy Drama
Based onThe original The Worst Witch books by Jill Murphy
Written byEmma Reeves
Directed byBrian Grant
Opening themeThe Worst Witch opening title music
Ending themeThe Worst Witch end title music
ComposerMark Russell
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producersMarcus Wilson
Arne Lohmann
Nicole Keep
Tamara Rothenberg
ProducerLucy Martin
Production locationsCheshire and Germany
EditorDavid Head
Running time30 min. 60 min. (1-2 episodes)
Production companiesCBBC Productions
ZDF
Original release
NetworkCBBC (UK)
ZDF (Germany)
Netflix (international)
Release11 January 2017[1] –
present
Related
The Worst Witch (1986)
The Worst Witch (1998-2001)
Weirdsister College (2001)
The New Worst Witch (2005-06)

The Worst Witch is a British fantasy children's television series about a group of young witches at a school for magic. It stars Bella Ramsey, and is based on The Worst Witch books by Jill Murphy (published 1974–2013).[2][3][4][5] It is the fifth adaptation of The Worst Witch series after the 1986 television film, the 1998 television series, the 2001 television spin-off and the 2005 television spin-off.

The series is a co-production between CBBC, ZDF and Netflix[1][6][7] The series will be available to stream internationally on Netflix in 2017, and will be made available to members in the UK, Ireland and Germany after its premiere on CBBC and ZDF.[7] The series premiered on CBBC on 11 January 2017.[1][6] A second series was confirmed in June 2017.[8] The show became available to Netflix users as of 22 July 2017.

Cast

Pupils

Teachers

Others

Episodes

No. in
series 		No. in
season 		Title Director Writer(s) Original air date[15] UK viewers (000s)[16]
1–21–2"Selection Day"Brian Grant[17]Emma Reeves11 January 2017 (2017-01-11)465,000

Maud Spellbody crashes into Mildred Hubble's flat on her way to Cackle's Academy, where it's Selection Day. Ethel Hallow makes a good first impression on the teachers. Mildred helps Maud, whose glasses were broken in the crash, get to school, but they both crash-land in the pond. They tell Miss Hardbroom that Mildred was supposed to attend Pentangle's, but decided that Cackle's is better. Esmerelda Hallow, Ethel's older sister, gives the students a tour and Miss Cackle helps Mildred cope with the effects of a transfer spell. Mildred and Maud sneak off to look at the kittens and Ethel eavesdrops on them discussing how Mildred is not from a magical family. They lose a kitten, but find it in the kitchens. Mildred struggles with the written exam, but Miss Cackle encourages her to do what she is good at, but she only manages to get 1%. Miss Cackle's twin sister, Agatha, turns up, and Miss Cackle gives her permission to speak to Miss Hardbroom for an internet article. The students make their potions and Mildred successfully manages to levitate, after taking some of Ethel's pondweed from her dragon potion, making Ethel wrongly turn into a worm.

Mildred owns up and when Ethel reveals that Mildred is from a non-magic family, she automatically fails. After thinking she's confided in Miss Cackle, Mildred finds out it was really Agatha, after which she witnesses her putting a spell on the celebratory meal. When Mildred tries to warn the staff, she is magicked outside the school grounds. With the help of a magic frog, she levitates herself back into the school, where she manages to prevent Miss Cackle eating the soup, announcing Agatha has put a spell on it. Agatha invokes a section of the Witch's Code and she and Miss Cackle have a magical duel. Agatha wins and turns Miss Cackle into a snail. After Miss Hardbroom pointedly drops hints in Mildred's direction about how students or staff are bound by the witch's code and can do nothing about Agatha now being in charge, Mildred prompts the cat to knock the soup with Agatha's spell - which was a total obedience spell - over Agatha and then orders her to turn Miss Cackle back to normal. Agatha's powers are then confiscated. At the end, Mildred's mother Julie is magicked into the school and, after talking it over with Mildred, she allows her to stay at Cackle's Academy.

First Appearances: Bella Ramsey as Mildred Hubble, Meibh Campbell as Maud Spellbody, Jenny Richardson as Ethel Hallow, Miriam Petche as Esmerelda Hallow, Tallulah Milligan as Drusilla Paddock, Dagny Rollins as Felicity Foxglove, Clare Higgins as Miss Ada Cackle/Agatha Cackle, Raquel Cassidy as Miss Hecate Hardbroom, Wendy Craig as Miss Bat, Shauna Shim as Miss Drill, Kacey Ainsworth as Miss Gullet, Zita Sattar as Miss Tapioca and Nicola Stephenson as Julie Hubble

Note: Episode 1 and 2 aired in a 1 hour episode.
33"Tabby"Brian GrantEmma Reeves18 January 2017 (2017-01-18)[18]334,000

On their first day, Mildred's phone is confiscated by Miss Hardbroom. The first years are assigned their houses and Maud is made head of the first year. The first years receive their cats and have their first flying lesson. Mildred's cat, Tabby, is scared of flying and Tabby causes her, Maud and Ethel to crash into trees. Miss Hardbroom decides to arrange a flying test for the class and Ethel tells Esmerelda she will help Mildred. When Mildred tries to train Tabby, Ethel offers to help and pours a bit of sardine juice on the broom tail. Ethel and Mildred pass their test, whilst Maud struggles with Midnight, however, Miss Hardbroom reveals Mildred and Maud's cats have been switched and Mildred is told she will be expelled. Mildred and Maud try to find evidence that Ethel was responsible and they find the sardine tin and try it and they switch bodies. Maud is sent to Mildred's room by Miss Hardbroom unbeknownst to her. The following day, Miss Cackle finds Tabby with a notebook belonging to Ethel. Ethel admits to switching the cats, but that it was to help Mildred, and Esmerelda backs her up. Ethel is forgiven and Mildred is kept on at the school, still on a trial basis.

Absent: Zita Sattar as Mrs Tapioca
44"New Girl"Brian GrantEmma Reeves25 January 2017 (2017-01-25)322,000

The first years try out their magic tablets "maglets" and Enid arrives at school with her famous parents. Maud is sent to Miss Cackle for drawing a funny picture of Miss Hardbroom and Ethel. Miss Cackle allows Maud to convert a space under the stairs for her class. Mildred is amused by Enid singing out of tune and Enid picks Mildred to look after her whilst Ethel swaps her maglet with Maud's. Mildred ignores messages she believes are from Ethel. Enid shows Mildred her pet monkey, Muddles. Maud is hurt that Mildred is spending time with Enid and Muddles escapes, but who ends up in Miss Cackle's study. In potions, Mildred and Enid are cauldron partners and they make an invisibility potion instead of a laughter potion. Mildred attempts to make friends with Maud by, but she unknowingly reveals hers and Enid's plan to get Muddles out of Miss Cackle's study over their maglets. Mildred and Enid get to the study and Enid's monkey is actually a cat and Maud and Drusilla help Mildred and Enid escape. Miss Hardbroom is annoyed with Ethel when the room is empty. Maud confiscates Ethel's maglet and Enid makes friends with Maud.

First Appearance: Tamara Smart as Enid Nightshade

Guest Starring: Holly Quin-Ankrah as Mrs Nightshade and Jonathan Ojinnaka as Mr Nightshade
55"Pond Life"Sallie AprahamianNeil Jones1 February 2017 (2017-02-01)281,000

Mildred and Enid jump on the fields, which they have made bouncy, not caring about studying for spell science with Miss Gullet. Mildred receives her first ever toy, a teddy named Puss, from her mum in the post. In spell science, Mildred is asked to turn a rat into a frog and Maud refuses to help. Mildred turns Ethel into a pig and when Miss Hardbroom finds out, she gives Mildred until later that day to perform a simple transformation spell or she will leave the school. Mildred decides to leave of her own accord, but is tricked into meeting Ethel by Drusilla and Ethel turns her into a frog. Mildred ends up by the pond and meets another frog, Algernon Rowan-Webb. Maud refuses to let Enid help her find Mildred, despite Enid reassuring her that she is Mildred's best friend. Mildred and Algernon get into the school and end up in jars in the potions lab. Maud reveals Ethel has done something to Mildred to the teachers and Enid finds out she is one of the frogs. Ethel is forced to turn her back to herself and Mildred reveals the identity of the other frog and it turns out Miss Gullet was responsible in order to get her job. Algernon persuades Mildred to take the test and she performs a multi-transformation spell, impressing Miss Cackle and Miss Bat. Ethel and Miss Gullet are turned into frogs and Mr Rowan-Webb becomes a spell science teacher.

First Appearance: Philip Martin Brown as Algernon Rowan-Webb

Absent: Zita Sattar as Mrs Tapioca
66"The Grand Wizard's Visit"Sallie AprahamianMadeleine Brettingham8 February 2017 (2017-02-08)408,000

The Great Wizard visits Cackle's Academy and he meets the pupils. The Great Wizard talks through recent incidents caused by Mildred and when The Great Wizard finds out Mildred is not from a witch family and Miss Cackle defends Mildred against the Great Wizard. Mildred has to do a magic display for The Great Wizard. Ethel shows The Great Wizard the school trophies and Ethel tells The Great Wizard about Mildred. Enid tells Mildred she suspects Ethel wrote the letter to The Great Wizard, after overhearing her talk to him. It turns out Agatha is pretending to be Miss Cackle, as Miss Cackle is in a deep sleep. Mildred performs her magic display, a beaker and bottle band, but she messes up when the potions explode over the staff and The Great Wizard insists Miss Cackle leaves. He allows Miss Cackle to stay after the staff persuade him and Mildred is chosen to be the lead in a broomstick display for The Great Wizard and Ethel has to lend her broom to Mildred. Mildred reveals to Maud that Miss Cackle is Agatha when she tries to perform a spell on Mildred and Maud wakes Miss Cackle up. Miss Cackle proves she is the real Miss Cackle by saving Mildred and Enid from crashing.

First Appearance: Nicholas Jones as Great Wizard

Absent: Zita Sattar as Mrs Tapioca
77"The Best Teacher"Sallie AprahamianNick Leather15 February 2017 (2017-02-15)[19]296,000

The pupils call home and Ethel is hurt when her mum can't spare the time to speak to her, after spending ages talking to Esmerelda. Ethel is horrible to Mildred, making remarks on how she is always bottom and Mildred decides she won't be any longer. Enid suggests Mildred does a wisdom spell and during the night, Mildred takes Miss Bat's socks for the spell and after thinking it was goblins, Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom decide to give her some time off. Mildred makes the spell, but thinks it hasn't worked, however, the following morning, Maud finds Mildred looking old. Maud tries to look for a reversal spell, but Esmerelda informs her that only time can undo a wisdom spell. Maud encounters Miss Darkside, the supply teacher who is not nice, and she takes her to Mildred, pretending she is Miss Cackle and to tell Miss Darkside she is no longer required. Miss Cackle mistakes Mildred for Miss Darkside and Mildred has to teach her class, pretending that the absence of her younger self is because of her mum's toenails and she sends Ethel and Drusilla out of class, impressing Miss Hardbroom. Mildred gets the class to act out a story. Ethel and Drusilla phone Miss Hubble and they find out nothing is wrong with her and Ethel takes the information to Mildred. After Miss Cackle decides to phone Miss Hubble, Mildred decides to admit what's happened, but the spell wears off as she enters Miss Cackle's office. Miss Cackle magics Miss Hubble to her office and Maud makes an ingrown toenail spell. Mildred gets the result from a test, where she placed second bottom. Ethel tells Mildred she impersonated a teacher so she tells Ethel she phoned her mum, and Ethel walks off, and Mildred and Maud think Mildred's mum is a witch as the spell has worked on her.

Absent: Zita Sattar as Mrs Tapioca

Guest starring: Emma Handy as Mrs Hallow, Rachel Bell as Old Mildred and Kitty Martin as Miss Darkside
88"Maud's Big Mistake"Lindy HeymannNeil Jones22 February 2017 (2017-02-22)315,000

The parents visit the school to have a talk with the teachers on how their children are doing. Maud wants her parents to be proud of her, so she makes everyone forget about her mistakes. The problem: Mildred forgets her as well, since all of her mistakes where only due to Mildred. So she decides to not be a flawless pupil but to get her best friend back. His father is erasing the memories of the teachers as well, and everything turns out good. Her parents are still proud of her, even though she is not perfect.

Absent: Zita Sattar as Mrs Tapioca

Guest Starring: Jonathan Ojinnaka as Mr Nightshade, Emma Handy as Mrs Hallow. Henry Miller as Mr Spellbody and Lynsey Anne Moffatt as Mrs Spellbody
99"The First Witch"Lindy HeymannMaxine Exley (as Maxine Alderton)1 March 2017 (2017-03-01)240,000

Mildred tries to find out if she is the only witch in the family. The school archives indicates that there has not been a Hubble attending the school before her. Ethel and Mildred do not get along well, so Ethel's big sister has a plan. Mildred hair grows longer than expected and is nearly killing them, but together Ethel, Mildred and their friends manage the problem. A secret path opens, and they start their own coven.

Absent: Kacey Ainsworth as Miss Gullett and Zita Sattar as Mrs Tapioca
1010"Spelling Bee"Lindy HeymannMatt Evans8 March 2017 (2017-03-08)[20]329,000

Mildred and Ethel are the chosen ones for a competition against another school in potion making. Mildred is told to do nothing at all under the competition, which makes her a little sad. The headmistress of the other school, Miss Pentangle, knows how it is to be overlooked, and she offers Mildred a place at her school—she sees her potential. At the end of the competition, she finds a rule that activates Mildred in the potion making. Mildred does great, as Miss Pentangle had expected. Mildred chooses not to leave Cackle's Academy, but is grateful for the offer. Miss Pentangle and Miss Hardbroom were friends once, and Mildred helps both of them to become friends again.

First Appearance: Amanda Holden as Miss Pentangle

Absent: Kacey Ainsworth as Miss Gullett

Guest Starring: Max True as Zac
1111"The Mists of Time"Dirk CampbellNick Leather15 March 2017 (2017-03-15)315,000

Mrs Cackle is barricading the school after it has been surrounded by mist. It is the mist of time, created by a mighty sorcerer who afterwards got lost in "the mists of time". Ethel's cat is gone missing outside, so Mildred helps her getting outside the castle, searching for her cat. They do not find the cat, and the re-enter the castle a different way than they left it. If they would have re-entered the same way, they would have been back in their own time. But now they have traveled back in time. They meet Mona (Maud's grandma) and the Cackle twin sisters, Agatha and Ada. Mildred finds out that Ada (the regular Miss Cackle) is not the oldest one and therefore should not have been the head of the school in the future. Furthermore, she figures out that Ada is not a good witch and tries to steal her twin sister's power. Suddenly, the old Mrs Cackle enters the scene and helps Mildred to make herself a non-naughty witch and fixing the past by not expelling Mona. Both Mildred, Ethel, and Ada find their way back to their own time. Mildred concludes that she might become the best witch, since even Ada, the naughtiest witch, has become the best witch.

Absent: Kacey Ainsworth as Mrs Gullet and Zita Sattar as Mrs Tapioca

Guest Starring: Clare Gower as Young Ada, Sarah Gower as Young Agatha and Gillian Waugh as Mrs Cackle
1212"Out Of Bounds"Dirk CampbellEmma Reeves22 March 2017 (2017-03-22)268,000
The first years do growth spells, but Mildred has gone wrong and shrinks instead and Miss Hardbroom reminds them of their exams the following week. Ethel tells Drusilla about the secret meetings Mildred has been having with Miss Cackle, reckoning it's about the secret scroll. Mildred vows to stay silent about the scroll. Miss Cackle goes to see her sister. Ethel makes a spell to make her look like Maud and as Maud, Ethel wants to know the truth and Mildred and Enid work out it's Ethel, but they decide to have fun. Mildred pretends to Ethel that she is Miss Cackle's niece. Miss Cackle returns from seeing her sister, but tells the staff that Agatha has escaped and Miss Hardbroom lets the students know that a protective spell has been placed on the school, that visitors have to be invited and the girls cannot leave school grounds without permission. Ethel makes a study syrup for Mildred, but Maud warns her not to take it and Ethel and Mildred end up in Miss Cackle's office and Mildred admits to saying she was Miss Cackle's niece. After being told off by Miss Cackle, Mildred confides in Maud she thinks Agatha is posing as Miss Cackle and they go to Mr Rowan-Webb and Miss Bat for help, and Maud takes Mr Rowan-Webb to Miss Cackle as a frog, but Miss Cackle turns Mr Rowan-Webb back to himself. Maud is against Mildred's suggestion of her going to Darkwood Cottage and Ethel rows with Esmerelda about feeling second best. Mildred goes to the cottage and finds Miss Cackle and Mildred is persuaded to give up her powers, but she realises that it is Agatha and does not go through with it. Mildred escapes from Agatha and Miss Gullet, who is on Agatha's side. Ethel find the birth scroll and finds out Agatha is older. Esmerelda and Ethel let Agatha and Miss Gullet into the school, thinking it's Miss Cackle and Esmerelda gives up her magic and Esmerelda finds out it was Agatha and Ethel knew it. Ethel shows Agatha the scroll and she decides to takeover. Maud tells on Mildred for sneaking out of school and Miss Hardbroom expels her.
1313"The Worst Headmistress"Dirk CampbellEmma Reeves29 March 2017 (2017-03-29)342,000
Agatha takes over the school as headmistress. Miss Gullet installs a detection spell on the entire school to make an alarm when unauthorized magic is used. Agatha claims that Ada Cackle has run away, but actually, she has been trapped in a living painting of herself by Agatha. Ethel and her sister Esmeralda discuss what to do about The Great Wizard being called to visit the castle as he will freak out. Ethel feels guilty and summons Miss Gullet, who transforms Esmeralda into a trophy. Ethel sends Mildred's cat Tabby to Mildred's home, with an invisibility spell and tells her she needs to come and save the castle - Mildred uses a kitchen sweep instead of a broomstick and decides to go. Mildred breaks into Cackle's office where the painting of the Cackle sisters is, finding Maud, Enid and Ethel trying to help Ada, but Miss Gullet enters and transforms the visible girls into cakes for a great feast in the main hall, while Mildred's invisibility wears off. The Great Wizard arrives, and hears of Agatha's evil doings via Mrs Bat and Mr Rowan-Webb. Miss Gullet sees them grassing up and transforms them into frogs. Agatha, Miss Hardbroom and Miss Gullet transform the Great Wizard into a balloon. Miss Hardbroom tries to get Ada out of the painting, but Miss Gullet and Agatha hear the unauthorised magic alarm and send Miss Hardbroom into the painting as well. Meanwhile, Mildred stops the witches transformed into cakes from being eaten by the other girls. Mildred rises up against Ada and asks all the girls to vote, agreeing that none of the girls will stay at the school if Agatha is headmistress, so Agatha casts an Annihilation spell to destroy the castle and everyone in it. Miss Drill attempts to hold it back while the girls escape. With the castle crumbling down, Mildred starts chanting and brings all the girls into a circle and casts an incredibly powerful spell that reverses all of Agatha's evil magic and turns everyone back to themselves again. The Great Wizard traps Agatha and Miss Gullet into a photograph of them both, which Ada hangs up in her office for the rest of time. Mildred just scrapes by on her exams with 51%, ending the school year.

References

  1. ^ a b c "BBC - CBBC brings The Worst Witch to life for a new generation - Media Centre".
  2. ^ "BBC - Cast announced as production begins on CBBC's adaptation of The Worst Witch - Media Centre".
  3. ^ "The Worst Witch is getting a TV reboot on CBBC". 11 February 2016.
  4. ^ ""There's still more to do" writes Alice Webb the new Director of BBC North".
  5. ^ "The Worst Witch remake has cast its Mildred Hubble".
  6. ^ a b "BBC - The Worst Witch first look images and sneak peek clip unveiled - Media Centre".
  7. ^ a b "Netflix Sets Tween Series 'Worst Witch,' 'Horse Mystery Project' For 2017". Variety. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  8. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/childrens-commissions#heading-returning-in-house-drama-cbbc
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "CBBC brings The Worst Witch to life for a new generation". BBC Media Centre. 12 November 2090. Retrieved 27 December 2016. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ Holman, Justine (16 July 2016). "Brief Encounters Angela Griffin: My Weekends". Express. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  11. ^ Angela Griffin Talks Ordinary Lies And Starting Out On Coronation Street | Lorraine on YouTube
  12. ^ a b Exclusive Preview! The Worst Witch | CBBC on YouTube
  13. ^ a b c d e f g "CBBC brings The Worst Witch to life for a new generation". BBC Media Centre. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  14. ^ "BBC - Amanda Holden joins the cast of CBBC's The Worst Witch - Media Centre".
  15. ^ "BBC - The Worst Witch - Media Centre".
  16. ^ "Weekly top 10 programmes". BARB. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  17. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b088n6zk/credits
  18. ^ http://twitter.com/cbbc/status/819213818
  19. ^ http://twitter.com/cbbc/status/831885604837347328
  20. ^ http://twitter.com/cbbc/status/839508778697404416
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