The Wild House facts for kids

The Wild House was a fun TV show for children that aired in the UK. It was shown on the BBC between 1997 and 1999. The show was created by Jean Buchanan. Later on, Mark Haddon, who wrote The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, also helped write some episodes. The story is all about the Wild family, especially Natalie Wild, played by Ellie Beaven.

About The Wild House Show

The show's name, The Wild House, is a clever play on words. It refers to the family's last name, Wild, but it also describes how crazy and lively the family can be! Natalie Wild is often the most "normal" person in the family. The show mostly follows her life and adventures.

One cool thing about The Wild House is that the characters often talk directly to the camera. This is called a soliloquy. They share their thoughts and feelings with you, the viewer. Sometimes, even the family dog, Jasper, gets to "talk" to the camera! As they speak, cool, dream-like pictures are shown behind them.

As the show went on, things changed for the Wild family. In the second series, Serena, Natalie's older sister, moved to Boston to study science. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Wild also moved to the USA to join her. This meant the kids were looked after by their aunts, uncles, and even their granny! A new character, Georgina, who was Natalie's cousin, also moved in. She was a feisty 16-year-old. By the end of the show, the rest of the Wild family was getting ready to move to the USA too.

Meet the Wild Characters

The Wild family is full of interesting people! Here are some of the main characters you'll meet:

Natalie Wild

Natalie is played by Ellie Beaven. She is 13 years old and is the middle child in the family. The show focuses on her journey from being a child to becoming a teenager. Natalie often seems like the most sensible one, especially when all the funny and wild things happen around her.

Serena Wild

Serena, played by Honeysuckle Weeks, is 16 years old. She's a typical teenager who cares a lot about friendships and relationships. Later in the show, her cousin Georgina takes her place. Georgina is also interested in relationships, but she's a bit more rebellious and likes to get her way.

Arthur Wild

Arthur, nicknamed "Wart," is played by Peter Kelly. He absolutely loves wildlife! You'll often see him with dirt on his clothes because he's always digging around looking for minibeasts. He doesn't seem to care about getting messy. Arthur doesn't really understand his sisters' or cousin's interest in relationships. He often says "Yuk!" whenever they talk about them.

Arthur has a friend named Emily who also loves animals. Even though she's a girl, their friendship is just about animals, not romance. In the very last episode, they did kiss once, but they both immediately said "Yuk!" and wiped it away! Arthur also often says, "I bet David Attenborough never had this problem," when things get a bit too wild for him.

Mr. and Mrs. Wild

Mr. Wild is played by Philip Bird, and Mrs. Wild is played by Annette Ekblom. They are the parents of Natalie, Serena, and Arthur. They are mostly like normal, average parents. However, Mrs. Wild has a funny habit: she uses a megaphone whenever she wants to make an announcement to the family!

Who's in the Show? (Cast)

Here are the main actors who brought the Wild family and their friends to life:

• Ellie Beaven - Natalie Wild
• Honeysuckle Weeks - Serena Wild (series 1 & 2)
• Peter Kelly - Arthur Wild
• Annette Ekblom - Mrs Wild (series 1 & 2)
• Philip Bird - Mr Wild (series 1 & 2)
• Meg Johnson - Aunt Yvette (series 2 & 3)
• Doreen Mantle - Granny (series 2 & 3)
• Catherine Bailey - Georgina (series 2 & 3)
• Tilly Gerrard - Emily (series 2 & 3)
• Holly Lambert - Annie Smerdon (series 2 & 3)
• John Glynn - Matt (series 2 & 3)
• Richard Burke - Dave (series 3)
• David Blair - Gavin (series 3)
• Jonathan Barlow - Uncle George (series 3)
• Susan Edmonstone - Aunt Penny (series 3)
• James Hickmott - Chris Kitto (series 1 - 3)

Who Made the Show? (Crew)

Many talented people worked behind the scenes to create The Wild House:

• Jean Buchanan - Writer
• Andy Watts - Writer
• Mark Haddon - Writer
• Philip Gerard - Writer
• Sarah Louise Hawkins - Writer
• Yvonne Coppard - Additional Material
• John Smith - Director, Producer
• Roger Singleton-Turner - Director
• Roz Anderson - Producer
• Marilyn Fox - Producer