The Worst Witch (2017 TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Worst Witch
Genre	Fantasy Drama
Written by	Emma Reeves
Directed by	Brian Grant
Starring	Bella Ramsey Lydia Page Meibh Campbell Megan Hughes Tamara Smart Clare Higgins Raquel Cassidy Jenny Richardson Dagny Rollins
Composer(s)	Mark Russell
Country of origin	United Kingdom Germany
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	4
No. of episodes	52
Production
Executive producer(s)	Marcus Wilson Arne Lohmann Nicole Keeb Tamara Rothenberg
Producer(s)	Lucy Martin
Production location(s)	Cheshire Germany
Editor(s)	David Mercer David Head
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	CBBC Productions ZDF
Distributor	ZDF Enterprises
Release
Original network	CBBC (UK) ZDF (Germany) Netflix (international)
Picture format	HDTV 1080i
Audio format	Dolby Digital 5.1
Original release	11 January 2017 (2017-01-11) – 20 April 2020 (2020-04-20)
Chronology
Related shows	The Worst Witch (1986) The Worst Witch (1998–2001) Weirdsister College (2001) The New Worst Witch (2005–2007)

The Worst Witch is a fun British-German fantasy and drama TV series for children. It's based on the popular book series by Jill Murphy. The show follows the exciting adventures of Mildred Hubble (Bella Ramsey in series 1-3, Lydia Page in series 4).

Mildred is a girl who discovers she's a witch, even though her family isn't magical! She goes to Cackle's Academy, a special school for witches. There, she makes friends with Maud Spellbody (Meibh Campbell, Megan Hughes) and Enid Nightshade (Tamara Smart). She also has rivals like Ethel Hallow (Jenny Richardson).

The school is run by the kind headmistress Miss Cackle (Clare Higgins) and the strict deputy headmistress Miss Hardbroom (Raquel Cassidy). This series is the fifth TV show based on The Worst Witch books. It's a team effort between CBBC, ZDF, and Netflix. The show first aired in the UK on January 11, 2017.

Story Overview

Series 1: Mildred's Magical Start

In the first series, Mildred Hubble learns all about magic. She finds out she's a witch, even though her family isn't magical. With help from her new friend Maud Spellbody, Mildred gets into Cackle's Academy. She even saves the school from Miss Cackle's evil sister, Agatha.

Mildred often struggles with her magic lessons because she didn't grow up with magic like her classmates. She becomes good friends with Enid Nightshade but also makes a rival in Ethel Hallow. Mildred gets into trouble and is even expelled for a short time. When Agatha takes over the school, Mildred returns to save it. She and her friends use a powerful spell to fix everything. Mildred is allowed back and finishes her first year.

Series 2: The Founding Stone Mystery

Mildred returns to Cackle's, much better at magic now. A very important item, the founding stone, is discovered. This stone powers all the magic at the academy. Ethel's older sister, Esmeralda, tries to take the stone's magic. She does this to save her younger sister, Sybil.

When Esmeralda takes the magic, things go wrong. The castle starts to freeze, and magic acts strangely. Mildred, Maud, Enid, and the Hallow sisters search for a way to restart the stone. Mildred discovers that her family, the Hubbles, were witches long ago. Her ancestor, Mirabelle, sacrificed her magic to restart the stone. Mildred realizes she might have to do the same. In the end, Miss Mould, the art teacher, sacrifices her own magic to save the school.

Series 3: Julie Hubble's Magic

Miss Cackle invites Mildred's mum, Julie, to teach art at Cackle's. Miss Hardbroom is not very nice to Julie. This makes Mildred use a wishing star to give her mum magic. At first, Julie is scared, but she starts to like having powers.

However, Julie's magic starts to go wrong, and she turns people into clay figures. Miss Hardbroom tells Mildred about her old friend, Indigo Moon. Indigo also became evil after getting magic and turned to stone for 30 years. Mildred makes a potion to save her mum from turning to stone. This potion also turns everyone back to normal, including Indigo Moon. Julie leaves Cackle's, but Indigo stays. Ethel later tries to save the school with a wishing star, but it causes a fake Indigo Moon to appear and damage the school. Miss Hardbroom and the real Indigo return to fix things.

Series 4: Head Girl and New Discoveries

Ethel tries to stop Mildred from becoming head girl. She casts a spell to change Mildred's appearance. Mildred still enters the competition and faces many challenges against Ethel. Mildred almost gives up, but she sees a vision of Ethel as head girl in an empty school. This makes Mildred rejoin the contest to save Cackle's.

During a spell challenge, Ethel's deputy, Felicity, makes Mildred's potion backfire. This turns Miss Cackle into glass, and Mildred is sent to Wormwood Academy for Undesirable Witches. Ethel frees Agatha, Miss Cackle's evil sister, from a photograph. Maud realizes Mildred was framed and gets herself sent to Wormwood to help Mildred escape.

Mildred's vision comes true, and all the students disappear after Agatha changes a magical promise. To bring everyone back, the name of Agatha's first magical pet must be said. Mr. Daisy, the spell science teacher, makes a potion to turn Miss Cackle back. Miss Cackle says the name, bringing everyone back. Agatha banishes herself. Mildred becomes head girl and makes peace with Ethel. The series ends with a look behind the scenes.

Main cast

Main cast of series 1 from left to right: Dagny Rollins as Felicity Foxglove, Jenny Richardson as Ethel Hallow, Tallulah Milligan as Drusilla Paddock, Tamara Smart as Enid Nightshade, Bella Ramsey as Mildred Hubble, Meibh Campbell as Maud Spellbody, Raquel Cassidy as Miss Hardbroom, Clare Higgins as Miss Cackle.

Episodes

See also

In Spanish: The Worst Witch (serie de televisión de 2017) para niños