Worzel Gummidge facts for kids

Worzel Gummidge is a famous scarecrow from British children's stories. He can walk and talk! He first appeared in books written by Barbara Euphan Todd. The very first Worzel Gummidge book was also the first storybook ever published by Puffin Books.

Worzel's adventures have been turned into radio shows and TV series many times. The most well-known TV show starred Jon Pertwee, who was also a famous Doctor Who actor. This series ran from 1979 to 1981 in the UK and later in New Zealand. In the TV show, Worzel had many different heads made from vegetables like turnips or swede. Each head gave him a special skill or suited a different mood!

Who is Worzel Gummidge?

Worzel Gummidge is a scarecrow who magically comes to life. He lives on Scatterbrook Farm in a big field. He becomes friends with two children, John and Susan, who visit the farm during their school holidays.

Worzel often gets John and Susan into trouble. When he's being naughty, he might suddenly become a lifeless scarecrow again. This makes it look like the children caused all the mischief!

The Worzel Gummidge books are a bit different from the TV shows. For example, in the books, Worzel is married to a scarecrow named Earthy Mangold. Also, in the first book, Aunt Sally is only mentioned briefly and is a mean bully to Worzel. In the TV show, she's a fairground doll and Worzel's love interest. The person who makes Worzel and other scarecrows is called the Crowman in the TV series, but in the books, he's just a mysterious figure.

Worzel Gummidge Books

Barbara Euphan Todd wrote many books about Worzel Gummidge. Here are some of them:

• 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)

The very first Worzel Gummidge book was released as a paperback in 1941. It was the first storybook ever published by the famous children's book company, Puffin Books.

Worzel on Screen and Radio

Worzel Gummidge has appeared in many different shows over the years.

Early Radio Shows

Worzel's first broadcast was on the BBC's Children's Hour before World War II. By 1946, Philip Wade played Worzel on the radio. Later, Denis Folwell took over the role.

First TV Appearance (1953)

Worzel first came to television in 1953. This was a four-part series called Worzel Gummidge Turns Detective. Frank Atkinson played the main role.

Jackanory Readings

In July 1967, five Worzel Gummidge stories were read on the TV show Jackanory by Gordon Rollings. Later, in November 1974, Worzel Gummidge Again was read by Geoffrey Bayldon. He would later appear in the 1979-81 TV series!

The Classic 1979-81 TV Series

The most famous TV version of Worzel Gummidge was made by Southern Television for ITV. It was written by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall. Jon Pertwee starred as Worzel, and Una Stubbs played Aunt Sally. In this series, Aunt Sally was a life-sized fairground doll, not Worzel's aunt as in the books.

The Crowman, who created Worzel and other scarecrows, was played by Geoffrey Bayldon. He was also known for playing the wizard in Catweazle. Bill Maynard also appeared as another scarecrow named Sergeant Beetroot.

Worzel Gummidge Down Under (1987-1989)

After the UK series, a follow-up show was made in New Zealand. It was called Worzel Gummidge Down Under. Jon Pertwee and Una Stubbs returned as Worzel and Aunt Sally. They moved to New Zealand for these two series.

Worzel Gummidge (2019 Adaptation)

A new TV miniseries of Worzel Gummidge came out in 2019. It starred Mackenzie Crook, who also wrote and directed the show. This magical scarecrow series was shown on BBC One in December 2019.