After the announcement of an agreement earlier this year between WildBrain and British broadcaster/streamer ITV to introduce the new children’s series Badjelly to UK viewers, we’re excited to announce that it will be available this month, right in time for the Halloween season.

The series, which is based on the much-loved book, Badjelly the Witch: A Fairy Story, by famous comedian Spike Milligan, features an all-star voice cast including Miriam Margolyes, Rhys Darby, Ava Diakhaby and rising star Malachi Hall. The show manages to present a modern twist on this traditional story, maintaining the original’s wild humour, eccentric situations and unique characters. The production is a joint effort between New Zealand’s Mukpuddy Animation, the UK’s Cantilever Media and Canada’s Sphere Media. Celebrating the series’ release, Mukpuddy has compiled a special selection of behind-the-scenes videos explaining how Milligan’s book was transformed into an animated series.

Behind the Magic of Badjelly: Casting Decisions

Co-creators and directors, Tim Evans and Alex Leighton, share their experience of casting Miriam Margolyes after seeing her on Graham Norton’s show, how Jo Wilkinson’s casting transformed the character of Dulboot into a loveable gentle giant and their special bond with Rhys Darby who ended up casting himself as the tree goblin, Binklebonk.

The Sounds of Adventure: Music in Badjelly

Co-creator and director Tim Evans discusses his vision for Badjelly’s soundtrack to be distinct from other cartoons, intending to evoke the feel of a grand adventure through composer, Guy Michelmore’s phenomenal custom score. Tasked with matching the emotional depth of a John Williams composition, Guy elevated the musical experience to perfectly capture the essence of classic films that the team grew up watching.

Unearthed Themes in Badjelly

Co-creators and directors, Tim Evans and Alex Leighton, delve into the main theme of Badjelly: resistance to change. They decode how this theme manifests in Badjelly’s extreme measures to preserve her power, even if it means destroying the world. They discuss the character development, tensions and transformations in the characters’ relationships as they adapt the short 22-minute story into 13 episodes.

Preserving the Original: Iconic Moments from the Book

Ryan Cooper, chief writer and co-director, talks about the significance of being true to Spike Milligan’s original story. Discussing how fans in New Zealand revere the book and the challenge of transferring even the smallest moments of imagination to the screen.

Catch the premiere of Badjelly on ITV October 16th.
To learn more about the works of Mukpuddy, head over to mukpuddy.com