Television series to show the Famous Five in middle age

[Moonraker]

It would be great to see a Parkinson style chat-show programme where some of the characters from the FF (or any other series for that matter) were interviewed.

"And to-night's guests will be: Fanny Kirrin, Frederick Trotteville, Theophilus Goon and Albus Barling!"

Who would you like to see interviewed?

[Ming]

Uncle Quentin!!

[Julie2owlsdene]

Liked reading the article, (thanks to Nigel for pointing out the link), well done Anita.

[RDMorrell]

Very nice article, and congratulations on being so prominently quoted, Anita.

I reckon that Timmy's progeny should be named Toddy, as a nod to the dog who played him in the 1978 TV series. Probably won't happen, but it would be a nice gesture.

I must say that this programme about the Five in middle age sounds rather more promising than the cartoon series. I wonder if there'll be a book based on it?

In Nigel's hypothetical chat show, I think George would make a great interview subject. And given that Susie is more colourful than the main Secret Seven characters, she could also be interesting. (I actually have this crazy idea that Susie gets married to Peter when they grow up. Somehow, I think she wanted to be in the Secret Seven because she had a crush on him, and as she grew up, filled out and matured, he started to notice her properly and they wound up marrying and running his parents' farm together. So he could maybe appear near the end. Susie would say, "You know, I'm married to one of the Secret Seven now," and then he would make his appearance and talk about how he went from hating Susie to falling head over heels for her.) And what about Kiki - I reckon she would steal the show!

[Julie2owlsdene]

I'd like to see Dick being interviewed and of course, they will have to bring on his new wife, Ragamuffin Jo. (She always had a crush on Dick didn't she?)

[Kitty]

Would love to see all the criminals that the FFOs put in their place interviewed! Especially Twit the baker and Winnie Moon!

[hobbes]

"Enid Blyton's notorious Famous Five books are to be turned into a TV series, with characters Julian, Dick, Anne and George as middle-aged men and women.

The last book about the crime-fighting children was written in 1963 and now producers want to show them grown up in a new drama that has been authorised by Blyton's estate.

Independent production company Twofour will develop the series, which will show the characters aged between 40 and 50. Having gone their separate ways, they are reunited to fight a new crime.

A source told The Times: "They would all be in middle age, perhaps some of them would be going through midlife crises.

"It will be interesting to see whether the characters have grown up to be like they were when they were children. Would George, the tomboyish one, now be glamorous and have lots of children? Would Anne, the sensible one, be dysfunctional?” "



I have just took this of media news site digital Spy- looks as though it might be true.

[Tony Summerfield]

When articles like this appear spare a thought for the poor person at the end of the phone line - me!

I have now had ten phone calls today asking for interviews and I have now had to stop answering my phone.

[Ming]

I cannot resist the temptation to ring you up now, Tony.

Seriously, all you do is very admirable (even if it is annoying things like answering phone calls!)!

[Moonraker]

I've tried, but there's no answer!

[Viking Star]

I think it's a good article, and the quotes from the forums come over as very sensible (particularly considering that no one knew that their comments would be repeated in the national press). Well done Anita! I thought your appraisal encapsulated most of the issues, so didn't bother to add any additional comments.

I agree it would be great fun to have Kiki, presumably with Jack, interviewed on Parkinson. Perhaps they could do a Rod Hull and Emu, where Kiki tells Parky to mind his manners and wipe his feet, followed by a vicious peck!

[Tony Summerfield]

I think one of the reasons why I am annoyed by this is that everyone is talking as if this is going ahead full steam. Esra Cafer from Chorion has just registered on the forums and she is going to post an official response tomorrow.

Briefly for now, it is just an idea and nothing may come of it, the idea came from the film company and not from Chorion at all and furthermore as the idea is still in its infancy The Times were asked not to publish the article. Incidentally for those who like to see their name in print, Anita was quoted as she was the only person in the replies to be using her proper name!

Now every Tom, Dick and Harry is jumping on the bandwagon and I am stuck on the receiving end of this. As I write I have just had another call from a radio station in Dublin (yes, I did pick up the phone!) so I have passed them on to Viv who seems to enjoy publicity, I just hope that occasionally she mentions the Society!

[Keith Robinson]

Tee hee! I also had a call this morning from the Newsdrive programme on BBC Radio Scotland. I couldn't believe someone was phoning me at 7.35am but it turned out to be this guy in Glasgow so I guess it's understandable. But he also wrote me an email so I replied to that instead. Unlike Tony, this is first time I've been contacted by the BBC and it just feels quite good to throw into conversation, "Oh, by the way, the BBC phoned me this morning..."

Anyway, what I said in my email is relevant here so I'll just copy it:

The idea of a modern-day grown-up Famous Five is certainly intriguing. The idea has been done to death by amateur short story writers as well as TV's "Comic Strip Presents" team, but this will (hopefully!) be the first serious attempt at reuniting the Five without resorting to spoofing things up.

The characters should remain faithful to Enid Blyton's creations. The idea of tomboy George turning out to be "glamorous" with "lots of children" doesn't seem right. I see her as a single, somewhat lonely and sad middle-aged woman who perhaps has given up on men after several rocky relationships throughout her life; now she's resigned to being alone with her Timmy-offspring, living in the Kirrin area and spending a lot of time on her island. Julian is still strong and dependable, probably in an executive job and spending his spare time organizing fund-raising events with the help of his hard-working younger sister, Anne, who is still mouse-like but with "tigerish" moments when people rub her the wrong way. Dick has gone into some sort of high-tech engineering work; in a number of books he was characterized as being interested in "new-fangled gadgets."

It doesn't matter to me what the plot is -- virtually anything will do! -- as long as it's a return to the good old days of secret passages, caves and tunnels, or hiking across the moors. The last thing we want is a high-tech James Bond-style adventure. I think this story should start out showing the modern-day lives of the Five, but once they get together and are plunged into adventure, the setting, atmosphere and plot should be timeless -- the way the Five have always been!

[Anita Bensoussane]

[Keith:] It doesn't matter to me what the plot is -- virtually anything will do! -- as long as it's a return to the good old days of secret passages, caves and tunnels, or hiking across the moors. The last thing we want is a high-tech James Bond-style adventure. I think this story should start out showing the modern-day lives of the Five, but once they get together and are plunged into adventure, the setting, atmosphere and plot should be timeless -- the way the Five have always been!

Hear hear!

Anita

[Moonraker]

Unlike Tony, this is first time I've been contacted by the BBC and it just feels quite good to throw into conversation, "Oh, by the way, the BBC phoned me this morning..."

Oh and by the way, I have just been phoned by Channel 4. They are making a documentary about paramedics, and wanted to know if I would be interested in taking part. They wanted to know if I had any unusual interests! Okay, I will mention the Society at some point....!