The Worst Witch (1998 TV series)

Did You Know?

• In 1999, the series was nominated by the Royal Television Society for Best Children's Drama.
• In 2000, Georgina Sherrington won the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series – Leading Young Actress.
• A new adaptation, a UK-German co-production between CBBC, ZDF and Netflix, also titled The Worst Witch, premiered in January 2017 and ran for four seasons, concluding in 2020.

Overview

Georgina Sherrington leads the cast as Mildred Hubble, a clumsy young witch at Cackle's Academy. Her friend Enid Nightshade is played by Jessica Fox, while Felicity Jones portrays Mildred's rival Ethel Hallow in the first season, with Katy Allen taking over the role for the next two. Clare Coulter appears as Headmistress Miss Cackle, Kate Duchêne as Deputy Head Miss Hardbroom, Una Stubbs as Chanting Teacher Miss Bat, and Claire Porter as PE Teacher Miss Drill. Recurring characters include wizard apprentice Merlin Langstaff, his unpleasant friends Baz Dragonsbane and Gaz Grailquest, Charlie (Frank Blossom's nephew who initially wished to be a witch), tearoom owner Mrs. Cosie, and evil school inspector Mistress Hecketty Broomhead, who briefly becomes headmistress. Chief wizard Egbert Hellibore, head of Camelot Castle, also appears more than once. The first season adapts The Worst Witch and The Worst Witch Strikes Again, while the second covers A Bad Spell For The Worst Witch and The Worst Witch All At Sea, both including original stories. The third and final season consists entirely of new material.

Home media releases

Columbia TriStar Home Video handled the UK home releases, putting out the first season across six VHS tapes in 2000 and a "Best of" DVD in 2002 with seven episodes. Three early volumes from season one came out on DVD in 2004 and 2005 under the UCA label. In the US, seasons one and two hit DVD in 2004. Australia saw seasons one through three, along with Weirdsister College, released on DVD, and both seasons of The New Worst Witch arrived in 2007. A four-disc box set combined seasons one and two, while another set paired season three with Weirdsister College. Via Vision issued a standalone Weirdsister College DVD box set in Australia in 2023. In Germany, Pidax released seasons one through three and Weirdsister College on DVD, with German packaging and menus but the original English audio; there, Weirdsister College is labeled as season four.