The Worst Witch (1998 TV series)

The Worst Witch
Series title card
GenreChildren's fantasy
Comedy
Comedy horror
Drama
Magic
Based onThe Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
Written byMartin Riley (23 ep.)
Garry Lyons (12 ep.)
Clive Endersby (2 ep.)
Graham Mitchell (2 ep.)
David Finley (1 ep.)
Directed byAndrew Morgan (16 ep.)
Stefan Pleszczynski (15 ep.)
Alex Kirby (5 ep.)
John Smith (4 ep.)
Starring
Theme music composerPaul K. Joyce
Opening theme"Onwards Ever Striving Onwards" by the Choir of Wispers School for Girls[1]
Ending theme"Onwards Ever Striving Onwards"
ComposerPaul K. Joyce
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes40 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersMichael Haggiag
Arnie Gelbart
Dan Maddicott
Jeff Lotman (series 2)
ProducersAngela Beeching (30 ep.)
Michael Haggiag (10 ep.)
Production locationsTwickenham Film Studios, London
Loseley Park, Guildford
Castell Coch, Wales (Opening)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
  • United Productions
  • Galafilm Productions
  • Global Arts
Original release
Network
Release22 October 1998 (1998-10-22) –
26 January 2001 (2001-01-26)
Related
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

The Worst Witch is an ITV original television series, running from 1998 to 2001, about a group of young witches at an academy for magicians called Cackles Academy. The television series stars Georgina Sherrington and Felicity Jones, and is based on The Worst Witch series of books by Jill Murphy (published from 1974). It aired for a total of 40 episodes spread over three television series between 1998 and 2001, before being followed by its sequel Weirdsister College. Most episodes revolved around the academy, following the adventures of the worst witch ever, Mildred and her friends. The television series was later followed by The New Worst Witch, which ran for two series and chronicled the experiences of Mildred's younger cousin Hettie as she attended the school.

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.

  1. ^ Credited in episode 1