Marmalade Atkins is a children's fictional character

Fictional character

A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 created by the writer Andrew Davies

Andrew Davies (writer)

Andrew Wynford Davies is a British author and screenwriter. He was made a Fellow of BAFTA in 2002.-Education and early career:...

. Marmalade first appeared in the book Marmalade and Rufus in 1979, and the character was later brought to television in 1981 in which she was played by the actress Charlotte Coleman

Charlotte Coleman

Charlotte Ninon Coleman was an English actress best known for playing Scarlett in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral , Jess in the television drama Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, and her childhood roles of Sue in Worzel Gummidge and the character Marmalade Atkins...

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Background

A hair-raising teenage rebel, Marmalade made her TV debut in the one-off Marmalade Atkins in Space broadcast in 1981 as part of the Theatre Box series. This was followed by two ten-part series entitled Educating Marmalade in 1982-83, and Danger: Marmalade At Work in 1984, both of which continued to feature Coleman in the lead role.

Also featuring John Bird

John Bird (actor)

John Bird is an English satirist, actor and comedian.-Early life:Born in Bulwell, Nottingham, England, and educated at High Pavement Grammar School, Nottingham, Bird briefly joined the Socialist Party of Great Britain, while still at school...

 and Lynda Marchal

Lynda La Plante

Lynda La Plante, CBE is an English author, screenwriter and former actress, best known for writing the Prime Suspect television crime series....

 as her parents Mr & Mrs Atkins (the latter replaced by Carol MacReady

Carol MacReady

Carol MacReady is a British actress, who is perhaps best known for the role of Mrs. Dribelle in Bodger and Badger.Other television shows she appeared in include:*Agatha Christie's Poirot*The Darling Buds of May*The Alleyn Mysteries*The Woman in White...

 for the Marmalade at Work series), the programmes were produced by Thames Television

Thames Television

Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....

 for ITV

ITV

ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

. The show's creator, Andrew Davies

Andrew Davies (writer)

Andrew Wynford Davies is a British author and screenwriter. He was made a Fellow of BAFTA in 2002.-Education and early career:...

, went on to author a series of Marmalade Atkins books. The theme tune for Educating Marmalade was written and performed by Bad Manners

Bad Manners

Bad Manners are an English 2 Tone ska band. They quickly became the novelty favourites of the UK pop scene through their bald outsized frontman's on-stage antics, earning early exposure through their Top of The Pops exploits and an appearance in the live film documentary, Dance Craze.They were at...

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