Mildred Hubble (The Worst Witch)
Encyclopedia
Mildred Hubble is a major character in The Worst Witch
children's book series by Jill Murphy
. She is the main protagonist
in all the books. She is friends with Maud Moonshine and Enid Nightshade and has a strong rivalry with Ethel Hallow and Drusilla Paddock.
Mildred is in the Winter Term of her first year. She is shown to be tall and thin with long, black hair which she wears in pigtails
. On the day of the cat ceremony, Mildred is given a tabby cat
instead of a normal black cat
which fails to sit on her broomstick without even trying to hold on. This prompts the form sneak and goody-two-shoes teacher's pet
Ethel Hallow to taunt her about it. After losing her temper, Mildred turns Ethel into a pig
(though she did it under threats of a frog
transformation) whereupon Miss Hardbroom materializes in the courtyard and tells Mildred to take Ethel to the school library and reverse the spell. From then on, Mildred and Ethel become deadly enemies. In revenge for the pig transformation, Ethel curses a broom she was lending to Mildred for the Halloween
celebrations at an abandoned castle
. This results in the broom turning bucking bronco-like and nearly throwing Mildred off. After furiously being set an interview with Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom, Mildred runs away where she comes across another witch that looks like Miss Cackle but is actually Miss Cackle's evil identical twin sister Agatha Cackle who is jealously trying to throw a mutiny
against her sister and take over the academy. In the nick of time, Mildred turns Agatha and her malevolent coven
into snails and takes them back to the school, whereupon her interview is cancelled and she is made a heroine.
In The Worst Witch Strikes Again
she is assigned by Miss Cackle to show the new girl, Enid Nightshade (played by Jessica Fox
), around the school, much to the chargrin and disappointment of both Maud and Miss Hardbroom. Throughout the novel, Enid gets Mildred into trouble without owning up. In A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch
she is turned into a frog by Ethel Hallow after telling her younger sister a pretend story about Miss Hardbroom turning a pupil into a frog after being two seconds late for a lesson. This is how she discovers Algernon Rowan-Webb. In The Worst Witch All at Sea
, after being given a normal black cat after Fenella Feverfew transferred to Miss Pentangle's Academy, Mildred disobeys orders and brings Tabby with her to Grim Cove. She also discovers a legendary treasure chest on Cat's Head Rock. In The Worst Witch Saves the Day
she once again saves the academy from the evil plots of Agatha Cackle who had sneaked into the school disguised as "Miss Granite". In The Worst Witch to the Rescue
her holiday project is stolen by the treacherous and sneaky Ethel Hallow, who also gets her banned from Miss Mould's art lessons after being falsely accused of turning her pot into five rattlesnakes. However, Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom soon learn that Ethel was wrong after Mildred rescues her tortoise
from a pine tree after Drusilla Paddock hid him there under Ethel's orders.
, Mildred was played by Return to Oz
star Fairuza Balk
. It aired on both Central Independent Television
and HBO.
In the TV series
, Mildred was played by Georgina Sherrington
. She was also played by Sherrington in Weirdsister College
. Mildred made a brief appearance at the beginning of the first episode of The New Worst Witch
as a successful witch escorting her equally-clumsy cousin Henrietta "Hettie" Hubble (played by Alice Connor
), to Cackle's Academy.
The Worst Witch
The Worst Witch is a series of children's novels written and illustrated by Jill Murphy and published by Puffin Books. The first book was published in 1974. They have become some of the most outstandingly successful titles on the Young Puffin paperback list and have sold more than 4 million copies....
children's book series by Jill Murphy
Jill Murphy
Jill Murphy is a London-born English children's author, best known for The Worst Witch series and the Large Family picture books...
. She is the main protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
in all the books. She is friends with Maud Moonshine and Enid Nightshade and has a strong rivalry with Ethel Hallow and Drusilla Paddock.
Mildred Hubble in the books
In The Worst WitchThe Worst Witch (book)
The Worst Witch is the first novel in The Worst Witch children's book series by Jill Murphy. It features Mildred Hubble in her first year at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches...
Mildred is in the Winter Term of her first year. She is shown to be tall and thin with long, black hair which she wears in pigtails
Pigtails
In the context of hairstyles, the usage of the term pigtail shows considerable variation. According to most dictionaries, a pigtail is a braid of tightly woven hair. The name is based on the short, thin and kinked tail of a pig, referring to the way a short, tight braid may stand out from the...
. On the day of the cat ceremony, Mildred is given a tabby cat
Tabby cat
A tabby is any cat that has a distinctive coat that features stripes, dots, lines or swirling patterns, usually together with an "M" mark on its forehead. Tabbies are sometimes erroneously assumed to be a cat breed. In fact, the tabby pattern is found in many breeds of cat, as well as among the...
instead of a normal black cat
Black cat
A black cat is a feline with black fur. It is not a particular breed of cat and may be mixed or of a specific breed. The Bombay, known for its sleek black fur, is an example of a black cat. The all-black pigmentation is equally prevalent in both male and female cats...
which fails to sit on her broomstick without even trying to hold on. This prompts the form sneak and goody-two-shoes teacher's pet
Teacher's Pet
-Film:* Teacher's Pet , a 2004 animated musical based 2000 TV series* Teacher's Pet , a 1958 romantic comedy film* Teacher's Pet , a 1930 two-reel comedy short-Television:...
Ethel Hallow to taunt her about it. After losing her temper, Mildred turns Ethel into a pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
(though she did it under threats of a frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
transformation) whereupon Miss Hardbroom materializes in the courtyard and tells Mildred to take Ethel to the school library and reverse the spell. From then on, Mildred and Ethel become deadly enemies. In revenge for the pig transformation, Ethel curses a broom she was lending to Mildred for the Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
celebrations at an abandoned castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. This results in the broom turning bucking bronco-like and nearly throwing Mildred off. After furiously being set an interview with Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom, Mildred runs away where she comes across another witch that looks like Miss Cackle but is actually Miss Cackle's evil identical twin sister Agatha Cackle who is jealously trying to throw a mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
against her sister and take over the academy. In the nick of time, Mildred turns Agatha and her malevolent coven
Coven
A coven or covan is a name used to describe a gathering of witches or in some cases vampires. Due to the word's association with witches, a gathering of Wiccans, followers of the witchcraft-based neopagan religion of Wicca, is also described as a coven....
into snails and takes them back to the school, whereupon her interview is cancelled and she is made a heroine.
In The Worst Witch Strikes Again
The Worst Witch Strikes Again
The Worst Witch Strikes Again is the second novel in The Worst Witch series by Jill Murphy. The book was published in 1980 and features a new character, Enid Nightshade...
she is assigned by Miss Cackle to show the new girl, Enid Nightshade (played by Jessica Fox
Jessica Fox
Jessica Fox is an English actress. She is most notable for playing young witch Enid Nightshade in the CITV show The Worst Witch, whom she began playing in the late 1990s...
), around the school, much to the chargrin and disappointment of both Maud and Miss Hardbroom. Throughout the novel, Enid gets Mildred into trouble without owning up. In A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch
A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch
A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch is the third novel in The Worst Witch children's book series by Jill Murphy. It was preceded by The Worst Witch Strikes Again and was succeeded by The Worst Witch All at Sea...
she is turned into a frog by Ethel Hallow after telling her younger sister a pretend story about Miss Hardbroom turning a pupil into a frog after being two seconds late for a lesson. This is how she discovers Algernon Rowan-Webb. In The Worst Witch All at Sea
The Worst Witch All at Sea
The Worst Witch All at Sea is the fourth book in the Worst Witch children's book series by Jill Murphy. It is notable as the only novel that isn't set in Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, but by the sea instead. This book was published in 1993.- Plot :...
, after being given a normal black cat after Fenella Feverfew transferred to Miss Pentangle's Academy, Mildred disobeys orders and brings Tabby with her to Grim Cove. She also discovers a legendary treasure chest on Cat's Head Rock. In The Worst Witch Saves the Day
The Worst Witch Saves the Day
The Worst Witch Saves the Day is the fifth novel in The Worst Witch children's boom series by Jill Murphy. The book was published in 2005 and features Agatha Cackle disguised as new teacher, Miss Granite.- Plot :...
she once again saves the academy from the evil plots of Agatha Cackle who had sneaked into the school disguised as "Miss Granite". In The Worst Witch to the Rescue
The Worst Witch to the Rescue
The Worst Witch to the Rescue is the sixth book in The Worst Witch children's book series by Jill Murphy. The book was published in 2007 and features Ethel Hallow's only friend, Drusilla Paddock in a largely increased role since her brief cameo in The Worst Witch All at Sea.-Plot:Ethel Hallow is...
her holiday project is stolen by the treacherous and sneaky Ethel Hallow, who also gets her banned from Miss Mould's art lessons after being falsely accused of turning her pot into five rattlesnakes. However, Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom soon learn that Ethel was wrong after Mildred rescues her tortoise
Tortoise
Tortoises are a family of land-dwelling reptiles of the order of turtles . Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise...
from a pine tree after Drusilla Paddock hid him there under Ethel's orders.
Mildred Hubble in other media
In the 1986 TV movieThe Worst Witch (TV movie)
The Worst Witch premiered in 1986 on Central Independent Television and HBO. It is based on the children's book by Jill Murphy.-Plot:The film follows the plot of the 1974 book from the series, portraying the incidents of when Mildred turns herself invisible and transforms Ethel into a pig, Miss...
, Mildred was played by Return to Oz
Return to Oz
Return to Oz is a 1985 film which is an unofficial sequel to Victor Fleming's The Wizard of Oz. The film is based on the second and third Oz books, The Marvelous Land of Oz and Ozma of Oz...
star Fairuza Balk
Fairuza Balk
Fairuza Alejandra Balk is an American film actress. She made her theatrical film debut as Dorothy Gale in Disney's Return to Oz...
. It aired on both Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
and HBO.
In the TV series
The Worst Witch (TV series)
The Worst Witch is a British ITV television series about a group of young witches at a Magic Academy. The series stars Georgina Sherrington and Felicity Jones, and is based on The Worst Witch books by Jill Murphy. It aired for a total of 3 series between 1998 and 2001 before being followed by...
, Mildred was played by Georgina Sherrington
Georgina Sherrington
Georgina Sherrington is an actress best known for her portrayal of the character of Mildred Hubble in the children's series The Worst Witch , as well as the spin-off series Weirdsister College- The further Adventures of The Worst Witch , a British/Canadian co-production between ITV and TV Ontario,...
. She was also played by Sherrington in Weirdsister College
Weirdsister College
Weirdsister College is the sequel to successful British children's television series The Worst Witch . Weirdsister College ran for only 13 episodes and there have been no publicised talks for a returning series....
. Mildred made a brief appearance at the beginning of the first episode of The New Worst Witch
The New Worst Witch
The New Worst Witch is a British CITV television series about a group of young witches at a Witch Academy. It ran for 2 series from 2005-2006. The series was a spinoff from The Worst Witch which ran from 1998 to 2001....
as a successful witch escorting her equally-clumsy cousin Henrietta "Hettie" Hubble (played by Alice Connor
Alice Connor
Alice Rose Connor is a British actress, born in Buckinghamshire, England. She is best known for her roles in the television adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's novel The Illustrated Mum, in the children's television series The New Worst Witch , and in the film The Thief Lord as Hornet...
), to Cackle's Academy.
See also
- List of major characters in "The Worst Witch" series
- The Worst WitchThe Worst WitchThe Worst Witch is a series of children's novels written and illustrated by Jill Murphy and published by Puffin Books. The first book was published in 1974. They have become some of the most outstandingly successful titles on the Young Puffin paperback list and have sold more than 4 million copies....