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Worzel Gummidge (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Worzel Gummidge is a children's television series, produced by Southern Television for ITV, based on the books by Barbara Euphan Todd
. Starting in 1979, the programme starred Jon Pertwee
in the title role and ran for four series in the UK until 1981. Channel 4 reprised the show in 1987 as Worzel Gummidge Down Under
, which was set in New Zealand.
for ITV
, written by Keith Waterhouse
and Willis Hall
, and starred former Doctor Who
actor Jon Pertwee
as Worzel and Una Stubbs
as Aunt Sally
, a life-size fairground doll and Worzel's femme fatale
.
This is a significant change from the original books, where Aunt Sally is indeed Worzel's aunt. The Crowman, who made Worzel and some of his other scarecrow friends, is played by Geoffrey Bayldon
better known for his starring role as the title character of Catweazle
.
Occasional guest appearances were made by big TV stars of the time and appeal to a family audience – Barbara Windsor
as Saucy Nancy, a ship's figurehead, Billy Connolly
as a Scottish piper scarecrow, Bill Maynard
as Sergeant Beetroot, Joan Sims
as Mrs Bloomsbury-Barton, the local aristocrat, and Lorraine Chase
as Dolly Clothes-peg, a shop window mannequin cum scarecrow.
Four series, totalling 30 episodes and one extended Christmas special, were made between 1979 and 1981, when Southern lost its franchise. The new franchise-holder, TVS
, did not renew the show (despite a massive press campaign led by the Daily Star) after a deal with HTV fell through. Pertwee and Stubbs also starred in the musical Worzel Gummidge in 1981 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre
. Jon Pertwee's final TV appearance as Worzel was in 1995, to celebrate 40 years of ITV
.
"Worzel's Song", sung by Jon Pertwee, was released at the height of the original series' popularity.
, King's Somborne
and Braishfield
; all of which are near Romsey
in Hampshire
. The 'Scatterbrook Farm' scenes were filmed at Pucknall in Braishfield; Michelmersh
was used for the scenes in the Scatterbrook barn. The "Ten Acre Field" scenes (including the opening and closing title sequences) were filmed on a hillside on the Braishfield Road out of Kings Somborne just past Parnholt Wood.
In the summer of 1980, during filming of the Christmas-special episode "A Cup o' Tea and a Slice o' Cake" in the town of Lymington
, sudden winds blew titanium dioxide
— which was being used to create the illusion of snow — over nearby homes, shops, and businesses. As a result, clothing was ruined, food stock had to be disposed of, and some businesses had to close early, landing Southern Television with a considerable bill for damages.
commissioned Worzel Gummidge Down Under
in 1987, which was shot on location in New Zealand
and ran for two series totaling a further 22 episodes. Only Pertwee and Stubbs remained from the original cast, with Bruce Phillips joining the cast as the Crowman (Geoffrey Bayldon declined to reprise the role, partly because he didn't want to be typecast in the part, but also because the move to New Zealand was not convenient for him) and Olivia Ihimaera-Smiler, daughter of prominent Māori author Witi Ihimaera
joining as one of the children. Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson
received an early credit for his work providing special effects for the series.
Series two of Worzel Gummidge Down Under was written by a rotation of New Zealand writers, while everything that had gone before was entirely the work of Waterhouse and Hall. Jon Pertwee was unhappy with the scripts for the sequel, which he stated did not have "the underlying morality" of the originals. Aunt Sally found herself a human companion in this new series, which infuriated Pertwee – he considered this beneath the series.
Michael Grade
, the newly appointed head of Channel 4
which co-financed the programme, ordered its cancellation when the New Zealand version of the show failed to catch the viewers imagination as before.
, mangel wurzel and swede heads; each suiting a particular occasion or allowing him to perform a certain task. He also had his own language, Worzelese. Worzel's catchphrases were: "A cup o’ tea an’ a slice o’ cake" "I'll be bum-swizzled" and "Bozzy MCoo". He was madly in love with Aunt Sally, a vain, cruel-hearted fairground coconut-shy
doll who considered herself a lady and far too good for a common scarecrow such as Worzel. Aunt Sally often exploits Worzel for her own ends (in one episode, she promises to marry him if he frees her from a junkshop washing machine, but she never has any intention of going through with it and jilts him at the altar).
The rationale for the move to New Zealand
in Down Under was that Aunt Sally is purchased by a visiting museum
curator
from New Zealand. At the airport, Worzel spots Aunt Sally going down the luggage chute and throws himself in after her.
A good deal of the show's entertainment value came from the interaction between Worzel and Sally, played with relish by Pertwee and Stubbs. Pertwee is virtually unrecognisable due to the make-up that was applied to him in a gruelling six hour process every day — and the audience is invited to cry along with Worzel as much as laugh at him. The character Worzel has often been referred to as "the tragi-comic scarecrow."
There was a notable inconsistency in Worzel's ability or inability to pronounce certain words. He would often struggle with "bonfire" or "compost heap" (though for perhaps understandable reasons), yet when he meets Aunt Sally he protests: "I ain't snivellin'! It's me rheumaticky eyes what's waterin'!"
Barbara Euphan Todd
Barbara Euphan Todd was a British writer, most notable for her children's books about the scarecrow Worzel Gummidge....
. Starting in 1979, the programme starred Jon Pertwee
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
in the title role and ran for four series in the UK until 1981. Channel 4 reprised the show in 1987 as Worzel Gummidge Down Under
Worzel Gummidge Down Under
Worzel Gummidge Down Under, adapted from the books written by Barbara Euphan Todd and the children's television programme produced and broadcasted in the United Kingdom named Worzel Gummidge, starring Jon Pertwee...
, which was set in New Zealand.
Outline
In 1979 a television adaptation of Worzel Gummidge was produced by Southern TelevisionSouthern Television
Southern Television was the first ITV broadcasting licence holder for the south and south-east of England from 30 August 1958 until the night of 31 December 1981. The company was launched as Southern Television Limited and the title Southern Television was consistently used on-air throughout its life...
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...
, written by Keith Waterhouse
Keith Waterhouse
Keith Spencer Waterhouse CBE was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and the writer of many television series.-Biography:Keith Waterhouse was born in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
and Willis Hall
Willis Hall
Willis Hall was an English playwright and radio and television writer who drew on his working class roots in Leeds for much of his writings....
, and starred former Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
actor Jon Pertwee
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
as Worzel and Una Stubbs
Una Stubbs
Una Stubbs is an English actress and former dancer who has appeared extensively on British television and in the theatre, and less frequently in films. She is particularly known for her roles in the sitcom Till Death Us Do Part and Aunt Sally in the children's series Worzel Gummidge.-Film and...
as Aunt Sally
Aunt Sally
thumb|right|312px|A drawing from the 1911 edition of Whiteley's General Catalogue.Aunt Sally is a traditional throwing game. The term is often used metaphorically to mean something that is a target for criticism...
, a life-size fairground doll and Worzel's femme fatale
Femme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
.
This is a significant change from the original books, where Aunt Sally is indeed Worzel's aunt. The Crowman, who made Worzel and some of his other scarecrow friends, is played by Geoffrey Bayldon
Geoffrey Bayldon
Geoffrey Bayldon is a British actor. After playing roles in many dramas including Shakespeare, he became known for portraying the title role of the children's series Catweazle , after turning down the opportunity to play both the First and Second Doctors in the long-running BBC science fiction...
better known for his starring role as the title character of Catweazle
Catweazle
Catweazle was a British television series, created and written by Richard Carpenter which was produced and directed by Quentin Lawrence for London Weekend Television under the LWI banner, and screened in the UK on ITV in 1970 and 1971...
.
Occasional guest appearances were made by big TV stars of the time and appeal to a family audience – Barbara Windsor
Barbara Windsor
Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
as Saucy Nancy, a ship's figurehead, Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
as a Scottish piper scarecrow, Bill Maynard
Bill Maynard
Walter Frederick George Williams , better known by the stage name Bill Maynard, is an English comedian and actor.-Early life and career:...
as Sergeant Beetroot, Joan Sims
Joan Sims
Joan Sims was an English actress best remembered for her roles in the Carry On films, and latterly for playing Madge Hardcastle in As Time Goes By.-Early life:...
as Mrs Bloomsbury-Barton, the local aristocrat, and Lorraine Chase
Lorraine Chase
Lorraine Chase is an English actress and model. She became well known for her strong cockney accent and frequent use of cockney slang, and found fame through a series of television commercials for Campari before embarking on an acting career.-Television:After initially working as a model, Chase...
as Dolly Clothes-peg, a shop window mannequin cum scarecrow.
Four series, totalling 30 episodes and one extended Christmas special, were made between 1979 and 1981, when Southern lost its franchise. The new franchise-holder, TVS
Television South
Television South was the ITV franchise holder in the south and south east of England between 1 January 1982 and 31 December 1992. The company operated under various names, initially as Television South plc and then following reorganisation in 1989 as TVS Entertainment plc, with its UK...
, did not renew the show (despite a massive press campaign led by the Daily Star) after a deal with HTV fell through. Pertwee and Stubbs also starred in the musical Worzel Gummidge in 1981 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre is a theatre and theatre company based on Centenary Square in Birmingham, England...
. Jon Pertwee's final TV appearance as Worzel was in 1995, to celebrate 40 years of 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...
.
"Worzel's Song", sung by Jon Pertwee, was released at the height of the original series' popularity.
Filming Locations
The main locations for filming were the villages of StockbridgeStockbridge, Hampshire
Stockbridge is a small town and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It has an acreage of and a population of little under 600 people according to the 2001 census in Hampshire, England. It lies on the River Test, in the Test Valley district and renowned for trout fishing. The A30 road goes through...
, King's Somborne
King's Somborne
King's Somborne is a village in Hampshire, England. The village lies on the edge of the valley of the River Test.-General information:The 'Sombornes' comprise the scattered village of King's Somborne, together with the hamlets of Little Somborne, Up Somborne, and Ashley.Between King's Somborne and...
and Braishfield
Braishfield
Braishfield is a village and civil parish north of Romsey in Hampshire, England. It has neither main roads nor railways, but is crossed by the Monarch's Way long-distance footpath...
; all of which are near Romsey
Romsey
Romsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England.It is 8 miles northwest of Southampton and 11 miles southwest of Winchester, neighbouring the village of North Baddesley...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. The 'Scatterbrook Farm' scenes were filmed at Pucknall in Braishfield; Michelmersh
Michelmersh
Michelmersh is a small, scattered village in Hampshire, England some three miles north of Romsey.It forms a civil parish with Timsbury that forms part of the Test Valley district....
was used for the scenes in the Scatterbrook barn. The "Ten Acre Field" scenes (including the opening and closing title sequences) were filmed on a hillside on the Braishfield Road out of Kings Somborne just past Parnholt Wood.
In the summer of 1980, during filming of the Christmas-special episode "A Cup o' Tea and a Slice o' Cake" in the town of Lymington
Lymington
Lymington is a port on the west bank of the Lymington River on the Solent, in the New Forest district of Hampshire, England. It is to the east of the South East Dorset conurbation, and faces Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight which is connected to it by a car ferry, operated by Wightlink. The town...
, sudden winds blew titanium dioxide
Titanium dioxide
Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium oxide or titania, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium, chemical formula . When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white, Pigment White 6, or CI 77891. Generally it comes in two different forms, rutile and anatase. It has a wide range of...
— which was being used to create the illusion of snow — over nearby homes, shops, and businesses. As a result, clothing was ruined, food stock had to be disposed of, and some businesses had to close early, landing Southern Television with a considerable bill for damages.
New Zealand
The programme remained in limbo until Television New ZealandTelevision New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
commissioned Worzel Gummidge Down Under
Worzel Gummidge Down Under
Worzel Gummidge Down Under, adapted from the books written by Barbara Euphan Todd and the children's television programme produced and broadcasted in the United Kingdom named Worzel Gummidge, starring Jon Pertwee...
in 1987, which was shot on location in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and ran for two series totaling a further 22 episodes. Only Pertwee and Stubbs remained from the original cast, with Bruce Phillips joining the cast as the Crowman (Geoffrey Bayldon declined to reprise the role, partly because he didn't want to be typecast in the part, but also because the move to New Zealand was not convenient for him) and Olivia Ihimaera-Smiler, daughter of prominent Māori author Witi Ihimaera
Witi Ihimaera
Witi Tame Ihimaera-Smiler, DCNZM, QSM , generally known as Witi Ihimaera , is a New Zealand author, and is often regarded as one of the most prominent Māori writers alive.-Biography:...
joining as one of the children. Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
received an early credit for his work providing special effects for the series.
Series two of Worzel Gummidge Down Under was written by a rotation of New Zealand writers, while everything that had gone before was entirely the work of Waterhouse and Hall. Jon Pertwee was unhappy with the scripts for the sequel, which he stated did not have "the underlying morality" of the originals. Aunt Sally found herself a human companion in this new series, which infuriated Pertwee – he considered this beneath the series.
Michael Grade
Michael Grade
Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth CBE is a British broadcast executive and businessman. He was BBC chairman from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV plc from 2007 to 2009.-Early life:...
, the newly appointed head of Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
which co-financed the programme, ordered its cancellation when the New Zealand version of the show failed to catch the viewers imagination as before.
Storyline
Worzel Gummidge was a scarecrow that could come to life. Living in Ten Acre Field, he would often visit the nearby village of Scatterbrook. He befriended two children, brother and sister John and Sue Peters, often trying to clear up the messes he created. Worzel had a collection of interchangeable turnipTurnip
The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock...
, mangel wurzel and swede heads; each suiting a particular occasion or allowing him to perform a certain task. He also had his own language, Worzelese. Worzel's catchphrases were: "A cup o’ tea an’ a slice o’ cake" "I'll be bum-swizzled" and "Bozzy MCoo". He was madly in love with Aunt Sally, a vain, cruel-hearted fairground coconut-shy
Coconut shy
A coconut shy is a traditional game, originally known as 'The love grove alley', frequently found as a sidestall at funfairs and fêtes. The game consists of throwing wooden balls at a row of coconuts balanced on posts. Typically a player buys three balls and wins each coconut successfully dislodged...
doll who considered herself a lady and far too good for a common scarecrow such as Worzel. Aunt Sally often exploits Worzel for her own ends (in one episode, she promises to marry him if he frees her from a junkshop washing machine, but she never has any intention of going through with it and jilts him at the altar).
The rationale for the move to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in Down Under was that Aunt Sally is purchased by a visiting museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
from New Zealand. At the airport, Worzel spots Aunt Sally going down the luggage chute and throws himself in after her.
A good deal of the show's entertainment value came from the interaction between Worzel and Sally, played with relish by Pertwee and Stubbs. Pertwee is virtually unrecognisable due to the make-up that was applied to him in a gruelling six hour process every day — and the audience is invited to cry along with Worzel as much as laugh at him. The character Worzel has often been referred to as "the tragi-comic scarecrow."
There was a notable inconsistency in Worzel's ability or inability to pronounce certain words. He would often struggle with "bonfire" or "compost heap" (though for perhaps understandable reasons), yet when he meets Aunt Sally he protests: "I ain't snivellin'! It's me rheumaticky eyes what's waterin'!"
Cast
- Jon PertweeJon PertweeJohn Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
… Worzel Gummidge - Una StubbsUna StubbsUna Stubbs is an English actress and former dancer who has appeared extensively on British television and in the theatre, and less frequently in films. She is particularly known for her roles in the sitcom Till Death Us Do Part and Aunt Sally in the children's series Worzel Gummidge.-Film and...
… Aunt Sally - Geoffrey BayldonGeoffrey BayldonGeoffrey Bayldon is a British actor. After playing roles in many dramas including Shakespeare, he became known for portraying the title role of the children's series Catweazle , after turning down the opportunity to play both the First and Second Doctors in the long-running BBC science fiction...
… The Crowman - Jeremy Austin … John
- Charlotte ColemanCharlotte ColemanCharlotte 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...
… Sue - Mike Berry … Mr Peters
- Bill MaynardBill MaynardWalter Frederick George Williams , better known by the stage name Bill Maynard, is an English comedian and actor.-Early life and career:...
… Sergeant Beetroot - Wayne Norman … Pickles Brambles
- Norman BirdNorman BirdNorman Bird was a British character actor. Often sporting a moustache and an air of worried resignation, he seemed to specialise in downtrodden roles...
… Mr Braithwaite - Megs JenkinsMegs JenkinsMuguette Mary "Megs" Jenkins was an English character actress who appeared in British films and television programmes.-Life and career:...
… Mrs Braithwaite (series 1–3) - Joan SimsJoan SimsJoan Sims was an English actress best remembered for her roles in the Carry On films, and latterly for playing Madge Hardcastle in As Time Goes By.-Early life:...
… Mrs Bloomsbury-Barton (series 1–2) - Sarah Thomas … Enid Simmons (series 1-3)
- Michael RipperMichael RipperMichael Ripper was an English character actor born in Portsmouth.He began his film career in quota quickies in the 1930s and until the late 1950s was virtually unknown; he was seldom credited. He played one of the two murderers in Richard III. Ripper became a mainstay in Hammer Film Productions...
… Mr Shepherd - Barbara WindsorBarbara WindsorBarbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....
… Saucy Nancy - Lorraine ChaseLorraine ChaseLorraine Chase is an English actress and model. She became well known for her strong cockney accent and frequent use of cockney slang, and found fame through a series of television commercials for Campari before embarking on an acting career.-Television:After initially working as a model, Chase...
… Dolly Clothes-Peg (series 3–4) - Billy ConnollyBilly ConnollyWilliam "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
… Bogle McNeep (#3.9) - Bernard CribbinsBernard CribbinsBernard Cribbins, OBE is an English character actor, voice-over artist and musical comedian with a career spanning over half a century who came to prominence in films in the 1960s, has been in work consistently since his professional debut in the mid 1950s, and as of 2010 is still an active...
… Jolly Jack (series 4) - Thorley WaltersThorley WaltersThorley Walters was an English character actor.He is probably best remembered for his comedy film roles such as in Two-Way Stretch and Carlton-Browne of the FO...
… Colonel Bloodstock (series 3) - Alex ScottAlex ScottThe Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, or ALSF, is a US pediatric cancer charity founded by Alexandra "Alex" Scott.In 2000, Alex Scott wished to set up a lemonade stand to raise money for childhood cancer research. Her first lemonade stand was a success, raising over $2,000 and turned into an annual...
… Cobber Gummidge (series 2)
Series 1
- "Worzel's Washing Day" (25 February 1979)
- "A Home Fit for Scarecrows" (4 March 1979)
- "Aunt Sally" (11 March 1979)
- "The Crowman" (18 March 1979)
- "A Little Learning" (25 March 1979)
- "Worzel Pays a Visit" (1 April 1979)
- "The Scarecrow Hop" (8 April 1979)
Series 2
- "Worzel and the Saucy Nancy" (6 January 1980)
- "Worzel's Nephew" (13 January 1980)
- "A Fishy Tale" (20 January 1980)
- "The Trial of Worzel Gummidge" (27 January 1980)
- "Very Good Worzel" (3 February 1980)
- "Worzel in the Limelight" (10 February 1980)
- "Fire Drill" (17 February 1980)
- "The Scarecrow Wedding" (24 February 1980)
Series 3
- "Moving On" (1 November 1980)
- "Dolly Clothes-Peg" (8 November 1980)
- "A Fair Old Pullover" (15 November 1980)
- "Worzel the Brave" (22 November 1980)
- "Worzel's Wager" (29 November 1980)
- "The Return of Dafthead" (6 December 1980)
- "Captain Worzel" (13 December 1980)
- "Choir Practice" (20 December 1980)
Christmas Special
- "A Cup o' Tea and a Slice o' Cake" (27 December 1980) unusually this two part special did not have the Worzel Gummidge title sequence, 'A Cup o' Tea and a Slice o' Cake' being its only on screen title followed by Starring Jon Pertwee as per the standard titles.
Series 4
- "Muvver's Day" (12 June 1981, Southern; 31 October 1981, LWT)
- "The Return of Dolly Clothes-Peg" (19 June 1981, Southern; 7 November 1981, LWT)
- "The Jumbly Sale" (26 June 1981, Southern; 14 November 1981, LWT)
- "Worzel in Revolt" (3 July 1981, Southern; 21 November 1981, LWT)
- "Will the Real Aunt Sally…?" (10 July 1981, Southern; 28 November 1981, LWT)
- "The Golden Hind" (17 July 1981, Southern; 5 December 1981, LWT)
- "Worzel's Birthday" (31 July 1981, Southern; 12 December 1981, LWT)
In popular culture
- In the early 1980s, British Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
leader Michael FootMichael FootMichael Mackintosh Foot, FRSL, PC was a British Labour Party politician, journalist and author, who was a Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1955 and from 1960 until 1992...
was satirically compared to Worzel Gummidge as a criticism of his allegedly unkempt appearance.
DVD releases
- Worzel Gummidge Box Set - Series 1 - 4 and Christmas Special - Region 4 (Australia & New Zealand)
- Worzel Gummidge Complete - Series 1 - 4, Christmas Special and Down Under - Region 2 (UK)