The Famous Five

[Luc]

Have you ever wondered what Enid Blyton's The Famous Five got up to after the last book or TV episode. You'll oon be able to find out, I got emailed this newspaper article from my grandmother in England and this is what is says.

TV series for 'adult' Famous Five

The Famous Five books have never been out of print

The Famous Five, Enid Blyton's literary childhood sleuths, are set to be "reimagined" as middle-aged grown-ups in a new TV drama for adults.

Julian, Dick, Anne, George - with a descendant of the original Timmy the dog - will be reunited 30 years after their original exploits.

The series is being developed by Blyton rights holder Chorion and production company Twofour.

Blyton wrote the Famous Five books between 1942 and 1963.

In the television series, the characters will be in their forties and drawn together to solve complex contemporary mysteries.

It is hoped it will appeal to people who grew up reading the Five's adventures.

'Fascinating'

A new Famous Five animated TV series, chronicling the Kirrin Island kids in a 21st century setting, is also currently in co-production with Disney.

It is set to be broadcast on Disney Channel in the UK in the spring of 2008.

Chorion owns and manages the copyright for Enid Blyton's work, and is also the long-time producer of ITV's Marple and Poirot series.

Phil Clymer, Chorion's director of TV and film, said: "The Famous Five obviously have an appeal that crosses generations.

"We thought, in addition to the new dynamic animated TV approach for the core audience of kids, that it would be a fascinating exercise to look at what might happen to the characters when they arrive at middle-age."

Twofour's head of drama Jo Wright added: "We felt that the idea of a grown-up Famous Five would appeal to many generations of readers in Britain and Europe.

"The characters will be looking back to a simpler time when their lives were stress-free and more enjoyable."

I was a fan of the 1996 series (which broadcast out her on ABC) and can't wait to see what has happened with the grup. I'm a bit wary of the Disney channel version, because i'm so used to the classics, but i'll just have to wait and see what it is like.

[bttb-rox!]

Thanks for posting that, Luc .

I read one of the 'Famous Five' books years ago ago and adored it, so it's great that there's going to be a TV drama made out of it! I'm suprised to hear that they're going to be grown-up. They were adventurous kids, in the books, so it'll be a real contrast. Anyway, it should be good .

[Drew]

I have a few episodes on tape used to love watching them... Is it going to be the original actors from the original series?

[Luc]

Maybe. They'd all be around 30-40 now, wouldn't they? I know Garuy Russel (who played Dick in 1978) said he was interested, and also Jennifer Thanisch (Anne) has been attatched (according to news my grandmother sent me).

[Luc]

A new animated TV series of the Famous Five will air in 2008. Famous 5: On the Case is set in modern times and features the children of the original Famous Five. These children are Max (the son of Julian), Dylan (son of Dick), Jo (daughter of George, a tomboy who, like her mother, prefers a shorter name to her given name Jyoti) and Allie (daughter of Anne).

TRAILER

Hunt for new "Famous Five" author as TV show starts

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Youngsters now have the chance to pen their own "Famous Five" novel, as one of the country's best known children's book series on Monday makes its television debut as a cartoon.

Almost seven decades after Enid Blyton created the child detectives, publishers of her popular novels announced they were hunting for a modern day version of the author.

They said they would give two youngsters the chance to write their own adventure, which will be turned into a limited edition book and audio podcast.

It is part of the Disney Channel's 21st Century makeover of the characters who are starring in a 26-part cartoon series, titled "Famous Five On the Case".

It begins screening in Britain for the first time on Monday.

The "lashings" of ginger beer and cream buns have gone, replaced with mobile phones, laptops, iPods and pizza, as the five teenagers follow in their parents' daring footsteps.

As the children of the original heroes Julian, Dick, Anne and George, the new adventurers set about catching fake environmentalists, rather than kidnappers and smugglers -- along with Timmy the dog.

Executives from Disney and Blyton's publisher, Hodder, said they were looking for "creativity, originality and success in capturing the spirit of adventure, mystery and friendship epitomised by the Famous Five".

"We want to inspire a new generation of Famous Five fans and to get them to tap into their creativity," the Disney Channel's head of global programming, Steve Aranguren, said in a statement.

The publisher of Hodder Children's books, Margaret Conroy, added: "The enduring popularity of the original Famous Five books is testament to the quality of the stories."

Critics have long branded her books sexist, racist and overly simplistic, but Blyton's stories are still hugely popular, selling more than 10 million copies a year, drawing readers into a bygone world of carefree kids and "beastly" grown-ups.

Blyton, who penned nearly 700 books ranging from The Famous Five and Secret Seven series to Noddy, was the best-selling English-language author of the 20th century and has sold about 400 million copies.

Jo, Max, Allie, Dylan and Timmy the Dog