The Worst Witch is a popular children's book series written by Jill Murphy. The first book was published in 1974, and it has since become a beloved franchise, including television adaptations and a stage musical. One of the most notable adaptations was the 1998 TV series, which featured an all-new cast. In the 1998 version of The Worst Witch, Georgina Sherrington portrayed the main character, Mildred Hubble. Sherrington's portrayal of Mildred captured the character's clumsiness and kind-hearted nature. She brought a sense of authenticity to the role and was widely praised for her performance.

The original cast of ITV's The Worst Witch: where are they now?

From Miss Cackle's Academy to Hollyoaks and a galaxy far far away, what happened to Mildred Hubble & co?

The Worst Witch made Mildred Hubble a firm CITV favourite in the late 1990s, when it aired for a total of 40 episodes over three series between 1998 and 2001.

The show even inspired a spin-off, Weirdsister College, which followed Mildred and Ethel to university.

Now the series is set for a CBBC reboot featuring a whole host of new young witches, but what happened to the original girls?

Georgina Sherrington – Mildred Hubble

The Worst Witch herself, Miss Hubble aka Georgina graduated from Wimbledon High School and went on to study at Princeton University in the USA. She starred in sequel Weirdsister College and even popped up in another spin-off series The New Worst Witch, which saw Mildred's cousin heading to Miss Cackle's Academy.

Sherrington joined Princeton's Shakespeare Company while at university, acting in and directing a number of productions during her time there. She's also starred in several short films and is due to feature in upcoming action/fantasy film Welcome To Purgatory

Emma Brown – Maud Moonshine

Mildred probably wouldn't have survived school without her pal Maud – perhaps that's why Georgina Sherrington was so excited to reunite with her old pal 18 years after the show's debut.

Brown didn't stick with acting when her days at Cackle's were over though, so chances are you won't have seen her on screen since.

The Worst Witch on CITV: Where are they now? Georgina Sherrington, Felicity Jones and more

It was Harry Potter before Harry Potter became an international juggernaut, and now Jill Murphy's beloved children's book The Worst Witch is getting a reboot on the BBC.

The Worst Witch made everyone wish they could attend Miss Cackle's school of magic and be best mates with Mildred Hubble and the gang. It was already a cult TV movie in 1986 with Tim Curry and Diana Rigg, but what happened to the cast of the classic CITV series?

One of them is an Oscar nominee, one is a soap queen, and one became Sherlock's landlady. So open your book of spells and cast your mind back to 1998…

1. GEORGINA SHERRINGTON (MILDRED HUBBLE)

Georgina was the Cackle OG when playing lead character Mildred with the ace plaits, and she later starred in its sequel Weirdsister College. What do you mean you don't remember it? It was like Saved By the Bell: The College Years and ran for one series in 2001.

She returned as Mildred again in the premiere of The New Worst Witch in 2005, which ran for two series (but we'll get on to that another time). Proving she's even smarter than Mildred, she graduated from Princeton University in 2008 and now works as a consultant business coordinator for BBC comedy.

She does still dabble in acting though, and will appear in Dark Ascension this year alongside Brian Blessed and Bruce Campbell.

2. FELICITY JONES (ETHEL HALLOW)

Easily the biggest success story from the Worst Witch alumni. She only appeared in the first series, but she did reunite with Georgina in Weirdsister College.

After roles in Doctor Who and The Diary of Anne Frank, she became a serious Hollywood player thanks to parts in Cemetery Junction with Ricky Gervais, The Tempest, Chalet Girl and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Her performance as Jane Wilde Hawking in The Theory of Everything won her an Oscar nomination in 2015, and she will soon star in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Ethel has had quite the journey.

3. KATY ALLEN (ETHEL HARLOW)

After Felicity left, Katy took over the role of Ethel for the next two series, but was cruelly swapped again for Weirdsister. They were essentially the equivalents of Daniella Westbrook vs Kim Medcalf in EastEnders.

Since the series, Katy has graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Art in Los Angeles, and had roles in Casualty and EastEnders: E20. She's focused more on theatre in recent years, and has appeared in Great Expectations on the West End.

4. JESSICA FOX (ENID NIGHTSHADE)

Long before she would forever be known as Hollyoaks staple Nancy Osborne, Jessica played jokester Enid. Though, she still has the same fringe.

After TWW, Jessica also played Belle in Crossroads before joining Hollyoaks in 2005. Poor Nancy has had to deal with pretty much every harrowing storyline a soap could throw at her, but she's still around, despite Gloved Hand Killers and exploding pubs.

Little factoid: did you know Jessica provided the voice of the spooky Ghost of Christmas Past in The Muppet Christmas Carol? You do now.

5. EMMA BROWN (MAUD MOONSHINE)

Lovely Maud was definitely one of the fan favourite characters from the series as she helped best friend Mildred on her adventures.

Emma quit acting after The Worst Witch and hasn't appeared in anything since. She is now married with two children, but still keeps contact with some of her old castmates.

6. HOLLY RIVERS (DRUSILLA PADDOCK)

Yes, that really is Drusilla. Holly has done all sorts since playing awkward Drusilla. She still acts, but also works as a TV presenter and a punk model. She's also a member of all-girl choir Gaggle according to her website.

Her Spotlight page shows she has appeared in many stage productions in Wales in recent years. She is also an experienced children's storyteller and drama facilitator, and plays the ukulele.

7. JOANNA DYCE (RUBY CHERRYTREE)

After TWW, Joanna appeared in an episode of Doctors in 2003, but has since left the acting world behind to become a dancer and choreographer.

She has performed with the likes of Girls Aloud, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Taylor Swift and even Cliff Richard. She has appeared as a backing dancer on both The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing, and more recently was one of the leading choreographers for the Thriller Live stage show.

8. UNA STUBBS (MISS BAT)

Already a household name thanks to Til Death Us Do Part, Worzel Gummidge and hanging with Cliff Richard in Summer Holiday, Una played the somewhat ditzy chanting teacher at Cackle's for the first two series.

Since then, she's probably best known for playing landlady Mrs Hudson in Sherlock opposite Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman since 2010. She also had a mini arc in EastEnders as Caroline Bishop in 2006 and has popped up in Call the Midwife, Marple and The Catherine Tate Show among others.

9. CLARE COULTER (AMELIA CACKLE)

The Headmistress of Cackle's Academy – she was essentially the Dumbledore of the series. Canadian Clare was already an acting veteran, having appeared in Due South among others projects before TWW debuted.

She returned as the same character for The New Worst Witch in 2005, but has moved back to Canada in recent years. She appeared in the acclaimed 2006 movie Away From Her with Julie Christie, and also featured as Sister Agnes in several episodes of US sci-fi drama Helix.

10. KATE DUCHENE (CONSTANCE HARDBROOM)

Meet the baddie of the series – Miss Hardbroom made the most of her name by terrifying all the would-be witches throughout the series.

Kate returned for the first episode of Weirdsister College, but didn't come back for The New Worst Witch. She has since had roles in Casualty, Foyle's War, Family Affairs, 2009 film An Education and had a lead role in 2005 ITV drama Afterlife opposite Andrew Lincoln. She continues to work with the National Theatre.

11. CLAIRE PORTER (IMOGEN DRILL)

Appearing in all three series as PE teacher Miss Drill (with a name like that, what did you expect), Claire has mostly appeared in theatre productions since then.

More recently, she did pop up in an episode of Doctors last year, and staged her own solo show Beth 10 years ago.

12. POLLY JAMES (LAVINIA CROTCHET)

Polly was already a TV icon as one of the leads in The Liver Birds, and also had memorable roles in Coronation Street, Doctor Who and various West End musicals.

After Una Stubbs left in series two, Polly arrived as the replacement Chanting teacher, but she did not return for the follow-up shows. Polly has not appeared on TV or film since TWW ended, and has worked as a performance coach since 2013.

13. JAY BARUCHEL (BEAN POLE)

Yep, this really did happen. And yes, boys did appear every now and then. Hollywood star Jay Baruchel appeared in a single episode of The Worst Witch in 1998.

The episode saw Mildred and her friends bump into a group of Canadian boy scouts, like you do. Since then, Jay has become quite the star – appearing in everything from Almost Famous, Million Dollar Baby, Knocked Up, Tropic Thunder and RoboCop.

He is probably best known for voicing main character Hiccup in the How To Train Your Dragon series and for roles in The Sorcerer's Apprentice and 2010 romcom She's Out Of My League. He also co-wrote the underrated Goon the following year.

The worst witch cast 1998

40 × 25m episodes
October 1998 - January 2001
CITV ~ YTV ~ HBO

PRIMARY CAST
Georgina Sherrington (Mildred Hubble); Clare Coulter (Miss Cackle); Kate Duchène (Miss Hardbroom); Una Stubbs (Miss Bat) -s.1&2; Polly James (Miss Crotchet) -s.3; Felicity Jones -s.1 / Katy Allen -s.2&3 (Ethel Hallow); Emma Brown (Maud Moonshine); Jessica Fox (Enid Nightshade); Joanna Dyce (Ruby Cherrytree); Harshna Brahmbhatt (Jadu Wali); Holly Rivers (Drucilla Paddock); Claire Porter (Miss Drill)

Based on the 'The Worst Witch' books by Jill Murphy

SYNOPSIS
Comedy drama series set in a school for trainee witches.
NOTE: This series began at least five years after CITV was last any good at either making or broadcasting anything. It is therefore a co-production, in this case with a brace of Canadian companies. As a consequence, although it is British by nature, the majority of financing comes from, and the premiere broadcast takes place in, Canada. TX dates given in this guide, unless indicated otherwise, are for the British airing on CITV.


EPISODE GUIDE

Season One (1998)
( 13 x 25 min Episodes )

1.01 The Battle of the Broomsticks
Mildred Hubble makes a flying start at Miss Cackle's academy for trainee witches.
tx 22 October 1998 written by Martin Riley

1.02 When We Feast at the Midnight Hour
Mildred disocvers the kitchen, organises a midnight feast and lays to rest the hungry ghost of Cackle's Academy.
tx 29 October 1998

1.03 A Pig in a Poke
Something surprising happens in Mildred's kitchen. Ethel behaves like a real pig, and Charlie Blossom nearly makes an ass of himself.
tx 05 November 1998

1.04 A Mean Halloween
Mildred brings shame upon the whole of Miss Cackel's Academy just before the big Halloween celebration when she fails the exam that tests pupils on their knowledge of potions.
tx 12 November 1998

1.05 Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
Mildred finds herself temporarily rooted to the spot but, with the help of Miss Drill and Maud Moonshine, she still manages to save the school from invasion.
tx 19 November 1998

1.06 Monkey Business
A new girl arrives at Cackle's Academy and Mildred's firm friendship with Maud is put to the test.
tx 26 November 1998

1.07 Miss Cackle's Birthday Surprise
Mildred and Enid fly to freedom, perform a party turn and land on their feet again.
tx 03 December 1998

1.08 The Great Oudoors
The half-term camping holiday is meant to be a strictly "no magic" occasion, but events dictate that this rule will have to be broken.
tx 10 December 1998

1.09 The Heat is On
Mildred and her class succumb to the summer's heat, while Miss Bat goes into hibernation.
tx 17 December 1998 written by Martin Riley

1.10 Sorcery and Chips
Mildred and her pals come to the conclusion that modern technology is not all it's cracked up to be.
tx 07 January 1999 written by Martin Riley

1.11 Let Them Eat Cake
Mildred and her pals overhear a plot which threatens the school.
tx 14 January 1999 written by Martin Riley & Jeremy Swan

1.12 Sweet Talking Guys
A visit from the Grand Wizard and three trainee wizards puts Mildred in a fluster.
tx 21 January 1999 written by Martin Riley

1.13 A Bolt from the Blue
Mildred once again shows that the worst witch in the school can also be the best.
tx 28 January 1999 written by Garry Lyons


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Season Two (1999)
(13 x 25 min Episodes )

2.01 Old Hats and New Brooms
Mildred Hubble arrives for her second year at Cackle's Academy for Witches - and immediately finds herself in trouble.
tx 04 November 1999 written by Martin Riley

2.02 Alarms and Diversions
The newly installed alarm system proves unreliable. When a genuine emergency occurs, Mildred Hubble rises to the occasion, helped by an over-active spell.
tx 11 November 1999 written by Garry Lyons

2.03 It's a Frog's Life
Mildred is turned into a frog and meets another frog - a wizard who was enchanted so long ago he cannot remember his own name.
tx 18 November 1999 written by Garry Lyons
guest starring Paul Copley (Algernon)

2.04 Crumpets For Tea
Mildred tricks Drusilla in order to attend Chief Wizard Hellibore's masterclass and persuade him to release Algernon Rowan-Webb from his enchantment.
tx 25 November 1999 written by Garry Lyons
guest starring Richard Durden (Hellibore); Paul Copley (Algernon)

2.05 The Inspector Calls
When a school inspector arrives at Cackle's Academy, she is not impressed by what she finds. However, Sybil Hallow casts a dramatic spell which saves the school from closure.
tx 02 December 1999 written by Garry Lyons
guest starring Janet Henfrey (Hecketty); Charlotte Knowles (Sybil Hallow)

2.06 Animal Magic
Mildred and Merlin rescue Algernon Rowan-Webb after his spell-casting goes wrong.
tx 09 December 1999 written by Martin Riley
guest starring Annette Badland (Mrs Tapioca); Paul Copley (Algernon); Guy Witcher (Merlin Langstaff)

2.07 Carried Away
Mildred ignores an order and puts her cat and Miss Hardbroom in danger.
tx 16 December 1999 written by Martin Riley
guest starring Paul Copley (Algernon); Guy Witcher (Merlin Langstaff); Harshna Brahmbhatt (Jadu Wali)

2.08 The Dragon's Hoard
Mildred rescues Miss Hardbroom from plunging down the rapids, but while she does so Merlin accidentally lets a Dragon Lord free from captivity.
tx 23 December 1999 written by Martin Riley

2.09 The Genius of the Lamp
Sybil manufactures a magic lamp - with near disastrous consequences.
tx 06 January 2000 written by Martin Riley
guest starring Flaminia Cinque (Mrs Semolina); Julia Malewski (Fenella); Poppy Gaye (Griselda); Georgia Isla Graham (Clarice)

2.10 Up in the Air
Mildred uses her magic to help the caretaker's nephew, Charlie, join Cackle's as a pupil.
tx 13 January 2000 written by Garry Lyons
guest starring Nicholas Pepper (Charlie); Berwick Kaler (Frank Blossom)

2.11 Fair is Foul and Fouls are Fair
Miss Drill introduces the girls to basketball but when she organises a "friendly" match things don't go as planned.
tx 20 January 2000 written by David Finley
guest starring Berwick Kaler (Frank Blossom); Harshna Nrahmbhatt (Jadu Wall); Candace Hallinan (Deborah); Michelle Ryan (Dolores)

2.12 Green Fingers and Thumbs
Frank faces an unscrupulous rival in the gardening contest.
tx 27 January 2000 written by Clive Endersby
guest starring Berwick Kaler (Frank Blossom)

2.13 The Millennium Bug
Pop star Amanda Honeydew wants to buy the castle and turn it into a theme park, spurring Miss Hardbroom to resign in protest.
tx 03 February 2000 written by Martin Riley
guest starring Patrick Pearson (Mr Hallow); Tina Hall (Amanda Honeydew)


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Season Three (2000)
( 14 x 25 min Episodes )

3.01 Secret Society
Mildred Hubble returns for her third year at Cackle's Academy for Witches. As usual, things do not go according to plan.
UK tx 09 November 2000 (YTV tx 28 October 2000) written by Garry Lyons

3.02 An Unforgettable Experience
Mildred and Maud are sent on work experience to a cafe and learn more than they need to know about the restaurant business.
UK tx 16 November 2000 (YTV tx 04 November 2000)

3.03 Which Witch is Which?
Ruby uses her appliance of science to unlock the secrets of the past but disaster very nearly ensues and it is only thanks to Mildred's quick thinking that the castle is saved.
UK tx 23 November 2000 (YTV tx 11 November 2000)

3.04 The Witchy Hour
The girls of Cackle's Academy take part in a radio quiz against the dreaded Pentangle's School. Miss Hardbroom refuses to have anything to do with it, but in the end she saves the Academy from humiliation.
UK tx 30 November 2000 (YTV tx 18 November 2000)

3.05 Learning the Hard Way
Miss Cackle's young niece, Gabrielle Gribble, comes to the Academy for teaching practice and Mildred Hubble and her friends teach her far more than she ever learned at Witch Training College.
UK tx 07 December 2000 (YTV tx 25 November 2000)

3.06 The Hair Witch Project
It is time for the dreaded Third Year witch project. Nerves are frayed and unlikely partnerships forged. The final demonstration in the Great Hall nearly ends in disaster, but all the girls work together to make the day memorable.
UK tx 14 December 2000 (YTV tx 02 December 2000)

3.07 Just Like Clockwork
Mistress Heckety Broomhead makes a return visit to Cackle's Academy to take over while Miss Cackle goes to look after her sick aunt, but her insistence on rigid time-keeping proves to be her undoing.
UK tx 21 December 2000 (YTV tx 09 December 2000)

3.08 Art Wars
Mildred discovers that there is something which she is not worst at - drawing. Ethel, however, who can't bear the thought of anybody being better than her at anything, is determined to thwart Mildred.
UK tx 19 January 2001 (YTV tx 16 December 2000)

3.09 Power Drill
The girls decide to cheer up Miss Drill by making her a potion granting her temporary witchly powers. Unfortunately they overdo the mixture, transforming their PE teacher into a witch who gives everyone a run for their money.
UK tx 22 January 2001 (YTV tx 30 December 2000)

3.10 Better Dead Than Co-Ed
The rumour of a merger between Cackle's Academy and Camelot College makes Mildred and her friends devise a plan to change Miss Cackle's mind.
UK tx 23 January 2001 (YTV tx 03 January 2001)

3.11 The Lost Chord
Miss Crochet is flattered by the admiration she receives from Professor Von Raffenberg, who claims to be an international conductor of music. However all is not what it seems.
UK tx 24 January 2001 (YTV tx 10 January 2001)

3.12 The Unfairground
A crackdown on discipline leads to a revolt amongst the third years. The start of an underground newspaper and campaigning for student rights results in dire consequences for Mildred and Jadu.
UK tx 25 January 2001 (YTV tx 17 January 2001)

3.13 The Uninvited
Mildred and Jadu are suspended and are to be withdrawn from the Academy at the end of term. The future seems bleak until Mildred's new-found artistic talents save the day.
UK tx 26 January 2001 (YTV tx 24 January 2001)

Christmas Special (2000)

S.01 Cinderella in Boots
Cackle's Academy is staging a pantomime for the Christmas season and, needless to say, there is as much drama offstage as there is on, and only with the help of a certain amount of magic does the whole production end as it should with Cinderella getting her prince.
UK tx 24 December 2000 (YTV tx 20 December 2000)

Worst Witch Screen Grabs:
[ CP16 Worst Witch Screen Grabs ]
( Approx. 160 pics )

She brought a sense of authenticity to the role and was widely praised for her performance. Other notable cast members included Felicity Jones as Ethel Hallow, Emma Brown as Maud Moonshine, and Clare Coulter as Miss Cackle. The ensemble cast worked well together and brought the beloved characters from the books to life on the small screen.

The 1998 TV adaptation of The Worst Witch was praised for its faithfulness to the original source material. The show stayed true to the spirit of the books and captured the whimsical and magical world that Jill Murphy created. The cast's performances were a highlight of the series, making it a memorable and enjoyable watch for both fans of the books and newcomers alike. Overall, the 1998 cast of The Worst Witch brought the characters to life in a way that delighted audiences. With their talented performances and dedication to the original material, they created a memorable adaptation of a beloved children's book series. The show continues to have a dedicated fan base to this day, thanks in large part to the wonderful cast and their performances..

Reviews for "The Worst Witch Cast 1998: A Journey Through the Series' Memorable Moments"

1. Jessica - 1 star

I was really disappointed with "The Worst Witch cast 1998". The acting was terrible, and it felt like the characters had no chemistry with each other. The special effects were also really low-budget and looked ridiculous. I expected so much more from this show, especially since it had a cult following, but it just fell flat for me. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

2. Mark - 2 stars

"The Worst Witch cast 1998" was a major letdown for me. The plot was weak and didn't hold my interest at all. The writing felt lazy and lacked any real depth. The show tried to be funny, but the jokes often fell flat and felt forced. I also found the characters to be annoying and unlikable. Overall, it was a forgettable and poorly executed adaptation of a beloved story.

3. Emily - 2 stars

As a fan of the original "Worst Witch" books, I was excited to watch "The Worst Witch cast 1998", but it didn't live up to my expectations. The casting choices were questionable, and some of the actors seemed miscast for their roles. The production quality was also subpar, with cheap sets and lackluster costumes. The show lacked the magical charm and whimsy that made the books so enjoyable. I would recommend sticking to the books instead of wasting time on this lackluster adaptation.

4. Steven - 1 star

"The Worst Witch cast 1998" was a complete disaster. The acting was wooden and lacked any real emotion. The dialogue was cheesy and cringe-inducing. The pacing was all over the place, making it hard to follow the story. It seemed like the production team didn't put much effort into making this show enjoyable. Overall, it was a painful experience to watch, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

The Worst Witch Cast 1998: From Coven to Stardom