80s BBC fantasy series returning to screens 40 years after airing

A beloved BBC phantasy play that aired successful the 80s volition beryllium returning to screens this Christmas.

Based connected John Masefield’s 1935 children’s caller The Box of Delights, the TV adaptation aired successful November and December 1984 and quickly became a festive favourite.

It followed schoolboy Kay Harker (Devin Stanfield) who erstwhile returning from boarding school for Christmas successful 1934 finds himself successful the mediate of a conflict to get a magical box.

Meeting the existent proprietor of the box, a antheral called Cole Hawlings (Patrick Troughton) astatine a railway station, the brace click and Cole past confides successful the young lad that helium is being pursued by magician Abner Brown (Robert Stephens) and his gang, which besides includes Kay’s erstwhile governess.

Among its powers, the container allows the proprietor to shrink successful size, shapeshift, fly, and question to the past, with Abner and his pack wanting to bargain the container and usage it for evil purposes.

After Cole entrusts the container to Kay, helium goes connected to acquisition adventures crossed time, gathering figures similar King Arthur, Roman soldiers and Father Christmas, portion trying to support the invaluable item.

At the clip the bid was the astir costly children’s amusement the BBC had ever made, with £1 cardinal spent connected the six episodes.

Widely acclaimed, it won respective Bafta awards, with respective related to its peculiar effects.

It’s present been announced the bid volition beryllium airing again adjacent month, 40 years aft it archetypal deed screens.

The screening of the archetypal occurrence volition besides statesman with a caller instauration from manager Renny Rye.

Upon proceeding the amusement would surface again, galore fans expressed their delight.

‘Excellent news! That’s immoderate of my Christmas viewing sorted then…’ Vince posted connected X.

‘Splendiferous! The Box of Delights is simply a magical Christmas story! Classic! It should beryllium connected the BBC each Christmas! The wolves are running!’ Ryan shared.

‘Excellent Film. Also work the book,’ Pauline added.

Despite the show’s monolithic budget, which Renny said ‘was unheard of astatine the clip for a children’s series’, determination were inactive questions astir however to propulsion disconnected immoderate of the much elaborate scenes.

‘I would conscionable inquire if we could spend to bash thing and if not, I’d find different way,’ helium told The Guardian successful 2022.

‘I retrieve speechmaking the publication for the archetypal episode, which includes Punch and Judy antheral Cole Hawlings riding into a coating and Kay landing successful a wolf-besieged Roman encampment connected a flying pony, and thinking, “OK, however bash we bash that?” These things conscionable weren’t imaginable successful those days, but the exertion was changing daily, and the BBC was gathering an electronics store we were allowed to use. I ended up spending astir six months successful there,’ helium explained.

Meanwhile Devin recalled putting himself guardant to stunts, insisting helium could thrust bareback contempt lone ever having been connected a equine ‘a fistful of times’.

After starring successful The Box of Delights helium auditioned for the pb relation successful Steven Spielberg’s 1988 movie Empire of the Sun but mislaid retired to Christian Bale.

He past decided to springiness up his acting vocation and alternatively present works down the camera arsenic a accumulation manager and method director.

The Box of Delights volition aerial connected Saturday December 7 astatine 7.10pm connected BBC Four.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a personage story, video oregon pictures get successful interaction with the Metro.co.uk amusement squad by emailing america celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 oregon by visiting our Submit Stuff leafage – we’d emotion to perceive from you.

MORE: BBC affluent database gets large shakeup arsenic apical earners Zoe Ball and Gary Lineker quit

MORE: Irritated BBC newsman storms retired of interrogation aft celebrity’s ‘lookalike’ stunt

MORE: EastEnders favourite was ‘relieved’ erstwhile hubby died arsenic she reflects connected past heartbreak