BBC to bring the famous five to TV

Aunt Fanny - all his/her dreams come true

But if George was a real girl today, she probably would be non binary or trans. There aren't many tom boys anymore. So making a modern day version of the Famous Five, it would be unrealistic for George not to be non binary or trans.

Everything that made her "want to be a boy" then sadly is still around today, albeit in a slightly altered form. And "I want to be a boy" has only one interpretation these days.

Sorry but I see no reason why any of the characters cannot be people of colour and I would welcome this. This after all is a children's adventure story. It is not going to be an historically accurate drama.

Agreed, there is definitely a gap in the market for a ‘traditional’ children’s adventure story with a diverse cast, but FF doesn’t fit the brief, without changing it out of all recognition.

There was another similar mystery series written around the same time which was loads better and I'm trying to remember the author and series title....

It wasn’t the ‘Lone Pine’ series by Malcolm Savile, was it? It was set in Shropshire, I think, forever in my mind a place of adventure and brooding landscapes! (Note to self: must visit Shropshire sometime). I remember loving them!

If they're going to be fully inclusive, they also need to represent the transage community. Uncle Quentin should actually be 30 years younger than his own daughter, niece and nephews!

How could it possibly be more enlightened to say that "Of course girls can be like this/do these things too" as opposed to "Girls can't be like this or do these things, unless we re-classify them as boys"?

LESS enlightened, obviously!

The 1978 series is on Britbox/ITVx at the moment. There was also a series with Jemima Rooper as George from the 1990s though I can't see that streaming anywhere.

They're all - the 70s and the 90s series - on YouTube. I love them!

For all of Blyton's limitations and frequent one-dimensional writing, Michele Gallagher and then Jemima Rooper both played George very well as the character that she clearly was: a girl living in times when girls were denied a lot of the fun and opportunities that boys had, for no reason whatsoever, and she was obviously not willing to put up with that.

Why would we now want to seriously regress to a bunch of stereotypes, forcing children into narrow, uninclusive label-cages, when this was not even attempted way back in the 70s? How could it possibly be more enlightened to say that "Of course girls can be like this/do these things too" as opposed to "Girls can't be like this or do these things, unless we re-classify them as boys"?

Blyton herself exhibited a lot of what were probably seen as 'masculine' characteristics for her time in how she worked and lived her life - a soft, submissive, unworldly little housewife, she most certainly was not. But she never, ever for one moment claimed to be anything other than a woman.

Same here, as my name on here suggests. She was my hero, too. I also think it was very much of its time. Surely, there must be some 'realistically' written adventure stories for kids. If not, there is a gap in the market for a writer.
I would read it!

Timmy will be a 46 year old furry. If you complain about Five Go Wild for Pup-Play you'll end up on some BBC list.

*an unrepentant tomboy

George was my hero. I looked like the girl who played her on TV and was a unrepentant Tom boy.

I will be surprised if George isn't transed away. Plot twist will be if Anne is transed (mtf).

haha! Just realised I remember it too-

We are the Famous Five
Julian, Dick and Anne, George and Timmy the Do-o-og

Oh dear. I loved the Famous Five and always wanted to be George. I'm not gay or trans, just thought she was a strong and decent character. I think it was very much of its time though.

Perhaps Timmy will self-identify as a cat.

George’s mum, perhaps? I can just see it.

Wonder if Eddie Izzard will reassign himself to fit a part?

Timmy will be played by a child who identifies as a dog

Anything the BBC gets involved with nowadays will be ruined.

“I'm picturing a picnic with lashings and lashings of ginger beer under harsh neon lights where no-one speaks, followed by the graphic dismemberment of a main character.”
Brilliant! 😂😂

It won't be a remake of the original, it will be a reimagining, with very little sticking to the original, because it seems no one can do that in case it causes offence.

Oh dear George will be trans you watch.

I will wait with interest to see what you do with it. We are a mixed race family and Enid Blyton is quite popular in my Indian family as I know it is/was with many. I loved the books growing up. Sorry but I see no reason why any of the characters cannot be people of colour and I would welcome this. This after all is a children's adventure story. It is not going to be an historically accurate drama. The producers will have a lot more sense than to disappear down a TG rabbit hole. George can just be the active robust child she always has been and we will love her for it.

Yes loved the comic strip version! And I also remember the 1970s tv series, in fact I can still remember the theme tune.

They had better leave George alone. I was a short-haired tomboy and I loved George. First FF book I ever read was one where she and Timmy did a Horatio holding the bridge act in a tunnel, letting Julian and Dick help Anne escape the evil pursuers after Anne twisted her ankle (of course she did).

I'm not personally in a rage. More of an eye roll and tut from me.

Why is everyone getting in a rage about something that they don't know how will be presented

Oh god - you just know how this is going to go. It will be a tick box exercise in diversity, probably with a good dollop of mental health awareness thrown in for good measure. YY to George being trans - no girl these days can have short hair and play sports without being trans?