The Wombles is getting a modern remake 50 years after original series

Based on the characters created by Elisabeth Beresford in her series of children’s novels that were published between 1968 and 1976, The Wombles originally aired between 1973 and 1975 with the late Bernard Cribbins providing voiceover.

It has since returned on a couple of occasions – first a reboot in the late '90s and then a short-lived CGI version that was intended for release in 2015 but was eventually cut short due to financial problems.

Now Deadline has reported that the new version is set to modernise the series, although precise details have not yet been made available.

During its heyday, The Wombles was known both for the variety of popular novelty songs it produced which made a splash in the UK charts – with the furry creatures scoring eight UK top 40 hits – and for the sustainable message at the show's core.

It followed the Wombles as they looked for creative ways to help the environment by recycling rubbish found on the streets of Wimbledon with the motto "make good use of bad rubbish", and so its message undoubtedly remains relevant in 2023.

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In addition to the group's leader Great Uncle Bulgaria, characters that featured in the original series included Tobermory, Madame Cholet, Orinoco and Wellington.

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