The Famous Five returns to BBC One and iPlayer this Easter, with a brand new story that has been billed as a "cross-country thriller". It's not an adaptation of one of Enid Blyton's original Famous Five stories although it is based on the characters she created.
The feature-length 90-minute episode, titled Peril On The Night Train, was written by Priya Dosanjh and was directed by Asim Abbasi.
The plot is centered around Uncle Quentin’s invention: a state-of-the-art proto-computer dubbed "the Algebra Engine". War is on the horizon, and his machine is critical for the country's counterintelligence.
It's a race against time to prevent the machine from falling into enemy hands, and it's up to the Famous Five to protect this all-important piece of equipment, seeing the return of the rising stars who appeared in the first episode.
An exact release date for this episode hasn't been announced, but we do know it's set to arrive over the Easter period.
Once again, siblings Julian (Elliott Rose), Dick (Kit Rakusen), and Anne (Flora Jacoby Richardson) alongside their cousin George (Diaana Babnicova) and beloved Timmy the Dog, work together to help the Algebra Engine.
James Lance and Ann Akinjirin are back as Uncle Quentin and Aunt Fanny and will be joined by new faces Ed Speleers (Downton Abbey) as Mr Roland and Nora Arnezeder (Army of the Dead) as Sabrina Grover.
A third episode titled The Eye Of The Sunrise is also on the way, which will see more newcomers to the cast including Jason Flemyng (Snatch) as circus magician the Great Supremo and Art Malik (True Lies) as Sir Lincoln Aubrey.
We don't have exact plot details for the third episode just yet, but we do know that it was written by Matthew Read and Matthew Bouch and directed by Bill Eagles. It is expected to arrive on the BBC later this year.
Speaking about the gripping new episodes, Patricia Hildago, Director of BBC Children’s and Education said: "A whole new generation of viewers enjoyed the first installment of these action-packed, epic adventures.
"Episode one was one of the biggest hits with parents and children alike, bringing families together, and we can’t wait for viewers to see what’s in store for The Famous Five."
The first episode The Curse of Kirrin Island is currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer, and has been a huge hit for the broadcaster, with them calling it "one of CBBC’s biggest hits of 2023".
The Famous Five airs on BBC One and CBBC, with episodes also available on iPlayer.
