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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Sophie Goodall

Iconic 90s BBC kids show created by Sir Tony Robinson is set to return to screens

Popular children's show, Maid Marian And Her Merry Men, is set to make a return to our screens, its creator has revealed.

Actor Sir Tony Robinson is currently working on the award-winning kids’ comedy, which initially ran from 1989 until 1994, alongside a company.

The programme, which was a musical comedy, focussed on retelling the story of Robin Hood.

It was hugely popular and even adapted for the stage and a cartoon strip, also.

And now – after nearly 30 years away – Maid Marian And Her Merry Men is set to make a return.

Sir Tony, who also played Baldrick in comedy Blackadder,said: “A company I have worked with before has bought the rights to Maid Marian And Her Merry Men from me. We are in the process of creating a version of the original for television.”

Sir Tony Robinson, who created the series, is in talks with a production company (EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS)

The show retells the story of Robin Hood, but placing Maid Marian in the central role, which Sir Tony decided after watching his daughter play football with a group of boys at school and witnessed his daughter boss the other players around.

He added to The Sun: “I instantly wondered what would have happened if she had been one of Robin Hood’s Merry Men. I suspect she would have been running the enterprise, rather than being just one of the gang.”

Meanwhile a TV source said: “In the Eighties, retelling a fable with a female lead felt progressive, but these days it is bang on trend. There are no concerns over how a reboot would land with modern audiences. It’s early days, but everyone is confident there will be a number of channels keen to buy the show.”

The children's show ran from 1989 until 1994 (EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS)

The show won a BAFTA, an RTS gong and the Prix Jeunesse Variety Award at the International Children’s Programme Festival.

The original cast included Kate Lonergan, Adam Morris and Danny John-Jules.

The first series was originally released in video before it was repeated on CBBC in 2002.

It has since been repeated on CBBC and Gold in later years.

This isn't the first time Tony has discussed reviving the programme – as talks of bringing the programme back also took place in 2018, 2021 and 2022.

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