THE BBC has begun work on a woke reboot of beloved children’s show The Famous Five to suit “progressive new audiences”.
Originally inspired by Enid Blyton’s gentle tales of daring do from a group of friends, the drama ran for two series in 1978 on ITV.
Now Beeb bosses will ditch words that may cause offence including “queer”, “gay” and even “brown” – even though they may have been used in contexts that don’t refer to sexuality or race.
Showrunner Nicolas Winding Refn said: “All my life I’ve fought vigorously to remain a child with a lust for adventure.
“By reimagining The Famous Five, I am preserving that notion by bringing these iconic stories to life for a progressive new audience, instilling the undefinable allure and enchantment of childhood for current and future generations to come.”
Producer Will Gould added: “In the hands of Nicolas and Matthew this Famous Five will be a modern, timely and irreverent action series with adventure at its heart.”
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Despite the changes to the original to fit modern TV audiences, director of BBC Children's and Education, Patricia Hidalgo praised the show as a "celebration of British heritage".
"Bringing these books to life with a new reimagining of The Famous Five is a real treat for BBC audiences and a celebration of British heritage," she said.
"These stories are loved around the world and bringing families together is a key part of our strategy so we hope it introduces a new generation of viewers to these wonderful adventures.”
The “reimagined” saga will return as three 90-minute episodes.
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The series follows five daring young explorers as they encounter action-packed adventures .
The BBC has promised viewers "remarkable mysteries and unparalleled danger" in the series.
Casting is to be announced.
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