November 21st 2024.
This Christmas, fans of beloved BBC fantasy drama from the 1980s will be delighted to hear that it will be returning to screens. The show, based on John Masefield's 1935 children's novel "The Box of Delights," first aired in November and December of 1984 and quickly became a festive favorite.
The story follows the adventures of schoolboy Kay Harker, who returns home from boarding school for Christmas in 1934 and finds himself in the middle of a battle to obtain a magical box. Along the way, he meets the current owner of the box, a man named Cole Hawlings, and the two strike up a friendship. Cole confides in Kay that he is being pursued by the evil magician Abner Brown and his gang, which includes Kay's former governess.
The box itself has incredible powers, allowing the owner to shrink in size, shapeshift, fly, and travel through time. Abner and his gang are determined to steal the box for their own nefarious purposes. When Cole entrusts the box to Kay, the young boy goes on a series of thrilling adventures through time, encountering figures like King Arthur, Roman soldiers, and even Father Christmas, all while trying to protect the valuable item.
The series stars Devin Stanfield as Kay Harker and was the most expensive children's show ever made by the BBC at the time, with a budget of £1 million for the six episodes. It was widely acclaimed and won several Bafta awards, including some for its impressive special effects. Now, 40 years after its debut, the show will be airing once again, starting with a new introduction from director Renny Rye.
Fans of the show expressed their excitement upon hearing the news of its return. One fan, Vince, posted on social media, "Excellent news! That's some of my Christmas viewing sorted then...". Another, Ryan, exclaimed, "Splendiferous! The Box of Delights is a magical Christmas story! Classic! It should be on the BBC every Christmas! The wolves are running!" Pauline added, "Excellent Film. Also read the book."
Despite the show's high budget, director Renny Rye faced challenges in bringing some of the more elaborate scenes to life. He recalled, "I remember reading the script for the first episode, which includes Punch and Judy man Cole Hawlings riding into a painting and Kay landing in a wolf-besieged Roman encampment on a flying pony, and thinking, 'OK, how do we do that?' These things just weren't possible in those days, but the technology was changing daily, and the BBC was building an electronics workshop we were allowed to use. I ended up spending almost six months in there."
Meanwhile, lead actor Devin Stanfield shared his experience of working on the show, including his willingness to perform stunts such as riding a horse bareback despite having limited experience. After starring in The Box of Delights, he auditioned for the lead role in Steven Spielberg's 1988 film "Empire of the Sun" but lost out to Christian Bale. He eventually decided to pursue a career behind the camera and now works as a production manager and technical director.
The Box of Delights will air on Saturday, December 7 at 7:10pm on BBC Four. If you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, you can share them with the entertainment team at The Agency by emailing, calling, or visiting their "Submit Stuff" page. They would love to hear from you.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
