Children's TV icon announces return to series reboot after 20 years
Andrew Agnew, who played PC Plum in Balamory between 2002 and 2005, will be stepping back into his old costume for the planned reboot, coming in 2026.
Balamory, which ran for four seasons and more than 200 episodes, was the Scottish kids' TV show that defined a generation with its memorable 'What's the Story?' theme tune and picturesque setting.
Filmed in the town of Tobermory on the Isle of Mull – one of the largest of the Inner Hebrides islands in Scotland – Balamory followed the lives of the small fictional island community who lived in the titular village.
In September 2024, it was confirmed that Balamory would be returning with brand new episodes in 2026, with BBC bosses setting the official revival date.
Ever since, speculation has been rife as to whether its lead stars Andrew, Julie Wilson Nimmo, and Miles Jupp, among others, would be coming back for another go.
Now Andrew has confirmed that he'd be well up for producing more stories from Balamory, returning to the role of Balamory's local police officer PC Plum.
He told BBC Radio Scotland's Lunchtime Live that he'd be more than eager to get back to Tobermory for more filming when production resumes in the near future.
'If they ask me to go back then I'll absolutely be there with bells on, I'm sure. But at the moment we're all just getting excited at the fact that it's happening. I don't think it would be same if we weren't involved in it.'
Andrew's recent comments echo those of Julie's too, who simply said 'Yup' when asked by a fan of the show if she'd be coming back as Miss Hoolie, Balamory's nursery teacher.
Joking that Balamory's anticipated return was 'bigger than the Oasis reunion', Julie made it clear that any future episodes of the children's show would involve her.
Head of children's TV at the BBC, Kate Morton, revealed the news in 2024: 'A whole new generation will discover and enjoy Balamory as we bring families together with this new update for CBeebies.
'It will be a real treat for parents who grew up with the show to now introduce their little ones to the brightly coloured world getting to know a host of old and new characters together.' More Trending
While some of the old cast appear to be returning, there's also the question of whether a reboot calls for some original and newly developed characters.
And while many fans would love of whether production will return to the beautiful Isle of Mull, which has a population of approximately 3,000 people.
View More »
Watch episodes of Balamory on BBC iPlayer.
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
MORE: Toby Jones reveals disappointing update for BBC series hailed 'one of the best'
MORE: BBC addresses fury after legendary band's final ever show wasn't filmed at Glastonbury
MORE: BBC Play School presenter Donald Macdonald dies aged 86
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Press and Journal
38 minutes ago
- Press and Journal
Gallery: Kaiser Chiefs close out Quayside gigs at Tall Ships festival
Thousands gathered on the Aberdeen waterfront on Monday night for the final Quayside Concert, headlined by the Kaiser Chiefs. Fans filled the arena as the chart-topping band delivered a lively set, with frontman Ricky Wilson keeping the crowd on their feet with their biggest hits. The crowd was warmed up by support acts Glasvegas, the Scottish indie rock band from Glasgow, and local Aberdeen band The Capollos, setting the stage for a high-energy night of live music against the backdrop of the Tall Ships. The concert marked the final show in the Quayside series, held alongside the Tall Ships festival. The fleet is due to leave port on Tuesday, July 22, but there is still time for visitors to enjoy the event before departure. As media partners, The Press and Journal will continue to bring coverage from the festival. Press and Journal photographer was there to capture the best moments.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Australian novel attracts controversy over fictionalised depiction of gay codebreaker Alan Turing
A novel written by a prominent book industry figure in which persecuted gay man Alan Turing has sex with a woman and fathers a child has been criticised online for its portrayal of the codebreaker. The Turing Protocol was released in July and was written by Nick Croydon, the CEO of QBD Books, the largest Australian-owned bookshop chain, where the book is being heavily promoted. Published by Affirm Press, which was bought by Simon & Schuster last year, the novel's cover features the question: 'If you had the power to change history, would you dare?' In the thriller, Turing, the brilliant British wartime mathematician and computer pioneer, builds a time travel machine and has sex with Joan Clarke, with whom he secretly fathers a child. Turing is otherwise depicted as gay and the story includes details of his persecution for his sexuality. In real life, Turing was briefly engaged to Bletchley Park colleague, Clarke, when the pair were employed in vital code-breaking during the war. He was later convicted for 'gross indecency' with another man and died by suicide at the age of 41 after enduring chemical castration. Queen Elizabeth II posthumously pardoned Turing in 2013, four years after prime minister Gordon Brown apologised for his 'appalling' treatment. Croydon told The Australian newspaper he had not pretended Turing was straight, but needed to give him a child for the purpose of his plot. 'I wrote this novel as a tribute to him. I wanted to highlight the genius that he was, but also the injustice that he suffered,' he said. As of Tuesday afternoon, the book had received 115 ratings on Goodreads, with five stars making up 21% and one stars making up 64%. Many of the most positive reviews came from first-time Goodreads reviewers. The negative reviews included anger about what some claimed was the 'erasure' of gay history. 'Anyone who is aware of Alan Turing and his prosecution will be scratching their head in disbelief,' one reader wrote. 'Erasing the whole point of Alan Turing's tragedy is one of the worst things someone can do. Erasing LGBTQ history, erasing a real person's pain? … Turing was not some fictional character to straight-ify,' wrote another. The book is QBD's fiction book of the month and is being actively marketed by the company, including a promotional Channel 7 interview in which Croydon explained that his favourite subjects at school were history and mathematics. Authors who have endorsed the book include historical fiction writer Fiona McIntosh and former QBD fiction book of the month author, Chris Hammer, who compared the book to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. Prize-winning author Trent Dalton described the book as 'wildly imaginative' and urged people to 'read the Turing Protocol now', while Candice Fox said it was 'vivid'. Commenting on gay erasure broadly, Equality Australia legal director, Heather Corkhill, told Guardian Australia that 'erasing or marginalising LGBTIQ+ people and characters from historical and cultural narratives to fit a more heteronormative or 'traditional' worldview is not a new phenomenon – but it risks erasing our shared history and diminishing our understanding of the LGBTQ+ experience'. 'At no time did I say Turing wasn't gay,' Croydon said, according to the Australian. 'The book makes it very plain that he is gay. It talks about how he had to hide the fact that he was gay, and in the historical note page at the back of the book I again acknowledge the travesty of the treatment he received.' In a statement released last week, QBD said throughout the novel, Turing's 'identity as a gay man is neither erased, questioned nor diminished'. 'Speculative historical fiction often examines phenomena like lavender marriages – arrangements where LGBTQ+ individuals married opposite-sex partners due to societal pressures, ensuring protection and companionship – which were common during Turing's era and beyond. 'Regarding reviews, it's not unusual for friends, family, colleagues and peers to provide reviews of an author's work. QBD Books staff are a team of avid readers across the country who engage with literature passionately, some of whom have shared their genuine views on the book – both complimentary and critical. 'QBD Books' Book of the Month program follows a rigorous selection process that highlights debut or new authors who have written standout works. Each month submissions are received from publishers, and new releases are reviewed by our team of expert buyers, after which we select four titles for the whole calendar month to spotlight.' QBD, Simon and Schuster and Croydon have been contacted for comment.
Press and Journal
3 hours ago
- Press and Journal
Belladrum organiser gives 'dream' guest Paolo Nutini open invite to perform at festival
Belladrum producer Dougie Brown has revealed the festival has given an open invitation to popular Scottish singer Paolo Nutini. Dougie organises and oversees the three-day event on Belladrum Estate, which will be enjoyed by around 24,500. This year, acts including Natasha Bedingfield, Paul Heaton and Texas are performing on the main stage. Dougie wants to make sure as many of those in attendance are having 'the best possible time'. This is the 20th Belladrum which Dougie is working at, producing the festival since 2018. Dougie said Belladrum is very conscious of its budget and he knows some acts are too far out of reach. He revealed in order to go for some of the big guns in the music industry, ticket prices would need to increase by 50%. Dougie said: 'We know we aren't a Reading or a Leeds festival. We're not trying to be them. 'We also have 14 stages to fill, so our budget is stretched further than some other festivals.' But, when talking about his dream of who could appear on the main stage, a couple of names came to mind. He added: 'In an ideal world, I would love to see Paolo Nutini here. We have an open offer to him. As he's such a big Scottish act, that would be a real dream for me. 'We'd also have Lewis Capaldi back in a heartbeat. We have been really fortunate over the years with who has performed here. 'Up-and-coming artists here could be the next Sam Fender or Ed Sheeran – if you're here you could stumble across the superstar of the future.' Dougie said a lot of work goes into making the festival as perfect as it can be, with efforts for next year's Belladrum already under way. He knows there is always room for improvement, but feels it is already the best festival in Scotland. He said: 'We work on it non-stop, but it's not necessarily about making Bella better because we already have an incredible event. 'For it to be in the Highlands as well is really special. It won't get any bigger in terms of capacity, we're aware of the impact it has on the wider community and so it has to have a balance. 'Sometimes people can't quite grasp just how different what we have here is to any other festival. 'You can come to Belladrum and see some superb acts, or you can not see a single stage and still have an unbelievable time.' Dougie said the team has spent a lot of time addressing traffic issues following big problems in previous years. He added: 'We had some serious issues which we had to address. We had major traffic issues due to a number of factors. 'So, we started again from scrap. We redrew our whole plan and put new companies in place. If something goes badly wrong, you have to go back to the drawing board, that's the only way to make it work.'
