The Famous Five: next episode, cast, plot and everything we know

Julian (Elliott Rose), George (Diaana Babnicova), Anne (Flora Jacoby Richardson), and Dick (Kit Rakusen) leaning on a wall
The Famous Five are back on our screens across three new episodes. (Image credit: BBC)

The Famous Five has been reimagined for BBC, with the new series based on the beloved Enid Blyton classic stories.

This adaptation is created by Danish film director Nicolas Winding Refn, who is known for his work on movies such as Drive and Only God Forgives, so this series is a little different to his previous work!

Speaking about making it, 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." 

James Lance, who plays fiery Uncle Quentin, thinks the show will appeal to modern-day kids, telling What to Watch: "I think it might ignite kids to go on adventures more, and not have technology to interfere with it. I was watching it last night and the first 10 to 15 minutes was just so brilliant, honestly. And there's loads more to come. It really does hold up."

Here's everything we know about The Famous Five...

The Famous Five release date

Episode one and two, The Curse of Kirrin Island and Peril On The Night Train have already aired and both are available to watch on demand via BBC iPlayer. 

A third episode, The Eye Of The Sunrise is available on BBC iPlayer from Saturday, May 25. It also airs on CBBC on Sunday, May 26 at 5:15 pm.

The Famous Five plot

Black and white image of Enid Blyton (1897-1968) sitting in her garden in Buckinghamshire.

Enid Blyton is the author of The Famous Five series. (Image credit: George Konig/Getty Images)

Episode 1: The Curse of Kirrin Island

George and her new friend Timmy the Dog are joined for the holidays by her cousins Julian, Dick and Anne. The Five set out to investigate a long-ago curse involving Kirrin Island, but it soon transpires they are not alone in their quest....

Episode 2: Peril on the Night Train

Early August, 1939. While Uncle Quentin is preoccupied with the invention of his proto-computer and Aunt Fanny works on a new mystery novel, George, Julian, Dick, Anne and Timmy are kept out of trouble by the exasperatingly dreary home tutor Mr Roland, played by Ed Speleers (Downton Abbey) who teaches them about the Corn Laws for days on end. But their mystery-solving prowess is reactivated when a ghost hunt in the cottage turns into a cross-country caper?

Episode 3: The Eye of the Sunrise

It’s late August 1939 and George comes across the Great Supremo who is on the run from malevolent pursuers. She manages to convince her cousins that they should protect him and the Five hide him in their den where he tells them about a powerful treasure he guards, the Eye of the Sunrise.

But the Five’s promise proves impossible to keep as Dr. Rosamund Graves and her burly assistant Bradley arrive from the local psychiatric institute to take Supremo away. He’s not just a magician, he’s a psychiatric patient. Can the Five trust anything he says?

The Famous Five cast

The cast of The Famous Five sees Don't Breathe 2's Diaana Babnicova as George, The Northman's Elliott Rose as Julian, The Midwich Cuckoos' Kit Rakusen as Dick, and Flora Jacoby Richardson as Anne.

Of course, it's no Famous Five without the iconic sidekick Timmy the Dog. He's played by a Bearded Collie Cross named Kip, who is sure to steal the show when the series lands on our screens!

Of the casting, director Tim Kirkby and Executive Producer added: “Our brilliant young cast are mind-blowingly talented and, along with Kip (playing Timmy), they are already bringing these gorgeous characters to life in a fresh and modern way. Together with the brilliant Jack, Ann, James and Diana we can’t wait to bring these glorious, action-filled, epic, family adventures to the screen."

The Famous Five star Jack Gleeson

Jack Gleeson joins The Famous Five cast. (Image credit: BBC)

But that's not all, the supporting cast includes Game of Thrones star Jack Gleeson, who is known for his portrayal of the evil Joffrey Baratheon in the hit HBO series.

He's playing the role of Wentworth and is joined by Moon Knight's Ann Akinjirin as Fanny, Ted Lasso's James Lance as Quentin, and Father Brown's Diana Quick as Mrs Wentworth.

Further casting has been announced for the second and third episodes with Ed Speleers (Downton Abbey) as Mr Roland and Nora Arnezeder (Army of the Dead) as Sabrina Grover joining for episode two.

Meanwhile, Jason Flemyng (Snatch) as circus magician the Great Supremo and Art Malik (True Lies) as Sir Lincoln Aubrey in episode 3.

Is there a trailer?

Yep!

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Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Now she works for our sister site TechRadar in the same role. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.

She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress