Grandpa in My Pocket

Grandpa in My Pocket
Created by Mellie Buse and Jan Page
Developed by Mellie Buse and Jan Page
Written by Mellie Buse and Jan Page
Directed by Richard Bradley, Martin Franks and Iain McLean
Starring James Bolam
Jay Ruckley
Josie Cable
Zara Ramm
Sam Ellis
Harvey Thorn
Sezen Djouma
Theme music composer Kate Edgar
Composer(s) Matt Dilley
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 4
No. of episodes 160 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Sarah Colclough (BBC)
Angus Fletcher (Adastra)
Michael Towner (CBeebies)
Producer(s) BBC
Production location(s) Location footage Suffolk and Norfolk. Studio - Enfys, Cardiff, South Wales.
Running time 12 minutes
Production company(s) Adastra Creative Ltd.
Distributor DHX Media
Release
Original network CBeebies
Picture format HD 16:9
Audio format Full Broadcast
Original release 2009
External links
Official website

Grandpa in My Pocket is a fantasy comedy series commissioned by Michael Carrington for CBeebies, the BBC's dedicated pre-school and nursery channel targeting children aged 1–6 years. The programme stars James Bolam as Grandpa, who owns a magical Shrinking Cap, which initially only his 10-year-old grandson Jason (played by Jay Ruckley) knows about. The cap enables him to shrink to about 4 or 5 inches tall, run very fast, and bring objects to life. This allows him to experience many magical adventures which are told via voice-over narration by Jason, including finding a hamster under the floorboards, bringing a home-made robot to life, and driving Jason's toy car and biplane. The programme also stars Josie Cable, Zara Ramm and Sam Ellis. According to the BBC press office, "Grandpa In My Pocket explores the hugely important relationship between grandchildren and grandparents by turning it on its head".[1]

Following the success of the first series, a second was commissioned in March 2009, with a third filmed in 2010. A fourth series was produced in 2013 with broadcast beginning in 2014. For the fourth series, Jason, who is now a teenager, has moved with his family into a windmill which they have opened as a hotel. Jason and Jemima's younger cousins Josh and Elsie (played by Harvey Thorn and Sezen Djouma) have come to stay for the summer, and the two become the series narrators as Grandpa decides to let them in on the secret of the Shrinking Cap.[2]

Production

The first three series of the show was set in the fictional location called "Sunnysands". The exterior scenes were filmed on location in the towns of Southwold and Aldeburgh, in Suffolk. The Masons' house was in Crabbe Street, Aldeburgh. The pier and the lighthouse were in Southwold. The bike and other shops were in Walberswick.

The Masons' windmill for the fourth series is Cley Windmill, located in Cley next the Sea in Norfolk.

A similar idea was used in The Dandy comic in the 1970s comic adventure strip Peter's Pocket Grandpa, which was based on an earlier prose text story called Jimmie's Pocket Grandpa which had appeared in The Dandy in the 1940s. This was parodied in the adult satirical comic, Viz, with its strip entitled "Mickey's Miniature Grandpa", who only thought he could shrink, but lacked the actual ability.

Cast

Main cast

Additional cast

  • Susan Jameson as Loretta Mason
  • Phil Gallagher as Mr Liker Biker
  • Tinker c/o Martin Winfield as Beowulf Mason
  • Sam Ellis as Christopher Mason
  • Shaheen Jafargholi as Troy
  • David Davies as Troy's Dad
  • Zara Ramm as Julie Mason
  • Heather Williams as Miss Snip
  • Josie Cable as Jemima Mason
  • Steve Elias as Mr Whoops
  • Simon Lys as Mr Hackit
  • Lorna Laidlaw as Miss Smiley
  • Euan Brown as Eryk
  • Alan McMahon as Mr Mentor
  • Adrian Truss as Additional Voices
  • Sarah Ovens as Amelie
  • Gus McQuillin as Hughie Harper
  • Todd Kramer as Mr Martian Mortar

Characters

The Family

  • Grandpa (James Bolam): Jason's grandfather (full name Jeremy Mason), is what most people see as an ordinary Grandpa, but he is in possession of a magic shrinking cap.
  • Jason Mason (Jay Ruckley): the main character for the first three series, He was 10 years old, he alone had knowledge about Grandpa's shrinking cap and had to deal with the trouble it led to.
  • Josh (Harvey Thorn): Jason's cousin
  • Elsie (Sezen Djouma): Jason's cousin
  • Mrs Mason (Zara Ramm), known as Auntie Jules to Josh and Elsie: Jason and Jemima's mum and Grandpa's daughter.
  • Mr Mason (Sam Ellis), known as Uncle CJ to Josh and Elsie: Jason and Jemima's dad who works in a bicycle shop. He is quite forgetful, and is a typical clueless dad.
  • Jemima Mason (Josie Cable): Jason's older sister. In the fourth series, she has begun a fashion course.
  • Great Aunt Loretta (Susan Jameson, James Bolam's wife): Grandpa's bossy sister who often comes to stay, and cooks disgusting food, like sausages and sardine sauce, and kipper and marmalade sandwiches, and constantly drinks spinach and sprout shake (nicknamed Green Gloop).
  • Beowulf (, also known as Wolfy: Grandpa's dog
  • Lilly Mason
  • Mother Goose

Series 1-3

  • Mr Whoops (Steve Elias): the accident-prone owner of Sunnysands Toyshop.
  • Troy (Shaheen Jafargholi): The spiteful, rude neighbour of the Mason family.
  • Troy's dad (David Davies)
  • Miss Smiley (Lorna Laidlaw): The happy-go-lucky owner of the Sunnysands cafe.
  • Mr Liker-Biker (Phil Gallagher) The optimistic local biker who is more interested in the gear than actually cycling.
  • Lady Prigsbottom (Liza Goddard): Dora's aunt
  • Princess Purpelovna (Rula Lenska): celebrity film star
  • Igor (David Kendall)
  • Mr Krumpgrumble (Brian Herring): a taste tester
  • Miss Snip (Heather Williams): a dog groomer
  • Baby Boris (Izaak Jameson-Lys)
  • Mr Hackitt (Simon Lys): a gardener
  • Josh (Arthur Byrne), Andrew—Min Boalm
  • Bubbles (Elizabeth Franks): Jason and Jemima's kind hearted babysitter
  • Mr Marvelloso (Sam Franks): a magician
  • Rick the Rocking Raver (David Straun): a musician
  • Cousin Alvin (Harry Jackson): Jason's cousin
  • Miss Pointy-Pencil (Meera Syal): a teacher
  • Speedie Edie (Alex Tregear): a champion cyclist
  • Horatio Heave Ho (David Rintoul): a pirate
  • Captain Shipshape (Alex Jennings): the captain of a big cruise ship
  • Mrs Maridadi (Vivien Heilbron): a dressmaker
  • Rodger Splodger (Sanjeev Bhaskar): a painter
  • Mr Mentor (Alan McMahon): an wacky inventor who creates words as well as contraptions.
  • Grandad Gilbert (Geoffrey Palmer)
  • Dora (Maia Tamrakar): Jason's friend
  • Shanay (Paaras Bhardwaj): Jemima's friend
  • Floyd (Luke Perry): the Masons' neighbour, a rude, mischievous boastful young boy who loves showing off his stuff, and goes to Jason's school.
  • Max (Benjamin Greaves-Neal): Jason's cousin
  • Izzy (Ellie Ruiz): Jason's cousin
  • Brenda Balderdash (Maggie Ollerenshaw)
  • Bernard Balderdash (Geoff Leesley)
  • Madame Vibrato (Anne Reid): an opera singing teacher
  • Lenora (Sian Thomas): an explorer
  • Tiffany Jayne Grottington Pump (Flavia Cheeseman): Jemima's new best friend
  • Squeak (Tommy): a kitten belonging to Bubbles the babysitter
  • Mr Scoffbucket (Oscar): a goat belonging to Mum's friend

Series 4 and 5

  • Olga Orbit (Emilia Fox): an astronomer
  • Belinda Lucinda: a girl who is mean to other children.
  • Mrs McWhiskit: a famous TV cook, who has her own TV show.
  • Connor: Josh's friend
  • Mr Yomper Stomper: an adventurer, who forgets why he was at the Mill on the Marsh.
  • Teddy: a baby boy in the episode "Squeak! Squeak! Mr Squeak".
  • Mr Squeak: a toy mouse which Teddy has.

Episodes

Series 1 - 2009

  1. "Beowulf the Brilliant" [10th February 2009]
  2. "How to Handle a Hamster" [11th February 2009]
  3. "Mr Biker Liker's Big Mountain Mission" [12th February 2009]
  4. "The Robot to Beat all Robots" [13th February 2009]
  5. "Princess Purpelovna's Plan" [16th February 2009]
  6. "Mr Krumpgrumble's Visit" [17th February 2009]
  7. "The Most Splendiferous Sandcastle in Sunnysands" [18th February 2009]
  8. "A Fabulous Family Photo" [19th February 2009]
  9. "Miss Smiley's Summer Show" [20th February 2009]
  10. "The Wonderful World of Mr Whoops" [23rd February 2009]
  11. "Chaos in the Café" [24th February 2009]
  12. "The Day the Baby Came to Stay" [25th February 2009]
  13. "A Garden Full of Beasts" [26th February 2009]
  14. "A Toy for a Boy called Troy" [27th February 2009]
  15. "Trouble for Bubbles" [2nd March 2009]
  16. "Shake Up and Shape Up" [3rd March 2009]
  17. "Mr Marvelloso's Magic Show" [4th March 2009]
  18. "A Tuneful Toot on a Trumpet" [5th March 2009]
  19. "Getting Aunt Loretta Better" [6th March 2009]
  20. "Sweet Dreams for Cousin Alvin" [9th March 2009]
  21. "Something to Treasure Forever" [10th March 2009]
  22. "A Saturday Full of Surprises" [11th March 2009]
  23. "Magic in the Air" [12th March 2009]
  24. "Nothing Stops Grandpa" [13th March 2009]
  25. "Grandpa's Busy Bee Day" [16th March 2009]
  26. "Captain Dumbletwit's Spaceship Cake" [17th March 2009]

Series 2 - 2010

  1. "Captain Dumbletwit's Toughest Mission Yet!" [23 February 2010]
  2. "Mr Mentor's Custard Puff Plopper" [24 February 2010]
  3. "No Two Rings the Same" [28 February 2010]
  4. "A Carrot Called Christopher and Other Odd Vegetables" [February 2010]
  5. "Taking Floyd for a Ride" [1 March 2010]
  6. "Trying to Play with Shy Shanay" [2 March 2010]
  7. "A Day for a Play at Miss Smiley's Café" [3 March 2010]
  8. "Jemima's New Best Friend" [4 March 2010]
  9. "Bubbles and Squeak" [5 March 2010]
  10. "No More Dolls for Dora" [6 March 2010]
  11. "A Very Needy Speedy Edie" [7 March 2010]
  12. "Making the Most of Max" [8 March 2010]
  13. "Miss Smiley's Strawberry Surprise" [15 March 2010]
  14. "In It to Win It!" [20 March 2010]
  15. "Horatio Heave Ho!" [26 March 2010]
  16. "Great Aunt Loretta's Not-So-Great Plan" [1 October 2010]
  17. "Mr Whoops' Toy of the Week" [2 October 2010]
  18. "The Perfect Little Litter Picker" [3 October 2010]
  19. "Big Elf, Little Elf" [4 October 2010]
  20. "A Song for Miss Smiley" [5 October 2010]
  21. "Mr Scoffbucket the Goat" [6 October 2010]
  22. "Miss Smiley's Dancing Tea" [7 October 2010]
  23. "A Sunnysands Tick Tock Shock" [8 October 2010]
  24. "Wulfy's Day with Mr Whoops" [9 October 2010]
  25. "Captain Shipshape and a Fish Called Bryan" [19 October 2010]
  26. "Grandpa's Greatest Escape Ever" [20 October 2010]

Series 3 - 2011

Series 5 - 2014

  1. "Mr Mentor's Spangly Jangly Dangle Dish" [2 January 2012]
  2. "Poorly Pansy Petunia" [3 January 2012]
  3. "Mr Yomper Stomper's Donkey Day" [4 January 2012]
  4. "Wanda Whoops' World of Whooo!" [5 January 2012]
  5. "The Balderdashes on Bob's Boat" [6 January 2012]
  6. "One Man's Junk Is Another Man's Treasure" [7 January 2012]
  7. "Don't Blame Wulfy" [11 January 2012]
  8. "Mr Mentor's Whizzywoodlesome Whirly Windwhooper" [12 January 2012]
  9. "The Mystery of the Missing Millions" [19 January 2012]
  10. "Cheery Charlie Cheekster's Big Return" [20 January 2012]
  11. "Mrs Pufferbang's Balloony Beach Bonanza" [21 January 2012]
  12. "Bertie Beep and His Talking Sheep" [29 January 2012]
  13. "A Sunnysands Shelter for Bella La Belter" [30 January 2012]
  14. "A Robodoggy for Miss Snip" [2 April 2012]
  15. "The Brillioso Beach Treat" [3 April 2012]
  16. "Great Aunt Loretta on Duty" [4 April 2012]
  17. "Mighty Mike and a Bear on a Hike" [5 April 2012]
  18. "Great Aunt Loretta's Dream Date" [6 April 2012]
  19. "Whizzy William" [7 April 2012]
  20. "Shiny Gold Stars" [8 April 2012]
  21. "Captain Dumbletwit's Dress-Up Party" [9 April 2012]
  22. "In a Muddle with Miss Muddleton" [23 April 2012]
  23. "A Day for a Piratey Adventure" [1 November 2012]
  24. "The Magic of the Mill on the Marsh" [15 November 2012]
  25. "A Passion for Fashion" [12 December 2012]
  26. "A Dinosaur Called Damian" [4 January 2013].

Awards and nominations

  • Nominated for Best Pre-School Live Action[3]
  • BAFTA - Wales 2010
  • Winner - Best Children's Programme

DVD releases

  • Warner Home Video: UK (2010-2011), France, USA, Italy (2011–present)
  • Abbey Home Media: UK (2011–present)

References

  1. ↑ "Family, friends and musical fun on CBeebies". BBC. 8 August 2007. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
  2. ↑ "James Bolam returns in new series of Grandpa In My Pocket on CBeebies". BBC. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "British Academy Children's Awards". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
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